COMPOUND FRACTURE

An autistic, transgender teen seeks justice as a 100-year-old feud threatens his family and anyone who associates with them.

In 1917, the sheriff of Twist Creek County executed a man named Saint Abernathy, leader of the coal miners’ strike, by hammering a railroad spike through his mouth. A century later, the mines have closed, but Miles, as an Abernathy, is caught up in the cycle of oppression and violent vengeance that killed his great-great-grandfather Saint. On the night of the annual high school graduation party, Miles hits send on an email telling his parents he’s trans and then sneaks out of the house with photos stolen from his father’s lockbox—photos offering proof that Sheriff Davies caused the “accident” that killed Miles’ former best friend Cooper’s mother five years ago. Before Cooper and Miles can decide on their next steps, the feud is reignited, and neither of them can outrun the flames. White captures violence with vivid and lethal precision. Set in rural West Virginia in 2017, this tremendously suspenseful, queer coming-of-age thriller confronts the impact of economic injustice, local political corruption, and generational trauma. As Miles fights for himself and his family, he’s haunted by the ghost of Saint Abernathy. His struggle to understand his ancestor parallels his journey to understand and accept himself. The cast of white characters includes representation of those who are marginalized for being fat, disabled, and queer and living with disfigurement. The hopeful, satisfying ending emerges from community collaboration.

Unflinching and empowering.