In the stirring narrative of Nighttime Kingdom, artist William J. O'Brien's first fiction novel, readers are transported into the heart of small-town America, where the ghosts of the past collide with the complexities of the present. Ted Krieger, haunted by the events of the 1983 Hubert Apple Butter Festival, grapples with the scars of trauma as he wanders the bustling streets of New York City. Sensory triggers evoke a tumultuous mix of nostalgia and pain, leading Ted on a poignant journey of self-discovery and healing. As he confronts the societal constraints of masculinity and the confines of boyhood that once held him captive, Ted finds solace and empowerment in the cherished recipes passed down by his grandmother, Ruthie. These culinary treasures serve as both a balm for his wounded heart and a catalyst for his quest to reclaim his identity and embrace his true self.
From the foreword by T. Cole Rachel: "Nighttime Kingdom is many things - a coming-of-age tale, a document of loss, a treatise on the lifelong imprints of trauma, a love story - but in the end, it's much more than that. 'There are minor losses. And losses that are life-changing, ' O'Brien writes. 'Both are similar in the reactions they trigger in the spirit, heart, and soul. Then there are those losses which reverberate so deeply that they forever reshape the fundamental structure of who we are.' The characters in Nighttime Kingdom remind us that even though tragedy can break us, it can also be transformative in ways we don't expect - it can be the jet fuel that propels us into a different (hopefully better) kind of life, it can be the catalyst for making us stronger and (again, hopefully) more empathetic, more fully realized, and truly loving creatures."
In Nighttime Kingdom, intuitive folk storytelling intertwines with themes of resilience, love, and the enduring power of the human spirit. Through Ted's poignant odyssey, readers are invited to explore the transformative journey of healing, the complexities of male intimacy, and the timeless allure of small-town America. It is a luminous tale that celebrates the resilience of queer individuals and challenges conventional notions of identity, leaving readers profoundly moved and inspired by Ted's unwavering courage and determination to find healing and acceptance in a world that once rejected him.