Isaac

British writer Garner makes an impressive debut with this story of a gay 17-year-old aspiring writer grappling with his desire for love in an abusive relationship. Isaac lives in London with his mother and her boyfriend, Leon, having been abandoned by his father. Anxious to find a partner, he starts seeing guys he meets on apps and loses his virginity to one of them. He then meets Harrison, 28, at a party, and quickly becomes infatuated with the older man, feeling as if he’s a “ship sinking” and Harrison is “the ocean.” As Isaac worries his feelings for Harrison aren’t reciprocated, he develops an eating disorder (“As if his misery was something he could starve, shrink and kill off like a bug”). The situation worsens during a trip together to Germany, where they get into a fight and Harrison hits Isaac. Eventually, Isaac realizes that “wanting to be with [Harrison] didn’t also mean feeling completely shit about myself.” Garner offers an astute depiction of Isaac’s desperation to see the affair through, as it “felt like a novel he’d loved so much he hadn’t wanted it to end,” and he rounds out the agonizing narrative with satisfying subplots about Isaac’s discovery of Leon’s affair and decision to enter a short story competition. Readers will be riveted by this intense character study. (Feb.)