“You’re stuck in this hole with the same three or four faces for the rest of your life, drinking, taking gear, hanging around the local until there’s no one left to talk to.”
I went into Close to Home with fairly high hopes, which may ultimately have worked against the book. The premise sounded compelling, and I even moved it up my reading list because I was so curious to see how the story would unfold.
The novel follows a young man growing up in an environment shaped by poverty, generational alcoholism, and drug abuse. In many ways, it reminded me of Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart, particularly in its focus on social environment and the quiet struggles of everyday life.
Unfortunately, I found myself somewhat underwhelmed by the narrative. There is relatively little progression in the storyline, and much of the novel feels like a portrait of a character in stasis rather than a developing arc. This may have been an intentional stylistic decision, but it did make the book feel slow and occasionally frustrating to read.
I also felt that the novel lacked deeper introspection. Considering the heavy themes it engages with, I expected more internal exploration from the protagonist. Greater psychological depth might have made the emotional stakes feel stronger.
Overall, it is a promising debut, and there are certainly moments where Magee’s voice shines through. However, it did not quite live up to the expectations I had going in.