cover image Apology

Apology

Jon Pineda. Milkweed, $16 trade paper (208p) ISBN 978-1-57131-104-7

Pineda’s debut novel (after the memoir, Sleep in Me) is told in short scenes spanning decades and involving a handful of characters, leaving the reader to, if not put the pieces together, at least fill in the interstices of the story, which begins when young Tom ignores his twin sister Teagan so he can play with his pals. Notable among these is Mario, “a dumpy kid with a bowl cut,” whose uncle, known affectionately as “Shoe,” is staying with Mario’s family, and dreaming of the idyllic domestic life of his married brother. Teagan goes to a construction site and is bullied by Mario until she hurts herself badly. Shoe, working at the site, discovers her and protects his nephew by taking legal responsibility for her injuries, changing the lives of all involved. Teagan suffers brain damage, consigning her to the world of special education. Both Tom and Mario live under burdens of guilt, of very different kinds. Mario turns into an overachiever, becoming a respected surgeon and intermittently working for his uncle’s release from prison, while Tom grows into a wary and tentative adult, afraid of commitment. Shoe seems to live most fully in the moment, both in prison and after getting released. An acutely observed if sometimes frustrating novel. Agent: Terra Chalberg, Chalberg & Sussman. (June)