Suitabook

My father's scar

Michael Cart

Reading: Consider reading together or checking in after the passages about family abuse and prejudice. Let the reader choose which parts to discuss, and pause if they want time or support.
Themes: Family harm and memory: Andy recalls a father whose anger and domineering presence were described as regular features of home life. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
Being gay in a prejudiced community: Andy enters his first relationships as a gay man against a background of community prejudice towards homosexuals. Prejudice is part of the setting described, but the specific incidents and the novel’s treatment of them are not established.
Early relationships and support: A great-uncle seems to understand Andy, while Evan becomes his first true love as Andy begins college and new relationships. The relationships are presented as significant to Andy, but their development and outcomes are not given.
Worth knowing: The story includes an alcoholic, physically abusive father, loneliness, and prejudice against homosexuals. These subjects may be worth discussing with a reader who has personal experience of family harm or exclusion.