I have enjoyed Andrew Demcak’s poetry so when he told me that he had a novel coming out, I was anxious to read it. Something I have noticed about poets who write novels is that there prose is poetic and with Demcak this is very true especially when considering that he writes here about the 80’s Los Angeles Goth scene. Set in Southern California, we read what club-kid Matt sees. In the 80’s AIDS had just begin its devastation and Ronald Reagan was president (to say that in one sentence is ironic because we all know that Reagan ignored the AIDS epidemic). The goth scene was one of sex and drugs and there seemed to be little to hope for.

Matt joined the scene because of the music (and the hot musicians) and he searches for something better than what he has. He moves from experience to experience as if tasting food at a banquet. He soon meets Patch, a punk-rocker with a beautiful body adorned with tribal tattoos. The chemistry between the two was instantaneous and Matt has found a comrade, someone to share his nights with. But it just did not work out that way and after a night together, Patch disappeared. Matt knows in his heart that Patch is the man for him and is determined to find him again.