DISPATCHES FROM PARTS UNKNOWN

The complicated nature of grief and an unusual path to understanding life through the lens of pro wrestling mania are explored in this novel about a St. Paul, Minnesota, teen whose father died three years ago.

Eighteen-year-old Julie and her mom have escaped the emotional fog that overtook them when their beloved dad and husband died unexpectedly, but the gaping hole he left is still a constant in their lives. Julie struggles to like the new guy her mom is seeing, even though she truly wants her to be happy. In addition, she still leans heavily on the conversations she has in her head with the Masked Man, a professional wrestler she and her dad followed as part of their dedication to the sport (her mom found it all a bit embarrassing). This emotionally honest, touching work of contemporary fiction is grounded in the details of Julie’s life, such as the world of professional wrestling, the Mall of America, and her obsession with Orange Julius (where her earnest, wildly endearing best friend, Max, works). Julie’s wryly funny, self-deprecating, and authentic narrative voice, the wide cast of eccentric but realistically drawn characters whom she begins to let in as the story progresses, and the beautiful, unshowy writing will keep readers going all the way to the auspicious end. Major characters are cued white.

A smart, poignant meditation on losing someone you love and living with the loss.