His debut novel, Memorial, was named a New York Times Notable Book, Longlisted for the Aspen. FICTION: Bryan Washington's debut novel has a lot going for it, but his 2019 story collection is a hard act to follow. Memorial is a heartfelt queer drama about migrant experiences, love across generations a.

In Japan he undergoes an extraordinary transformation, discovering the truth about his family and his past, while back home, Mitsuko and Benson are stuck living together as unconventional roommates, an absurd domestic situation that ends up meaning more to each of them than they ever could have predicted.įunny and profound, Memorial is about family in all its strange forms, becoming who you're supposed to be and the outer limits of love. He is currently the Writer-In-Residence at Rice University. A review of Memorial, the debut novel by US author Bryan Washington. The already widely published author released his first book, Lot, a stunning collection of interlinked short stories set in various neighborhoods around Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. For Houston native Bryan Washington, 2019 was a banner year. But when Mike finds out his estranged father is dying in Osaka just as his acerbic Japanese mother, Mitsuko, arrives for a visit, Mike picks up and flies across the world to say goodbye. Memorial by Bryan Washington Photo: Riverhead Books. There's the sex, sure, and the meals Mike cooks for Benson, and, well, they love each other.

'Brilliantly details the smallest moments that mean the absolute most, the heartbreakingly human limitations of how we love one another' Kiley Reid, author of Such a Fun Ageīenson and Mike are two young guys who have been together for a few years - good years - but now they're not sure why they're still a couple. Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous 'This feels like a vision for the 21st-century novel.

Memorial bryan washington review