"Once in a while, mistakes happen. I mention this mistake because it testifies to something powerful about Patrick Ryan's new novel, Buckeye. When I made a late request for an advance review copy of Buckeye, the copy I received looked fine, but when I opened it I realized it was mistakenly bound backwards. The title page was at the very end of this over-450-page novel."
"By page 9, I was already so caught up in the world Ryan creates, Buckeye could have been misprinted upside down and sideways and I still wouldn't have been able to put it down. As its title indicates, Buckeye is set in Ohio, in a fictional small town called Bonhomie. The story, which focuses on two married couples, stretches from pre-World War II to the close of the 20th century."
Set in a fictional Ohio town called Bonhomie, Buckeye follows two married couples from before World War II to the late 20th century. Margaret Salt is married to Felix, a closeted man who hopes marriage will suppress his same-sex desires. An impulsive wartime kiss between Margaret and Cal Jenkins triggers cascading complications, secrets, and emotional entanglements. The narrative tone remains wry and contemplative rather than melodramatic, emphasizing character interiority and the long sweep of American life. The novel aims for an American epic scale, blending domestic drama, historical change, and nuanced explorations of sexuality, marriage, and social expectations.
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