At Certain Points We Touch

At Certain Points We Touch, by Lauren John Joseph is an exceptional debut. The power, depth and scope of this novel is quite astounding. John Joseph begins their story at the end, with the acknowledgment of the death of the narrators once lover; and so begins their attempt at retelling the story of their youth, the friendships, the lovers, the cities they lived in, the dizzying highs and the deep lows and then, ultimately, the loss that underscores this whole tale.

At one point in the novel the narrator admits that the book they thought they were writing was in fact somehow writing them. Though they were writing with the intent of bringing to life once again the man they had lost, in the process of doing so we learn so much about the narrator, as do they about themselves. The awareness that John Joseph allows the narrator to have, as they sit there looking back creates such an exceptional story that you feel as though you are living it with them.

The depth and detail that John Joseph writes is really something special. You may at one point be reading about the lives of the narrator and their contemporaries and then swiftly are moved on to their thoughts on excavation of ancient Tenochtitlan whilst they are living in Mexico City. This, however, is never forced or distracting, and only ever seems to add to the richness of this vast tale. John Joesph’s skill of weaving in a combination of popular culture, religion and history (both recent in their own lifetime and ancient), into the narrators own story is exceptional. Additionally, I’ve never read a novel that has its finger so on the pulse of what it means, and even what it feels like, to be a millennial.

There was a conversation that the narrator has with their mother that really stood out to me. When apologising to their mother for the content or a play they’d written, the narrator explains to their mother that this was how it was, but their mother replied that no, it was how they remembered it. There was so much power in what being said here. How this story is one of trying to bring someone back to life, but in doing so, in remembering events from their past, they recognise things change, whether it’s their view of themselves or indeed of others, things can never stay the same.

There is so much on this book that can be dissected, that cries out to be discussed with others. I can’t wait until it’s published, for others to experience this novel and to be able to discuss it with them. Lauren John Joseph is a very exciting talent and one that I can’t wait to see what they do next.