As you read the first half of this book, I wager that you won’t have any inkling of the major surprise that awaits you in the final chapters. The unexpected shift in gear and direction turns this tale from what appears to be the story of punk band Naked and its struggle for recognition into an unexpectedly moving tale. This is no ordinary ‘emerging band’ story: it spins into something entirely different with the arrival of the band’s talented new member, William Bonney.
It’s a long hot summer in the late 1970s when Lili Garcia is invited to join Curtis Ray’s nascent punk band. Lili is insightful and convincing. Articulate enough to persuade as a narrator, she recounts her tale through the eyes of a mature adult reflecting on an intense period of her life. As always, Brooks focuses a magnifying glass on character, turning his story into a detailed study of personality, behaviour and understated nuance. At the heart of this novel is the interplay of teenagers dealing with their personal awkwardness, complicated circumstances and emerging maturity, while trying to make sense of the world and its complexities.
The tale builds slowly, perhaps too slowly at times, but readers interested in music and bands will readily soak up the atmosphere, and there is a worthwhile payback that explodes onto the pages after the long slow burn. There are numerous references to drugs and sex, and a degree of violence, so this book is unsuitable for younger readers, but it is a real and gritty read.

