Oscar and Sebastian were best friends in childhood until Oscar moved away. They haven’t seen each other for years, until Sebastian spots him at a wedding when they’re both 35.
Sebastian, lonely and dealing with the breakup of a relationship, is excited to see Oscar and hopes they may be able to recapture a childhood friendship rich with potential. But Oscar doesn’t want to be reminded of those times, of his vulnerability at a young age.
It’s the weeks after the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage, and Oscar feels this is another strike against the gay community. Getting married, having babies, allowing drunk women to overtake gay bars? Is this what we fought for, risked our lives for, homogenization?
Both men are, in their own way, desperate for connection, desperate not to become invisible. Oscar spends his time with anonymous hookups and begins a friendship with a once-famous gay author who is much older than him. Sebastian, a teacher, supervises his school’s LGBTQ group and envies the easy way some students have with accepting and living their truth, something he didn’t have.
While the idea that men “of a certain age” become invisible to the gay community is both cliché and reality, Salih accurately captures the fears, loneliness, and moments of desperate need that many feel from time to time. When all of your friends are getting married and leaving you behind, or if you’re in a place where you really have no friends, what is left for you?
Alternating between memories of childhood and the present, Let's Get Back to the Party is a beautifully told story that really resonated with me. While I’m not sure I particularly loved either of the characters, I was tremendously invested in their story.
I was fortunate to be on the blog tour for this book. Algonquin Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
Let's Get Back to the Party publishes 2/16.
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