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Late Lights
After spending his teens in juvenile detention, Monty is released to find he has nowhere to turn except back to the friends of his youth. But neither BJ nor Erin know how to have him in their lives anymore. As kids, BJ and Monty shared the anguish of being forgotten children, playing basketball and wandering the streets, but BJ has since aged out of her tomboy persona and into a sexually-confused woman in an adult body she doesn't understand, particularly when Monty is the first guy to view her as a woman. Although Erin Broder never gave up on her friendship with Monty, she doesn’t know where he fits into her upward-bound life, which is filled with professional parents, varsity track, and an Ivy League destiny. To the Broder family, young Monty was a charity case, a kid from the wrong side of Tremont Street, a novelty friend they hoped Erin would outgrow. So what happens when she doesn’t? With sharp language and unflinching honesty, Kara Weiss depicts a complex reality where adolescent friendship is less like a two-way
street, more like a six-way interchange with broken signals.
For fans of Denis Johnson, Amy Bloom, and Cormac McCarthy.
street, more like a six-way interchange with broken signals.
For fans of Denis Johnson, Amy Bloom, and Cormac McCarthy.
- GenresShort Stories
123 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 28, 2013
Gender dysphoria, juvenile delinquency and simply not fitting in, this is adolescence. These themes weave together beautifully in a rhythmic prose. I love this book, and I love Monty!
April 26, 2015
Late Lights is a novella-length book that reads like a collection of linked short stories about three childhood friends, Monty, B.J., and Erin, who are trying to figure out their relationships with each other in their late teenage years. Monty has been in and out of juvenile detention for years, B.J. is a sexually confused tomboy who can’t come to terms with her changing body, and Erin is struggling to figure out how her wrong-side-of-the-tracks friends fit into her privileged life.
We first meet Monty during one of his stints in juvie, and reading about his experience was a harsh awakening to the realities of life in juvenile detention. The conditions the boys there live under seem very cruel, and I empathized with Monty’s desire to turn his life around, become someone his deadbeat dad could be proud of, and grow up to be the kind of adult that has an education and listens to NPR.
When Monty gets of out juvie, he meets B.J. at her house, where an interaction between them leads B.J. to later commit a horrible act of self violence. One of the things I really liked about this novella, especially in B.J.’s sections, was Weiss’s tendency to leave some things unsaid; I like that she treats her readers as adults who can read between the lines. I also think her reluctance to explicitly describe B.J.’s problems reflects the girl’s inability to understand or vocalize her own emotions.
Later, Erin must deal with the fallout of an affair with her Ivy League track & field coach. She decides to transfer to a different college, and B.J. visits to help Erin move out of her dorm. Although their friendship goes back ages, Erin can’t help but notice how badly B.J., with her neon-patched DaKine backpack, sticks out in the landscape of Patagonia messenger bags.
I would have liked to see the characters relate — or try to relate — to each other more. We know they have been friends since childhood and now their lives have gone all kinds of different ways, but in an odd way they don’t really seem to care about each other in the moment or try to help each other through difficult situations. For example, although Erin and B.J. are supposed to be great friends, Erin never asks B.J. about her injury, and the girls don’t really talk about Erin’s situation as she’s leaving school. I wanted something deeper from them.
I also would have liked to learn more about her characters’ motivations for some of their actions — why did Monty steal a car, how did Erin justify sleeping with her coach and taking the coach’s wife’s history class? However, I think this lack of detail is a limitation of the form; although I would have liked to know more, Weiss manages to convey a lot in 123 pages. Aside from these issues, I thought Late Lights was a very good novella. The writing is strong, and Weiss does a good job of putting the reader inside her characters’ heads. For such a short book (I read it in two hours), it packs a punch.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
More book reviews at Books Speak Volumes.
We first meet Monty during one of his stints in juvie, and reading about his experience was a harsh awakening to the realities of life in juvenile detention. The conditions the boys there live under seem very cruel, and I empathized with Monty’s desire to turn his life around, become someone his deadbeat dad could be proud of, and grow up to be the kind of adult that has an education and listens to NPR.
When Monty gets of out juvie, he meets B.J. at her house, where an interaction between them leads B.J. to later commit a horrible act of self violence. One of the things I really liked about this novella, especially in B.J.’s sections, was Weiss’s tendency to leave some things unsaid; I like that she treats her readers as adults who can read between the lines. I also think her reluctance to explicitly describe B.J.’s problems reflects the girl’s inability to understand or vocalize her own emotions.
Later, Erin must deal with the fallout of an affair with her Ivy League track & field coach. She decides to transfer to a different college, and B.J. visits to help Erin move out of her dorm. Although their friendship goes back ages, Erin can’t help but notice how badly B.J., with her neon-patched DaKine backpack, sticks out in the landscape of Patagonia messenger bags.
I would have liked to see the characters relate — or try to relate — to each other more. We know they have been friends since childhood and now their lives have gone all kinds of different ways, but in an odd way they don’t really seem to care about each other in the moment or try to help each other through difficult situations. For example, although Erin and B.J. are supposed to be great friends, Erin never asks B.J. about her injury, and the girls don’t really talk about Erin’s situation as she’s leaving school. I wanted something deeper from them.
I also would have liked to learn more about her characters’ motivations for some of their actions — why did Monty steal a car, how did Erin justify sleeping with her coach and taking the coach’s wife’s history class? However, I think this lack of detail is a limitation of the form; although I would have liked to know more, Weiss manages to convey a lot in 123 pages. Aside from these issues, I thought Late Lights was a very good novella. The writing is strong, and Weiss does a good job of putting the reader inside her characters’ heads. For such a short book (I read it in two hours), it packs a punch.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
More book reviews at Books Speak Volumes.
August 9, 2013
See more reviews at The Best Books Ever!
Late Lights is a collection of interconnected short stories centering around three teenagers: Monty, who has been in and out of juvenile detention; Erin, a friend of Monty's who still hasn't given up on him; and B.J., a young woman struggling with her gender presentation. Their lives intersect in interesting, and sometimes tragic, ways as we see short snippets of their lives from their mid-teen years through college.
The writing in this book is so tight that I'm kind of in love. The way the stories weave in and out is very elegantly done, and all of the characters (leads and minor alike) will break your heart. You see the assumptions people make about each of the characters -- Monty's a troublemaker, Erin's a stand-out student, B.J.'s just confused -- and you get to dig into the explanations and backstories that challenge that. You wind up feeling for each of them as they struggle through some tough years, but you also want to reach out and shake them, get them to make smarter choices.
I don't want to talk too much about the story because some of the biggest moments were things that took me by surprise, or elements that took a few stories to really fully play out. Weiss' writing is evocative, sparse when it needs to be, and full of detail and emotion when appropriate. Because these are all short vignettes that skip around in time, there's a lot left to the imagination and some reading between the lines that you have to do, which could be frustrating to some readers. (I did some flipping back and forth between pages to see if I just missed something in the previous section, or if it just wasn't there.) Above all, though, I found the stories to be very honest about the realities of growing up, for both kids from the wrong side of the tracks, like Monty, and kids who had it all, like Erin. The story leaves off in the mid-college years, so you are left to imagine what happens next for this trio. You can hope for a happy ending, if that's what you like, but Weiss doesn't try to fool the reader into thinking that everything will be all sunshine and roses, either.
Although a very quick read -- I read it on and off over the course of an evening -- the subject material can be heavy, and may tend to stick with you for a while. This book contains themes including physical abuse, parental neglect, death, depression, self-harm, gender or body dysphoria, sexual assault, adultery, and others, so while the book is about teenagers and young adults, I think the book is best geared towards more mature readers.
Late Lights is a collection of interconnected short stories centering around three teenagers: Monty, who has been in and out of juvenile detention; Erin, a friend of Monty's who still hasn't given up on him; and B.J., a young woman struggling with her gender presentation. Their lives intersect in interesting, and sometimes tragic, ways as we see short snippets of their lives from their mid-teen years through college.
The writing in this book is so tight that I'm kind of in love. The way the stories weave in and out is very elegantly done, and all of the characters (leads and minor alike) will break your heart. You see the assumptions people make about each of the characters -- Monty's a troublemaker, Erin's a stand-out student, B.J.'s just confused -- and you get to dig into the explanations and backstories that challenge that. You wind up feeling for each of them as they struggle through some tough years, but you also want to reach out and shake them, get them to make smarter choices.
I don't want to talk too much about the story because some of the biggest moments were things that took me by surprise, or elements that took a few stories to really fully play out. Weiss' writing is evocative, sparse when it needs to be, and full of detail and emotion when appropriate. Because these are all short vignettes that skip around in time, there's a lot left to the imagination and some reading between the lines that you have to do, which could be frustrating to some readers. (I did some flipping back and forth between pages to see if I just missed something in the previous section, or if it just wasn't there.) Above all, though, I found the stories to be very honest about the realities of growing up, for both kids from the wrong side of the tracks, like Monty, and kids who had it all, like Erin. The story leaves off in the mid-college years, so you are left to imagine what happens next for this trio. You can hope for a happy ending, if that's what you like, but Weiss doesn't try to fool the reader into thinking that everything will be all sunshine and roses, either.
Although a very quick read -- I read it on and off over the course of an evening -- the subject material can be heavy, and may tend to stick with you for a while. This book contains themes including physical abuse, parental neglect, death, depression, self-harm, gender or body dysphoria, sexual assault, adultery, and others, so while the book is about teenagers and young adults, I think the book is best geared towards more mature readers.
September 9, 2013
Late Lights is five connected stories providing a riveting glimpse into the complex relationships of three teens, unlikely friends growing up together in the Boston metro area. They became friends despite being raised in different social classes and very different home lives with stark contrasts.
The novella is composed of five vignettes set in that confusing period when the friends are no longer children, but not yet adults. Monty was a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who lived with a father that didn’t want him around, Erin’s professional parents have Ivy League dreams for her future and BJ was always a tomboy but is now growing into a sexually confused young woman.
Each of these linked stories builds upon the next. We first meet Monty who is serving time in juvenile detention for a robbery. He is counting the days and surviving in horrible conditions until his release, but knows he will hve nowhere to go except back to his father. Next we meet BJ. Monty has stopped by her home for a visit but instead of an old pal he now sees her as a young woman, only adding to her sexual confusion. Finally we meet Erin. She has never lost touch with Monty. She thinks she loves him, or does she? She continued to write to him after her parents forbid phone calls from the juvie facility. They hoped she would grow out of this friendship. When she and Monty reunite, things are not the same anymore.
Although the stories are short, the characters are well-developed and detailed. The writing is fantastic. The descriptions are vivid, the situations intense. Often raw and gritty and at times disturbing, we are immersed into the lives of these three young people and feel their pain, confusion and angst. This is a book that will make you think, and make you want more.
Late Lights was a fast, compelling read and is better described as a novella than short stories. For those who enjoy a realistic depiction of young adults and the struggle of growing up, I highly recommend this book.
The novella is composed of five vignettes set in that confusing period when the friends are no longer children, but not yet adults. Monty was a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who lived with a father that didn’t want him around, Erin’s professional parents have Ivy League dreams for her future and BJ was always a tomboy but is now growing into a sexually confused young woman.
Each of these linked stories builds upon the next. We first meet Monty who is serving time in juvenile detention for a robbery. He is counting the days and surviving in horrible conditions until his release, but knows he will hve nowhere to go except back to his father. Next we meet BJ. Monty has stopped by her home for a visit but instead of an old pal he now sees her as a young woman, only adding to her sexual confusion. Finally we meet Erin. She has never lost touch with Monty. She thinks she loves him, or does she? She continued to write to him after her parents forbid phone calls from the juvie facility. They hoped she would grow out of this friendship. When she and Monty reunite, things are not the same anymore.
Although the stories are short, the characters are well-developed and detailed. The writing is fantastic. The descriptions are vivid, the situations intense. Often raw and gritty and at times disturbing, we are immersed into the lives of these three young people and feel their pain, confusion and angst. This is a book that will make you think, and make you want more.
Late Lights was a fast, compelling read and is better described as a novella than short stories. For those who enjoy a realistic depiction of young adults and the struggle of growing up, I highly recommend this book.
August 15, 2013
Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall:
Late Lights begins in a dreary, dark place with a sliver of hope. Just a tiny sliver, one that is constantly under threat of being snatched away.
Monty really wants to change his life, but every single odd is against him. The complete lack of love or concern Monty receives from his father had me feeling so downtrodden, I briefly thought maybe Monty would have been better off staying in juvie. Then I felt appalled at myself for thinking that way, because there were some horrific conditions there (be warned). So I ended up feeling suffocated by how impossible his situation seemed.
Monty is heartbreakingly aware of the privilege of others as he walks, in worn shoes that no longer fit, through his friend's neighborhood: "A stiff frozen snow topped the roofs of homeowners’ second and third cars, the ones not often used."
I found myself pleading for Monty. Cheering him on. No matter how little he had to work with, he continued to try to escape the path his life seemed to be taking. I latched on to every hopeful opportunity that came his way.
But I didn't really connect with the ending, which felt somewhat vague. Part of it was due to the choice of character the author decided to end with. Though all of the characters' stories are intertwined, for me, the impact of this book is created by Monty and his experiences. The others, although compelling for different reasons, felt secondary. I just wanted to get back to Monty and find out how he was doing.
Regardless, Late Lights is a powerful novella about childhood friendships and how time - especially time spent apart - affects those relationships as we mature into adults.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.
Late Lights begins in a dreary, dark place with a sliver of hope. Just a tiny sliver, one that is constantly under threat of being snatched away.
Monty really wants to change his life, but every single odd is against him. The complete lack of love or concern Monty receives from his father had me feeling so downtrodden, I briefly thought maybe Monty would have been better off staying in juvie. Then I felt appalled at myself for thinking that way, because there were some horrific conditions there (be warned). So I ended up feeling suffocated by how impossible his situation seemed.
Monty is heartbreakingly aware of the privilege of others as he walks, in worn shoes that no longer fit, through his friend's neighborhood: "A stiff frozen snow topped the roofs of homeowners’ second and third cars, the ones not often used."
I found myself pleading for Monty. Cheering him on. No matter how little he had to work with, he continued to try to escape the path his life seemed to be taking. I latched on to every hopeful opportunity that came his way.
But I didn't really connect with the ending, which felt somewhat vague. Part of it was due to the choice of character the author decided to end with. Though all of the characters' stories are intertwined, for me, the impact of this book is created by Monty and his experiences. The others, although compelling for different reasons, felt secondary. I just wanted to get back to Monty and find out how he was doing.
Regardless, Late Lights is a powerful novella about childhood friendships and how time - especially time spent apart - affects those relationships as we mature into adults.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.
October 29, 2013
Late Lights is rare if not entirely new breed of book--short stories that read like novellas and the novellas that create an arc that might damn well be called a novel, all done in real poetry of the American city. It's a voice without defined race, gender or even ideology. It's the voice of kids bucking lives in American like flowers do sidewalks. "Something Familiar," is one of the most powerful stories of loss and healing I've ever read. Kara Weiss pulls things off that you do not expect her or any writer to. If you love coming of age stories, jail stories, authentic urban lit, or genre-bending slim books that fit in your pocket but bring you straight into the heart of contemporary American urban literature, get LL posthaste.
July 15, 2014
Time for some truth - the author of this book is the wife of a friend of mine from high school and being the reader that I am I wanted to support them. This is the first time I have read a book by an author I know/have met so I was a little worried about not liking it. Luckily that was never validated. The worst thing I can say about the book is it was too short. I wanted more. I loved her writing and I loved the characters because even though they weren't always shown in the best light, they were real. I read all 100+ pages in one sitting. So Kara - if somehow you stumble upon this I NEED MORE! Great job.
October 22, 2013
Late Lights by Kara Weiss is a short fictional novel told in short story form. Each chapter is told by a different narrator, but all of the narrators are connected in various ways.
Late Lights
Monty is in and out of juvie, and is struggling to get his life back on track. It would be much easier for him if his father was a little more helpful.
BJ is a wreck. . . she’s in denial about her self image and could use some good friends.
And Erin is trying to run away from it all.
For the full review, visit Love at First Book
Late Lights
Monty is in and out of juvie, and is struggling to get his life back on track. It would be much easier for him if his father was a little more helpful.
BJ is a wreck. . . she’s in denial about her self image and could use some good friends.
And Erin is trying to run away from it all.
For the full review, visit Love at First Book
June 11, 2013
How I put this down the first night I don't know. This book is truly a fantastic example of elegant writing that transports the reader into the heart wrenching and confusing times of three teens/young adults as they search for each other and themselves. The author's gripping writing style leaves you with a feeling of wanting more from each character as they plunge through the trials of their lives.
June 1, 2014
At first I wanted more - I felt like the stories of Monty, BJ, and Erin (as well as side characters such as Erin's father, BJ's mother) were left with a pregnant pause, without closure. But isn't that adolescence, and isn't that real life?
June 30, 2013
Late Lights is a fantastic read that I couldn't put down. The vivid writing immediately draws you into the story, leaving you excited to turn every page.
December 27, 2013
Terrific book of short stories about a group of teens as they struggle through the things life throws at them. Very well written and offers a lot of insight into the world of teens today.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews