Because: A Novel

by Andrew Steinmetz

An engrossing punk-rock novel about teenage daydreams and sibling dynamics Teenaged brothers Hombre and Transformer spend their days locked up in their suburban bedroom, writing songs and dreaming of stardom on their own terms. The music of the early 80s is brimming with post-punk ethos and a disdain for classic rock, but closer to home the pair can’ t find anyone else to join their band, Because, and frankly they don’ t really want another member to enter the fray of their complicated sibling dynamic. Hombre, the younger one, is quiet, contemplative, and talented, a poet in the making. His older brother Transformer is stubborn, domineering, and secretly struggling with mental health issues. Their sequestered world is broken open one summer when their mother hires Spit, a girl from the local guitar shop, to help the boys improve their modest skills. But these good intentions set off a chain reaction with tragic consequences.

280 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2023

Reviews

[Adam Ferris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

"We brothers dig. We're like pigs. We dig with angst and anger. We dig with the spirit of nicotine. We dig to reach the stars with out-of-tune guitars."

At various points in my adolescent years, I oftentimes daydreamed about having an older brother who could introduce me to music like the Velvet Underground, Sex Pistol, The Ramones, Siouxie and the Banshees and others in the like. It must make it easier getting to learn about the music that was outside of the mainstream, having an older sibling who could share their musically punk knowledge. Yet along with this idealistic fantasy, there would have come the inevitable little brother beatings (this was the eighties), sharing a room, and perhaps his own mental illness which would not have been fun at all, especially if we had both been in the same room.

"It doesn't matter. Everything's worth nothing. Trust me you can't escape the rat race unless you starve yourself or something. It's all a big-time swindle. Don't you get it?"

These types of bands, make for an awesome soundtrack to this book. The songs and artists' sense of alienation and disillusionment with the ways of the world in the eighties, provides a fierce reminder of the human spirit underneath it all. Not many decide to try to fight the status quo, and it takes real dedication, effort and some delusion to want to live outside the normal constraints of society. I can't remember where I read or heard this, however I do recall hearing that mental illness is a completely normal response to the current state of the world. I could not agree more as these systems are abnormal, isolating, unhealthy and twisted. Sadly, there are those that like Transformer, can no longer tolerate it.

"The things you don't know about people aren't supposed to hurt you, but you always end up finding out."

Like all the other books released by Vehicule Press on their Esplanade Fiction label, Because is a story about family and children of immigrants facing life on life's terms. With a cast of intriguing characters and a deeply human element, Because was a quick and enjoyable read. There were many aspects of the brothers that I could relate to being a sibling, and being an older brother myself, I could see some of the concern I caused my parents and sister when I was younger and more prone to self destruction. I did wish however that some of the relationships were further explored and that there was more grittiness depicted about living in Dorval in the early 80s. Steinmetz explores creativity, relationships of all shapes, mental illness, and musings on the meaning of art and why we create, that lead to a number of moments of reflection that made me think about what this all means to me.

"I stand away from the speakers, and before any sound comes out, I study the art for clues. What will this sound like? All I need is the music to blow the top off my head. What else changes my world, but music? I'm hopeless without music."



"What does it mean to have a rubber soul?"

"Art isn't about using coloured pencils. In theory, there are two choices. Revolution or plagiarism."

"Are songs just like fossils underground waiting to be discovered and brushed off and lifted from the earth? Do we find songs, or do they find us? Are they physical or metaphysical?"

"Being an artist to be a believer."

"Life wouldn't be worth living if we didn't have feelings."

[Eric Thorfinnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic novel that deftly harnesses, questions, and explores the hormonal torrents of a young person discovering music. Does an amazing job reflecting the insecurities and implicit hierarchies every young person conceives (constructs?) of and deals with in their nascent musical years. Though Using youth as a jumping off point the novel expands to also question what drives us to create at all, and grapples with the idea of authenticity with a fiery tact, in a way that only teenage narrators do best. Told in super digestible chapter chunks this one flew by, though ostensibly set in the early 80's, as someone who didn't live through that time the book still feels universal and relatable. Highly recommended!

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to this book because I was looking for novels about music and musicians -- especially punk. And music is essential to Because, but really this is the story of an extended family, and especially the relationship between two brothers trying to get their band started -- the younger narrator observing his older brother Transformer as his mental health deteriorates. The style is quick and often raw (very short chapters, often telegraphic prose) and told very much in the voice of a young boy -- and in many places the language is poetic, and there are so many fresh phrases and quotable lines.

[Adrian McGilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Steinmetz takes a minimalist approach in his writing but delivers characters and plot lines that are rich in detail, insightful and captivating. His wry and subtle sense of humor pops up all over the place. He uses very short chapters, sometimes just one and a half pages long, which somehow makes the reading experience all the more addictive, like eating a bag of salty chips. Anytime I picked it up, it was hard to put down. Encore!

[Amy Mellisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A dream without bullshit will not grow."

This is my favorite line from Because by Andrew Steinmetz. I loved this book. I thought the novel had a great big badass punk heart who's beating could be felt through the whole the story, which I perceived as one of brotherhood and family.

The smaller chapters helped propel the story. Felt like reading flashes of memory. There is tragedy in the story but the heart beat louder. There's a lot of good bits, and I like the back and forth quippy conversations. The story for the most part, is told from the younger brother's persective, and the relationship between Hombre and Transformer is what I found to be the most poignant. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt, considering I've only had the experience of many younger sisters, but when it came closer to the end of the novel, I understood that the sibling relationship, no matter what form, isn't really that different. There is admiration and there is jealousy. There is opposing views but allied goals.

I found myself smiling a little throughout reading because I feel a little like the mother in the book, Flowers. My daughter sings and she's in a band. They play the talent shows at her school. I never want her to stop playing music.

I give this book a high recommend. It's good stuff. A moment in time well preserved.

Thanks to my mom for picking this book up for me. (P.S. And also, this cover is dead on to the experience of reading the book. The right air of the suburbia aesthetic. It's well designed.)