First published 2023
Seamus, a photographer haunted by his rural Midwestern past, navigates a precarious web of relationships among queer artists and workers in Iowa City. As his graduate cohort fragments—some pursuing creative ambitions, others surrendering to corporate pragmatism—tensions simmer beneath polite surfaces. A series of intimate encounters and professional setbacks force each character to confront the economic and emotional margins of contemporary American life. One wrong move could unravel everything: careers, friendships, and the delicate social fabric holding their fragile community together. Taylor tracks these interconnected lives with surgical precision, revealing how personal survival intersects with artistic aspiration.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, friends-to-lovers
Setting: Iowa City, Midwest
Period: 21st Century
480 pages · Paperback · Random House Large Print