A dazzling, remarkably original dark comedy about a young New Yorker’s failed attempts to isolate himself in a city that won’t take solitude for an answer.
For years it’s been Andy Green’s job to stump students nationwide by coming up with the wrong answers for their multiple choice tests. Recently, however, his own life has become overwhelmed by wrong choices. When a love affair is mysteriously ended by post-it note and followed up by a random street assault, Andy locks himself in his Hell’s Kitchen apartment, because it’s the only response that makes sense.
In solitude, he thinks, he might be able to grasp his life. But when he is forced to reemerge six months after the attacks of September eleventh, the city awaiting him is more bewildering than ever and all the people in his world seem to be part of a vast conspiracy.
Equal parts noir, French farce, and homage to New York, Suspension is a surprisingly heartfelt novel about learning to live in a world where nearly everything is decided behind our backs.
TWO LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDS
BEST GAY DEBUT & BEST GAY FICTION
PRAISE FOR SUSPENSION
Michael Cunningham,
Pulitzer-prize-winning author of The Hours
“A beauty of a book that delves with almost frightening acuity into culture, sexual identity, and violence on both personal and global levels, among other vitally important matters. The fact that he is able to do so while creating fully human, comic and tragic characters, and to move them through a compelling story, is little short of a miracle.”
Lambda Rising
"One of the most creative, original and enjoyable novels I have read in a long time, "Suspension" has so many layers to enjoy ... personal diary, post-9/11 hysteria, social commentary, homage to NYC beauty and spirit, mystery, suspense, farce vs reality, mistaken identities, romance, coming of age, and lots of humor. A friend who was nearby said I actually said "Wow!" a few times while reading it. Much recommended, five big stars out of five."
Kirkus Reviews
"Gay-bashing, 9/11, free-floating paranoia and fanaticism make pretty grim ingredients for a comedy, however dark, but this ambitious debut ably wrests smart laughs from terror…The story crosses whodunit…and comedy of manners, offering a hip catalogue of urban misadventure and malaise…Westfield keeps things moving with snappy dialogue and wry character descriptions…and the frantic pace feels very up-to-the-New-York-minute. A head-spinning romp."
Martin Moran,
Author of
The Tricky Part and All the Rage
"Westfield weaves a modern fictive dream riddled with breathtaking surprises. A bold literary debut."
Charlie Huston,
Author of
the Hank Thompson trilogy
and the Joe Pitt Casebooks
"A book that's never where you expect it to be.I don't generally stay up past midnight reading anymore. Two nights running this had me up."
Josh Kilmer-Purcell,
Author of
I Am Not Myself These Days
"Suspension is a unique and interesting perspective on the New York City of today. And, as far as I'm concerned,the most authentic one I've read to date."
Richard Labonte,
Books to Watch Out For
"Best debut of the year, this one. This beauty of a book dares to use the backdrop of 9/11 without diluting the humor of its dark, comic edge. Farce, romance, mystery, coming of age, political commentary: it straddles the genres."
Brien Michael,
The Quarterly Conversation
"It is an impressive debut: well-written, well-edited, and hopefully, equally well-received. The prose is frugal, yet alight with the wordplay that Andy--and clearly Westfield--so much admires...Westfield doesn't take his reader for granted---he takes us for a ride instead. Spry and agile, the book is accomplished because it depends equally on plot and characterization while upending our expectations of both."