Jonny Appleseed

Cannot cope with this much sex and sexuality right now when my health is shit and libido nonexistent so I'm abandoning this after chapter 2. The writing isn't bad and if Joshua Whitehead had some escapist lit to offer I'd be very down with that. (Oh look! Joshua's got some speculative fiction in a short story anthology available from the library. Bring it!)

A powerful narrative of a Two Spirit/2SQ who leaves the Rez to start a new life.

Jonny has always lived in abject poverty and continues to even after moving to the city where they make just enough money to get by day to day as a sex worker. We hear about the few close and meaningful relationships that have carried them through their young life so far. This will be one that will stick with me for awhile. I will always be wonder about how the rest of Jonny's life would have played out.

Looking forward to reading more from Joshua Whitehead.

***Thank you to ECW Press Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.

I started this, but after having just finished [b:From the Ashes 43822761 From the Ashes Jesse Thistle https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549678928l/43822761.SX50.jpg 68194606] this felt too similar in voice and plot. Maybe I'll return at a later point.

Jonny Appleseed is a two-sprit, full-metal indigiqueer, NDN glitter princess who leaves the Rez to make his way in the ‘peg hustling as a cybersex worker. He's getting men off online, whether they're closeted and curious, or nourishing some connection to idealized Native sensibilities and the spiritual connection they believe Indigenous people have to the land, or simply want to explore some Village People Indian fetish, Jonny deals with them all. Even more so now as he tries to make enough money to return to the Rez to support his mother after the death of his stepfather.

Jonny discovers his sexuality watching Queer as Folk at 8 years of age. But that sort of gay seemed awfully white, evoking a certain class and body type. Even queer is tied to colonialism, queer rights and Stonewall while two-spirit can trace its arc back to the indigenous people inhabiting the land for generations before. But it doesn't make it any easier for Jonny on the rez. And yet there are glimmers of tenderness, his childhood friend Tias and their love weaving in and out of their lives.

Congratulations to indie Arsenal Pulp Press for having two of their books in the showdown to the Canada Reads 2021 final and congratulations to Joshua Whitehead's Jonny Appleseed for taking home the prize this year!

I loved this soo very much. Me-the prude. But this made me swing back and forth emotion-wise like I was hanging upside down on a trapeze. I want a kôhkom! I want to reach into this book, grab Jonny and hug him so hard. My only regret is that I couldn't get my hands on a print version, so I missed seeing some of the names/languages written out.
This was alternately beautiful, surprising, laugh-out-loud funny and trauma producing. I friggin loved it with my whole self.