I’m Sorry About Tommy by Andre Pretty (Novella Review)

A while back, Andre Pretty caught my attention on social media because he said something very insightful and kind about visually impaired readers. I felt seen (ha ha pun intended). I don’t remember exactly what he said but he seemed like a great person, so I went and grabbed his most recent novella.

Well, I finally read it last night and let me tell you that I made the mistake of starting at midnight before I realized that it was impossible to tear my eyes away from. I finished at 3:25 am 😅 

The story is called I’m Sorry About Tommy and it’s about a family in a Canadian post gold-rush mining settlement, read: sled dogs instead of automobiles, the Indian Act, etc. So a historical fiction/thriller with a problem as old as time – some cranky damaged Irish Catholic war veteran bastard beats the snot out of his kids, and shit goes downhill real quick.

James, the big brother and narrator of the story, tries to protect his little brother, Tommy, from as much abuse as possible.  Unfortunately he doesn’t spot all the directions that the problems are coming from, but it killed me watching him try.

Things went from historical fiction and family issues to psychological horror REAL quick, and I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoilers and content considerations. The writing is boisterous and beautiful and I fully recommend that if you can stomach the content, this is worth the read.

I docked one star because I didn’t love all the exclamations directly to the reader, and some of the lingo had me confused about the age of the narrator at the time of the story-telling. I’d have loved to see a little more about James’ path from “the event” to “the epilogue”.

If you have concerns about content, I’d just avoid this one honestly. If you don’t, then be prepared to sit down with a killer and learn all about one path leading to madness. and be prepared to do it in one sitting 😅

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Bookish Quick Facts:

• Title: I’m Sorry About Tommy
• Author: Andre Pretty
• Release: Self Published, 2022
• Length: 154 pages
• Rate & Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ for those who like to be glued to a story

Here’s the synopsis from Am*zon:

A cabin in the woods.

A northern town after the gold rush.

A dysfunctional family torn by the sins of the past. Follow James, a Metis boy coming of age, as he learns to navigate the violent, & unforgiving world around him.

Torn between Mother & Father.

Will a brother’s love be enough to save him?

Can he escape the static pulling him into the grey place inside his head… or is he already too far gone?