House Party – A Novel
Edited by justin a. reynolds
Underlined, June 2023
Hardback, €22.40
ISBN 9780593488157
Have you got your invitation to the party of the year? Edited by justin a. reynolds, House Party is a unique experience – a novel that has been co-authored by ten different writers – all weaving together the story of one incredible house party.
It’s the end of the school year and DeAndre Dixon is throwing a once in-a-lifetime party at his McMansion. It’s the kind of party that American high school movies are made of, full of well known archetypes like ‘TheClass Clown’ and ‘The New Girl’. All of the characters have something, or more often, someone, they want from this party. They spend it chasing each other, getting into trouble, kissing the wrong people, and more often than not kissing the right people too.
The concept behind House Party is extraordinarily complex. Each character POV is written by a different author, giving everyone their own unique voice. There’s even a chapter in comic strips! No one feels like a supporting character here. Everyone is nuanced, and the whole cast is wonderfully diverse. And no detail has been forgotten. Opening with an ultra helpful map of the house and a character directory, House Party may seem chaotic but it knows exactly where it wants to take its readers. And in spite of all of that complexity, it doesn’t lose any of its humour or its heart.
It captures all that is perfect and disastrous about being young and vibrant and on the edge of the rest of your life. It’s a wonderful kaleidoscope of teenage joy and I never wanted to leave.
Méabh McDonnell
