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The Nightingales
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26Based on a true story, a gorgeously illustrated, singular graphic novel about a life-changing friendship between a seventeen-year-old girl and the dying stranger who moves into her family’s home during the summer of 1985.
In 1985, Emil Wilson’s father invites his coworker, Jim, and his two Pomeranians, Henny and Penny, to move into his family’s small town Oregon home. What Donald doesn’t tell his wife, Annemarie, or his seventeen-year-old daughter, Lou, is that Jim has AIDS. Months before Rock Hudson’s diagnosis became public and ushered in a new era of public sympathy for the crisis, AIDS is still a news story that happens in faraway places to faraway people, and Jim’s presence in the house turns this small-town Oregon family upside down. As Annemarie’s fear and resentment grows, resulting in increasingly bitter fights with the gentle and stubborn Donald, so too does Lou’s unlikely and genuine friendship with Jim (and his dogs)—a friendship that not only buoys Jim’s final days, but is a catalyst for Lou to finally pursue her truest and bravest self in the bigger world.
Based on a true story, The Nightingales is a gorgeous and singular coming-of-age novel, a human portrait of an imperfect family grappling with extraordinary circumstances, and a moving example of how small acts of kindness can change us forever.
In 1985, Emil Wilson’s father invites his coworker, Jim, and his two Pomeranians, Henny and Penny, to move into his family’s small town Oregon home. What Donald doesn’t tell his wife, Annemarie, or his seventeen-year-old daughter, Lou, is that Jim has AIDS. Months before Rock Hudson’s diagnosis became public and ushered in a new era of public sympathy for the crisis, AIDS is still a news story that happens in faraway places to faraway people, and Jim’s presence in the house turns this small-town Oregon family upside down. As Annemarie’s fear and resentment grows, resulting in increasingly bitter fights with the gentle and stubborn Donald, so too does Lou’s unlikely and genuine friendship with Jim (and his dogs)—a friendship that not only buoys Jim’s final days, but is a catalyst for Lou to finally pursue her truest and bravest self in the bigger world.
Based on a true story, The Nightingales is a gorgeous and singular coming-of-age novel, a human portrait of an imperfect family grappling with extraordinary circumstances, and a moving example of how small acts of kindness can change us forever.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The description of this book is both exactly what happens and yet so far from the reality of this book. Jim is worldly, witty, vulnerable and vulgar, heartfelt and heartbreaking. His deterioration comes on swiftly, more swiftly than a man so young should have been facing, and yet he lingers on and on in his pain until his split of bad and worse days end if only to give him peace. It is just a glimpse of the horrible reality of AIDS, rendered simply in devastating colour.
Likewise, Annemarie's fear and resentment don't just strain her family, they destroy it. What she can't control, she fears, then resents, then breaks. We see it first with the mug, a symbol of her daughters talents and exploits, bleached because a gay man touched it and still not deemed clean enough so she breaks it and throws it away. Her relationship with her husband, already strained, is touched in the same way and cannot be redeemed; eventually she breaks that too. The dogs... her relationship with her daughter, her son: nothing is safe from Annemarie's determination to make things the way she wants, and if they won't... well. It is a painful but so real depiction of a troubled mother, with troubled relationships. Wilson gives you some humanising glimpses into her, a little understanding, but it only makes her cruelty so much worse. "There are some things you protect yourself from knowing" is a line I know will haunt me for some time.
The art here is beautiful, and structured like both a diary and a memoir. Some of this feels immediate while other pieces are remembered in the aftermath, or looked back on much later. The art follows this same style, with some art rendered distinct as a recent memory, while others are blurred by the moment or sketched together later down the line. A past cobbled together from notes, diary pages, an idiot's guide to how dad works, and the daytime show Lou imagines up for Henny and Penny, Jim's two sweet, ill-fated dogs.
This was a painful read that doesn't shy away from the ugliness of what it uncovers over the course of one summer in 1985, but nor does it gloss over the beauty to be found as well. Lou's moments of understanding with her father, the tenderness she creates with Jim and the direction she takes for her life as a result, standing up to her mother in the same quiet, honest way she's had throughout. It is one hell of a coming of age for her, but well worth the travel to go with her.
*Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Likewise, Annemarie's fear and resentment don't just strain her family, they destroy it. What she can't control, she fears, then resents, then breaks. We see it first with the mug, a symbol of her daughters talents and exploits, bleached because a gay man touched it and still not deemed clean enough so she breaks it and throws it away. Her relationship with her husband, already strained, is touched in the same way and cannot be redeemed; eventually she breaks that too. The dogs... her relationship with her daughter, her son: nothing is safe from Annemarie's determination to make things the way she wants, and if they won't... well. It is a painful but so real depiction of a troubled mother, with troubled relationships. Wilson gives you some humanising glimpses into her, a little understanding, but it only makes her cruelty so much worse. "There are some things you protect yourself from knowing" is a line I know will haunt me for some time.
The art here is beautiful, and structured like both a diary and a memoir. Some of this feels immediate while other pieces are remembered in the aftermath, or looked back on much later. The art follows this same style, with some art rendered distinct as a recent memory, while others are blurred by the moment or sketched together later down the line. A past cobbled together from notes, diary pages, an idiot's guide to how dad works, and the daytime show Lou imagines up for Henny and Penny, Jim's two sweet, ill-fated dogs.
This was a painful read that doesn't shy away from the ugliness of what it uncovers over the course of one summer in 1985, but nor does it gloss over the beauty to be found as well. Lou's moments of understanding with her father, the tenderness she creates with Jim and the direction she takes for her life as a result, standing up to her mother in the same quiet, honest way she's had throughout. It is one hell of a coming of age for her, but well worth the travel to go with her.
*Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is honestly one of the most beautiful graphic novels I have ever read.
The Nightingales is a portrait of a family that would take in a man dying of AIDS in the middle of the crisis that pulls no punches but also offers genuine solace. The use of sketchbook/junk journal style opens this very intimate window into the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of Lou throughout the course of the story. The art is emotive and striking, using color and sketch effects to evoke something intensely human that absolutely lights up my brain. It eases the transition to silliness or metaphors that breathe a life into a story that could otherwise be overwhelming or cliche.
Lou is a narrator who balances a sense of humor and a certain straightforwardness. Her inherent honesty resulted in me actively disliking both of her parents at points only to be brought into a broader and more nuanced understanding of the situation and the people. Over the course of the story, her parents become people we can deeply understand, and Lou offers a similar courtesy to Jim.
Jim is lovable and brash. Impending death has rendered him both candid and kind. We rarely see him interact directly with his dogs, but their personalities give insight to a playfulness in his. The depiction of his body going through phases of ill health associated with AIDS is just as honest as the rest of the book but softened with artistic interpretation and a clear choice to always offer dignity. You can feel the love the author has for his real life inspiration in the details, and there are echos of that same love in the care Lou goes on to give others.
The Nightingales is a reminder that sometimes very flawed people can make a tremendous difference, even if it's against their impulses, and that you have to live your best life even when facing terrifying things.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the ARC of this book.
The Nightingales is a portrait of a family that would take in a man dying of AIDS in the middle of the crisis that pulls no punches but also offers genuine solace. The use of sketchbook/junk journal style opens this very intimate window into the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of Lou throughout the course of the story. The art is emotive and striking, using color and sketch effects to evoke something intensely human that absolutely lights up my brain. It eases the transition to silliness or metaphors that breathe a life into a story that could otherwise be overwhelming or cliche.
Lou is a narrator who balances a sense of humor and a certain straightforwardness. Her inherent honesty resulted in me actively disliking both of her parents at points only to be brought into a broader and more nuanced understanding of the situation and the people. Over the course of the story, her parents become people we can deeply understand, and Lou offers a similar courtesy to Jim.
Jim is lovable and brash. Impending death has rendered him both candid and kind. We rarely see him interact directly with his dogs, but their personalities give insight to a playfulness in his. The depiction of his body going through phases of ill health associated with AIDS is just as honest as the rest of the book but softened with artistic interpretation and a clear choice to always offer dignity. You can feel the love the author has for his real life inspiration in the details, and there are echos of that same love in the care Lou goes on to give others.
The Nightingales is a reminder that sometimes very flawed people can make a tremendous difference, even if it's against their impulses, and that you have to live your best life even when facing terrifying things.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"The Nightingales" by Emil Wilson is one of the most moving graphic novels I've read in a long time. Told through journal entries, sketches, memories, and reflections, this graphic novel follows Lou as her family takes in Jim, a man dying of AIDS during the height of the AIDS crisis. What unfolds is a story about friendship, grief, compassion, and the unexpected ways people leave lasting marks on our lives.
What I loved most about this book was how personal it felt. Reading it felt less like reading a graphic novel and more like flipping through someone's journal years after the fact. Every page feels intimate, as though Lou is sharing pieces of her life directly with the reader.
I also loved how many perspectives we get throughout the story. While Lou remains at the heart of the narrative, the people around her are given space to be fully realized. Nobody feels one-dimensional. Everyone is carrying their own fears, regrets, hopes, and burdens, which made the story feel incredibly authentic.
This is a book that made me laugh, cry, and unexpectedly reflect on my own life. It reminded me that some people enter our lives for only a short period of time, yet still leave an impact that lasts forever. It's about the connections we make, the compassion we choose to show one another, and the memories that stay with us long after someone is gone.
The artwork only deepened that emotional connection. The sketchbook-style illustrations give the entire story a sense of warmth and nostalgia that perfectly complements the narrative. It feels raw, honest, and deeply human.
By the time I turned the final page, I wasn't just invested in the story - I was grieving the fact that I had to leave these characters behind.
Beautiful, heartfelt, and unforgettable, "The Nightingales" is easily one of my favorite graphic novels of the year.
Thank you to author Emil Wilson, Avid Reader Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I loved most about this book was how personal it felt. Reading it felt less like reading a graphic novel and more like flipping through someone's journal years after the fact. Every page feels intimate, as though Lou is sharing pieces of her life directly with the reader.
I also loved how many perspectives we get throughout the story. While Lou remains at the heart of the narrative, the people around her are given space to be fully realized. Nobody feels one-dimensional. Everyone is carrying their own fears, regrets, hopes, and burdens, which made the story feel incredibly authentic.
This is a book that made me laugh, cry, and unexpectedly reflect on my own life. It reminded me that some people enter our lives for only a short period of time, yet still leave an impact that lasts forever. It's about the connections we make, the compassion we choose to show one another, and the memories that stay with us long after someone is gone.
The artwork only deepened that emotional connection. The sketchbook-style illustrations give the entire story a sense of warmth and nostalgia that perfectly complements the narrative. It feels raw, honest, and deeply human.
By the time I turned the final page, I wasn't just invested in the story - I was grieving the fact that I had to leave these characters behind.
Beautiful, heartfelt, and unforgettable, "The Nightingales" is easily one of my favorite graphic novels of the year.
Thank you to author Emil Wilson, Avid Reader Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is excellent.
The Nightingales follows Lou and her family when Lou’s father lets a sick coworker, Jim, move in with them. It is the 1980s, and Jim doesn’t have cancer like everyone euphemistically says. He has AIDs. What follows is an exploration of Lou’s deep friendship with Jim, and how it changes the trajectory of her life.
I am very much a character-focused reader, and the character studies in this book are top-notch. Though Jim’s presence and then absence in Lou’s life are the through line, Lou’s parents also get (very creatively stylized) sections that make you understand where they are coming from. This book very much reminded me of Margo’s Got Money Troubles (one of my favorite books) in that you never quite know who will show up for you in the everyday, pivotal ways.
I am always eager to read more about the AIDs crisis and its portrayal here, to the best of my knowledge (from reading histories of the time, I was not alive back then) is very accurate while still centering Jim’s story.
The illustrations are an absolute standout here. They use a sketchbook/collage format to give an impression of each scene, and the characters’ reactions. I especially loved when multiple angles/expressions from the same person were shown on the same page, which did a great job of portraying complex emotions without words.
A great story, its words and illustrations synergizing to make something better than either could be alone. So, exactly what I’m looking for in a graphic novel.
This book is excellent.
The Nightingales follows Lou and her family when Lou’s father lets a sick coworker, Jim, move in with them. It is the 1980s, and Jim doesn’t have cancer like everyone euphemistically says. He has AIDs. What follows is an exploration of Lou’s deep friendship with Jim, and how it changes the trajectory of her life.
I am very much a character-focused reader, and the character studies in this book are top-notch. Though Jim’s presence and then absence in Lou’s life are the through line, Lou’s parents also get (very creatively stylized) sections that make you understand where they are coming from. This book very much reminded me of Margo’s Got Money Troubles (one of my favorite books) in that you never quite know who will show up for you in the everyday, pivotal ways.
I am always eager to read more about the AIDs crisis and its portrayal here, to the best of my knowledge (from reading histories of the time, I was not alive back then) is very accurate while still centering Jim’s story.
The illustrations are an absolute standout here. They use a sketchbook/collage format to give an impression of each scene, and the characters’ reactions. I especially loved when multiple angles/expressions from the same person were shown on the same page, which did a great job of portraying complex emotions without words.
A great story, its words and illustrations synergizing to make something better than either could be alone. So, exactly what I’m looking for in a graphic novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read this ARC via Netgalley.
During Lou's senior year, her father announces that his friend Jim will be coming to stay with them. He says that Jim has cancer, but Lou quickly realizes that Jim has AIDS. Though Lou comes to like Jim and his two little Pomeranians, Jim's presence puts a strain on her parents' marriage and changes the course of Lou's life.
This lovely graphic novel had the feel of a memoir - the author's notes indicate the differences between real life and fiction. The artwork evoked the time period (1980s) with softer tones and sketchy lines, and the use of a mixed media-style format such as scripts and post-it notes added interest. I also loved the way character emotions were shown through color and multiple layered sketches. The story was more reflective and the ending, even though the reader will know the outcome from very early on, was emotional with a note of hope.
During Lou's senior year, her father announces that his friend Jim will be coming to stay with them. He says that Jim has cancer, but Lou quickly realizes that Jim has AIDS. Though Lou comes to like Jim and his two little Pomeranians, Jim's presence puts a strain on her parents' marriage and changes the course of Lou's life.
This lovely graphic novel had the feel of a memoir - the author's notes indicate the differences between real life and fiction. The artwork evoked the time period (1980s) with softer tones and sketchy lines, and the use of a mixed media-style format such as scripts and post-it notes added interest. I also loved the way character emotions were shown through color and multiple layered sketches. The story was more reflective and the ending, even though the reader will know the outcome from very early on, was emotional with a note of hope.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Nightingales is a powerful, beautiful, and heartbreaking graphic novel. I enjoyed Lou as a character, and Jim was quite delightful as well. This story offers a personal snapshot of the pain and fear of the AIDS epidemic during the 80s, and I think it does a good job with it. I really liked Emil's artwork. It's like a mashup of a sketchpad and a scrapbook, which gave the story a diary-like quality that fit well.
This is a hard story to read, but it is beautiful all the same. Highly recommend, but please know that it is an emotional tale.
Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc!
This is a hard story to read, but it is beautiful all the same. Highly recommend, but please know that it is an emotional tale.
Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A very impressive and memorable debut novel.
I felt the story was well constructed. I remember the fear around AIDS and the prejudice the victim faced during the early days very well. I think the author manages to convey that gesalt in a very effective way by addressing it in a matter of fact manner.
The friendship between Lou and Jim is based on mutual respect and open communication. It's warm and genuine.
Thank you, Net Galley for the opportunity to read this gem.
I felt the story was well constructed. I remember the fear around AIDS and the prejudice the victim faced during the early days very well. I think the author manages to convey that gesalt in a very effective way by addressing it in a matter of fact manner.
The friendship between Lou and Jim is based on mutual respect and open communication. It's warm and genuine.
Thank you, Net Galley for the opportunity to read this gem.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC in return for an honest review.
I am lost for words. I could not put this down.
This story is one for the history books. A true depiction of the fear and predujice against AIDS victims. This was a beautiful read. Based of a true story, the narrative and graphics in the book were perfectly poised to depict such tough subjects.
This is a book is a must read and a recommendation to all.
I am lost for words. I could not put this down.
This story is one for the history books. A true depiction of the fear and predujice against AIDS victims. This was a beautiful read. Based of a true story, the narrative and graphics in the book were perfectly poised to depict such tough subjects.
This is a book is a must read and a recommendation to all.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Such a powerful graphic novel! The story is obviously sad but the author really shows the impact their story had on them. The illustrations were good just not my favorite style, but they were really visually descriptive! Thank you Netgalley and publisher Avid Press for the eARC
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Beautifully rendered, a story that will stay with you long after the final page. Packed with so much creativity and humour while also being heartrendingly moving and poignant. Destined to be a classic - for fans of Fun Home, It’s A Sin, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Captain Fantastic
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I sorta fell out of the habit of reading graphic novels but I got a netgalley preview of this one and loved the look so I dove in. Gorgeously done and fresh. Can't wait to see this book in the real world.
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