The Book of David

by Jean-Luke Swanepoel

A gut-punch record of what remains when an imperfect relationship between two men comes to an abrupt and tragic end. A tender exploration of longing, memory, and regret, and ultimately of love at its messiest.

When Leon Jonker meets David Hale, David is naked on a San Francisco beach. Six months later, they meet again and begin a relationship which will end with David’s death.

Leon, unsung novelist, retreats to South Africa and there attempts to write David out of his system. But falling in love with David—loud, vulgar, and uninhibited—was easier than falling out of love is proving to be. The firsts, Leon discovers, come to mind much easier than the resentments, the recriminations—the rest.

There are two sides to the story of every relationship, and somewhere in between lies the truth.

Genres: Fiction, Adult

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2025

About the author

Jean-Luke Swanepoel was born in South Africa, and he lives in California with his husband. His short fiction has appeared in various publications, and his sophomore novel, The Book of David, was released in January 2025.

Reviews

[Gerhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories are all we become in the end.

After the genteel ‘The Thing About Alice’, Swanepoel’s follow-up is like a bolt of lightning to the senses. I really enjoyed it; though I must say I read it at a gallop to see what happens next in the tumultuous and self-destructive relationship between Leon and David.

Though a slim novel, there is a lot packed in. I am sure I missed numerous allusions on the first read; this is one of those books where you need to implicitly trust the author on the journey he is taking you on, and just go with the narrative flow.

So, we have intersecting timelines, places, characters, poems, journal and novel-within-a-novel extracts, and an unreliable narrator (not a very nice guy, but fascinating nonetheless). I really felt sorry for David; the ending is heartrending.

All the elements blend seamlessly into a really thrilling read that wrongfooted me on several occasions, as it took some rather unexpected turns. Or authorial sleights of hand, I suppose is the correct term.

I didn’t realise David was so young when he and Leon meet on the beach for the first time. We get no indication of Leon’s age, but he is considerably older. That reminded me of how Christopher Isherwood (48) and Don Bachardy (18) met for the first time in 1953, on Valentine’s Day, can you believe it.

The relationship lasted until Isherwood’s death in 1986 (I remember reading that Bachardy, an artist, painted portraits of Christopher in his final days, including one after he had passed). Leon also has artistic tendencies, and Swanepoel designed his book cover himself. Life and art, truth and memory, fiction and wish fulfilment all intertwine in a dark ouroboros.

Isherwood is indeed mentioned, and David’s recipe for a successful relationship has ‘A Single Man’ inevitability to it: “I believe in finding someone you can stand to be around for long periods of time.”

[Márcio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

The book of Davis is told in retrospect by Leon, who has left the USA and returned to South Africa, living in a small abode, as he says, adjacent to Mrs. C's home, an old lady in her final days. She somehow brings him memories of his troubled relationship with his parents, mostly his mother.

David and Leon. They meet by chance at a beach near San Francisco, but after a quick chat, Leon's sarcasm seems too much for David. Almost half a year later, another chance meeting happens, but this time they attempt to get to know each other, and a relationship starts. David is a 19-year-old troubled, horny, and somewhat idealistic young man. Leon is around 35 years old and has been living in California for quite a while after his parents moved there, having come from South Africa. He is trying to write his first book. The thing is that these guys are two souls that are not meant for each other. Still, they do their best to make a goal out of their relationship, if they can ever suppress Leon's sarcasm and David's troubles.

There's something about some novels I've read recently that makes me unsure about what their authors intend to achieve. But then I remember that a work of fiction is like a walk through a forest that invites us to discover its inner paths, to marvel at nature, to surprise ourselves with its charms, and sometimes to be frightened by what we might find. That's the beauty of literature, and I'm glad I kept walking through these forests and marveling at what they accomplished. Books don't have to be grandiloquent. What they need is to captivate the reader. This is the case of The Book of David. I do usually remember Ursula K. Le Guin when I find such books, that are written with a sense of freedom, authorship, and respect for the reader. I praise books like this, which invite the reader to take a walk in this beautiful forest called literature!

[Tessa1316 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

I am unsure about how to review this book and form a proper opinion on it, which is sad because I really was excited to read it.
Reading this book was a very neural experience that sometimes made me chuckle a bit and other times a sentence would hit me (especially towards the end). But this story felt a little pointless, though that might just be me, and a bit unfocussed.

While the failing and yet persisting relationship between the two main characters is probably relatable to many people out there, it barely did anything for me. It is great that the novel is succinct and does not overstay it's welcome.

The writing style was good and I think a different novel by this author could be more up my alley, so I'll definitely keep an eye out.

[Miglė | Perskaičiau ir aprašiau · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book, however much I wanted it to, did not meet my expectations. The promise of a tragic love and what happens after a tragedy sounded perfect: I really do enjoy such stories. However, The book of David felt rather...dull.

I could not find the love between Leon and David. It seemed to me that David - after meeting Leon for the second time - simply decided he was done sleeping around and (for whatever reasons) decided to be with Leon. The sexual attraction I saw, there was plenty, but deeper feelings? No.

The story itself was rather interesting, though, I did feel like the ending was vague. I expected the tragic end of love to come up much earlier in the book, so we could see what comes after and was rather disappointed that it only happened very near the end.

I had some trouble adjusting to the constant time-skips in the text. One chapter it's present, another it's a memory, third an antry from David's journal. Also, there was a lot of repetition that seemed unnecessary.

One thing that I really enjoyed was the writing. It was emotional, deep and beautiful. Reminded me of Ocean Vuong a bit.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

The entire vibe of this book felt so fitting. It was fleeting, it was chaotic, it was intense.

I did feel like the jumping around in the timeline got me so confused. I loved, and hated, the characters. I'm annoyed by not finding out any "truth", but so is life.

Overall, I'd recommend this book! It's very short but it's written really well and the characters are so well written too.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A gut-punch record of what remains when an imperfect relationship between two men comes to an abrupt and tragic end. A tender exploration of longing, memory, and regret, and ultimately of love at its messiest.

When Leon Jonker meets David Hale, David is naked on a San Francisco beach. Six months later, they meet again and begin a relationship which will end with David’s death.

Leon, unsung novelist, retreats to South Africa and there attempts to write David out of his system. But falling in love with David—loud, vulgar, and uninhibited—was easier than falling out of love is proving to be. The firsts, Leon discovers, come to mind much easier than the resentments, the recriminations—the rest.

There are two sides to the story of every relationship, and somewhere in between lies the truth.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: There aren't only two sides of any love relationship, there are multitudes...people who love you, hate you, all the points on the spectrum between those poles all invest in some version of the narrative you're living. I think this slender work of queer relationship fiction operates from that reality.

We spend time with the men as they collide on a nude beach in San Francisco (David's nude, so ipso facto it's a nude beach), Leon there from his native place in queer-unfriendly South Africa after his parents emigrate from there to California, and sparks fly. The lust is immediate; love comes (!) later. Or is it just agreeable sex between lonely men...is it love from Leon to David, from David to Leon, all these things in turn?

A short novel of a turbulent interconnection told by Leon mostly, with bits and bobs from David's journal. It's raw, it's honest, it's complex. I like all of those characteristics in my gay fiction. Us queer men are often flattened in affect to our genitals and organs. Thee guys aren't a standard couple, David being twenty years younger than Leon. This resonated with me. David coming from a very different background to Leon did as well.

Leon processes his grief at David's death...not a spoiler, it's there throughout the story...right in front of us, really truthfully and in the fits and starts I know so well from my own life lived in grief. We don't expect to be sent on a spiral into our past, but *wham* some invisible-to-others Thing happens and it's time to process the loss. Again.

Jean-Luke is a Goodreads connection of mine. This is the first of his three (through May 2025) books I've read. I feel sure I'll enjoy his other work because this slender book made such a good impression on me. I love being able to recommend books by people I've known for a good while; it's fun to say, in honesty, that someone I know (however slightly) has made a fine story out of the pain and loss of Life lived in love.

I will say that the dislikeable Leon as the main narrator was not always agreeable, though I understand the choice. Even the spikiest hearts give love, it just looks a little weird sometimes. But a full fifth star was not possible on the back of that minor quibble.

[Nick Artrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested and received an eARC of The Book of David by Jean-Luke Swanepoel via NetGalley. Leon Jonker first meets David Hale on a San Francisco beach. David is naked, confident, and younger than Leon. The two share a conversation and don’t meet again for six months. Once they reenter each other’s orbit they find themselves in a relationship that ends when David dies. Leon returns to his home country, South Africa, and attempts to write his way out of his grief and to make sense of the life they shared. The narrative darts between the past and the present, the story of their relationship preserved in Leon’s words and, occasionally, David’s.

Sexy and tense. Gut-wrenching and lovely and slightly infuriating. I’m somewhat at a loss trying to describe this work. The dialogue in this book is fantastic. Swanepoel’s crafts lines that at times cut like a dagger, showing us the cracks and gray areas in David and Leon’s relationship, but he is equally skilled at enticing the reader with moments of flirtation or endearment. When I wasn’t enthralled by the dialogue, I was enthralled by what wasn’t being said (mainly about our narrator, Leon.) The author is very clever with his prose and his use of repetition, demonstrating on the page both the infallibility and persistence of memories as well as the way we construct the stories of our lives and versions of people as we perceive them.

The Book of David contains many terrific references, and is a real testimony to gay relationships, art and literature. The novel is short but impactful, many scenes have lodged themselves in my mind. The work is character driven and in it Swanepoel manages to create a portrait of a relationship that is both captivating and uncomfortable. Leon is such an interesting narrator with a very distinct voice. He isn't terribly likeable and there are moments where he seems to lack some self-awareness which to me only enhanced what the author achieves in this story (a very frank dissection of relationships — sort of like Anatomy of a Fall but without the potential mariticide and legal proceedings.) Grief, resentment, and desire abound in this book and I found that I couldn’t tear myself away from the page. Swanepoel’s writing really excited me and the dynamic between Leon and David felt very real. There were moments where I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry or curse at one of the characters. I was very impressed by this novel and I look forward to seeing how other readers respond to it.

[Nelis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Swanepoel’s second novel (I haven’t read the first). It’s self-published, though you might not immediately guess that. To his credit, the editing is clean and polished. It's stronger than what you often see in indie releases and suggests a professional touch. For now, it’s available only as an ebook.

The story unfolds across two timelines: before and after the death of David, the American partner of Leon, the novel’s South African narrator. Leon tells the story through a diary he keeps, which gives the novel an intimate, but also fragmented, almost dream-like feel.

This is more of a character study than a plot-driven novel. It’s about grief, memory, and the complexity of love—especially when the relationship was volatile and difficult. The writing can be raw and poetic. At times, it really lands. But elsewhere, it slips into dense, academic language. Some sentences are so tangled they distract from the underlying emotion.

Leon doesn’t change or grow much over the course of the book. The people around him, especially those in the "after" sections, also don’t leave a strong impression. Strangely, David, who is often cold or cruel, emerges as the most vivid character. That may be intentional. Grief can idealize someone, even someone difficult. Still, for me, it leaves the novel feeling a bit lopsided.

In the end, The Book of David is more about mood than meaning. It tries to capture the feeling of grief and regret, aiming to be both intimate and cerebral. Sometimes it succeeds. Sometimes it doesn’t. Still, it’s a short read with real moments of beauty. If you’re interested in emerging literary voices, it’s worth a look. Swanepoel is a writer I’ll be watching. There’s clear promise and potential here.

[Emi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publishing date: 30.01.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Jean-Luke Swanepoel for the ARC. My opinions are my own.


TLDR: A little confusing and rambly, has conversations about the more uncomfortable aspects of relationships

I was really excited to read his book when I received my ARC copy. Now I am left feeling conflicted and unsure where to place it amongst my other books.

This story is a tragedy. Of love and the sacrifices we make for it. The ups and downs, the conflicts and celebrations. I think it might hit home for a lot of people. Personally, it didn't hit for me. That's more of a me problem though.

Another thing that bothered me was the way the passage of time was handled. A lot of the time I would be thrown into a scenario and wonder whether it was the past or present. A little confusing. The writing style also doesn't help. I would say it is akin to improvising a presentation where you pull the first thought out of your head. A little unfiltered and a little hard to follow along.

Now, even with these downers, I was left thinking. This book shows a different side of relationships that are rarely shown in other pieces of media. How other people affect the relationship. The complexities of two different people in union. How incompatible and compatible people can be. It was uncomfortable to read, but something I needed to read.

All in all, I will give this 3 stars. It has both good and bad things going for it. If you are interested and can look past rambly writing, then read it.

[Zephorah Dove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was a tragic story. At so many points, I could see the strings connecting them thinning out and knew that something big was on the horizon. We start the story knowing David is dead but it's not until the end that we get to see how it transpired.

It's a very raw story that doesn't sugarcoat the events or feelings that were felt in the moment. The relationship was rocky and the story explored that in great detail. As toxic as they were to each other at times, I held out hope that one sentence would turn things around but it didn't, which is realistic. At times I was confused with the POVs in the story but the addition of present, past, and their journal entries wove a compelling tumultuous love story.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. I'm keeping my eyes out for any of their future work. Solid 3.5, rounded up to 4.

[Kelly Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of David tells the story of Leon and David, told primarily through Leon's reflections of events the pair experienced, though, at times there are glimpses of David's perspective from old diary entries. The writing flips back and forth from present to past without a lot of indication of where you currently are. This was somewhat confusing at times but I think it accurately reflected the overarching themes of the relationship between Leon and David - chaotic, confusing, in search of something that might not be accurate.

David is a messy character that reflects a messy human being. Someone with complexities and a desire to figure it all out while also trying to live authentically. Readers get to experience Leon's judgements and interpretations, as well as his regrets, as he recounts the story of their relationship. "All we look for is our own reflection in someone else's eyes" is a quote from the novel that sums up David - looking to learn about himself through Leon.

Overall this was a great read and left me thinking, along with Leon, about how things could have been different had different decisions been made in certain moments. He gains some perspective through David's journal entries, though I wish these could have been flushed out a bit more to show the readers more of David's perspective. We are shown sneak peaks of his internal processes and I think the book could have been more engaging had we been shown a bit more.

Thank you NetGalley and Jean-Luke Swanepoel for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh My God the dialog! what a fantastic yet raw exploration of a tragic relationship that evokes the gut-wrenching emotions of writers like Hanya Yanagihara. This was a beautiful book and a true testament to real gay relationships and the complexity of modern connection.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Andrew Sabonis-Chafee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If the events of a single day can give birth to Mrs. Dalloway, shouldn't the events chronicling a relationship fill an entire bookcase?"

Fleeting moments of love, anger, happiness, fear, the negative space of a relationship creeping in on rare and true feelings. A quick yet melancholy love story that lingers.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I ended up liking it. It never really sang for me, to be honest. I never connected enough with the narrator or even with David really and so the story just felt sorta empty.

I didn't loathe it, but it also really wasn't my cup of tea.



I did received a copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Gabriella Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwrenching meditation on grief with timelines jumping back and forth. I found myself grieving past relationships while reading this, and feeling so connected to the desperation the narrator feels towards David