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After Francesco
Acclaimed author Brian Malloy brings insight, humor, and the authenticity of his own experiences as a member of the AIDS generation to this universal story of love and loss set in New York City and Minneapolis at the peak of the AIDS crisis. Published on the 40th anniversary of the disease’s first reported cases, After Francesco is both a tribute to a generation lost to the pandemic as well as a powerful and universal exploration of heartbreak, recovery and how love can defy grief.
The year is 1988 and 28-year-old Kevin Doyle is bone-tired of attending funerals. It’s been two years since his partner Francesco died from AIDS, an epidemic ravaging New York City and going largely ignored by the government, leaving those effected to suffer in silence, feeling unjustifiable shame and guilt on top of their loss.
Some people might insist that Francesco and the other friends he’s lost to the disease are in a better place, but Kevin definitely isn’t. Half-alive, he spends his days at a mind-numbing job and nights with the ghost of Francesco, drunk and drowning in memories of a man who was too young to die.
When Kevin hits an all-time low, he realizes it’s time to move back home to Minnesota and figure out how to start living again—without Francesco. With the help of a surviving partners support group and friends both old and new, Kevin slowly starts to do just that. But an unthinkable family betrayal, and the news that his best friend is fighting for his life in New York, will force a reckoning and a defining choice.
The year is 1988 and 28-year-old Kevin Doyle is bone-tired of attending funerals. It’s been two years since his partner Francesco died from AIDS, an epidemic ravaging New York City and going largely ignored by the government, leaving those effected to suffer in silence, feeling unjustifiable shame and guilt on top of their loss.
Some people might insist that Francesco and the other friends he’s lost to the disease are in a better place, but Kevin definitely isn’t. Half-alive, he spends his days at a mind-numbing job and nights with the ghost of Francesco, drunk and drowning in memories of a man who was too young to die.
When Kevin hits an all-time low, he realizes it’s time to move back home to Minnesota and figure out how to start living again—without Francesco. With the help of a surviving partners support group and friends both old and new, Kevin slowly starts to do just that. But an unthinkable family betrayal, and the news that his best friend is fighting for his life in New York, will force a reckoning and a defining choice.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2021
58 people are currently reading
8258 people want to read
About the author
Brian Malloy
5 books139 followersThanks for stopping by! My novels are The Year of Ice (St. Martin's Press), Brendan Wolf (St. Martin's Press), and the young-adult novel Twelve Long Months (Scholastic). I regained the rights to my first two novels from St. Martin's Press, and have re-published them under my own imprint.
My books have been a Book Sense pick, a New York Times "New and Notable" title, and a Booklist editors' choice, and have won the Minnesota Book Award and the American Library Association's Alex Award.
My new novel is After Francesco (John Scognamiglio/Kensington).
My books have been a Book Sense pick, a New York Times "New and Notable" title, and a Booklist editors' choice, and have won the Minnesota Book Award and the American Library Association's Alex Award.
My new novel is After Francesco (John Scognamiglio/Kensington).
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September 26, 2021
Wow, Brian Malloy's
After Francesco
is just an absolutely beautiful, moving, hopeful book.
It’s 1988. The gay community in the U.S. has been rocked by AIDS. For 28-year-old Kevin and many others, life is an endless journey of watching friends waste away and die, and attending far too many funerals.
Kevin hasn't stopped mourning his partner, Francesco, in the two years since he died. He still lives in their NYC apartment. Everyone tells him he should try and move on, but he can’t seem to find the motivation to do so, preferring to numb the pain with alcohol.
When he hits rock bottom, at the urging of friends and family, he returns home to Minneapolis to live with his aunt Nora. He tries to move forward in fits and starts, and with the help of a support group for people whose partners have died, he feels like he’s making some progress. But he is further tested by news that his best friend is nearing the end of his struggle with AIDS, so he heads back to NYC.
This is a gorgeously written, emotional book about grief, fear, feeling like no one understands how you feel and what you’re going through, and the guilt of surviving that many felt (and still do). How can you get on with your life when your partner and your friends didn’t have that chance?
There is certainly sadness in After Francesco but I never found it overwhelming. Malloy captured the feel and vibe of the late 1980s so well. I began coming to terms with my sexuality then, and I remember the fears and uncertainty surrounding dating and sex because no one was 100 percent sure how you could get AIDS.
For me, this book stands with The Great Believers and Christodora , two other terrific books which chronicled that time period. (You should totally read those if you haven't.)
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
It’s 1988. The gay community in the U.S. has been rocked by AIDS. For 28-year-old Kevin and many others, life is an endless journey of watching friends waste away and die, and attending far too many funerals.
Kevin hasn't stopped mourning his partner, Francesco, in the two years since he died. He still lives in their NYC apartment. Everyone tells him he should try and move on, but he can’t seem to find the motivation to do so, preferring to numb the pain with alcohol.
When he hits rock bottom, at the urging of friends and family, he returns home to Minneapolis to live with his aunt Nora. He tries to move forward in fits and starts, and with the help of a support group for people whose partners have died, he feels like he’s making some progress. But he is further tested by news that his best friend is nearing the end of his struggle with AIDS, so he heads back to NYC.
This is a gorgeously written, emotional book about grief, fear, feeling like no one understands how you feel and what you’re going through, and the guilt of surviving that many felt (and still do). How can you get on with your life when your partner and your friends didn’t have that chance?
There is certainly sadness in After Francesco but I never found it overwhelming. Malloy captured the feel and vibe of the late 1980s so well. I began coming to terms with my sexuality then, and I remember the fears and uncertainty surrounding dating and sex because no one was 100 percent sure how you could get AIDS.
For me, this book stands with The Great Believers and Christodora , two other terrific books which chronicled that time period. (You should totally read those if you haven't.)
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
September 26, 2021
Audio - 5 ++++ Stars
Story - 5 Heartbreaking, Honest, Necessary Stars
This book:
The author's note:
Story - 5 Heartbreaking, Honest, Necessary Stars
This book:
The author's note:
June 2, 2021
Brian Malloy's After Francesco is an oddly sex-negative recounting of the darkest days of the AIDS crisis.
Kevin is in his late twenties when his longterm, live-in partner, Frankie, dies from AIDS-related complications. Bereft and alone two years after Frankie's death, Kevin navigates a world he hates finding solace only at the gym and at the bottom of a fifth of vodka. Concerned for him, his friends send him back to his aunt in Minneapolis until later in the year he can return, sober, and join ACT UP. A common story arc, After Francesco tells the story of a man living in despair and ignorance who finds himself through consciousness raising and friendship.
But Malloy's story is too jam packed with scene changes that make little sense - from New York to Minnesota and back to New York all so quickly - that the clutter leaves all the details too undeveloped. Reading the book also felt suspiciously like reading a sanitized gay novel of the 80s and 90s - all of the queer plot but none of the queer sex - which became clearer as Malloy made several sex-negative comments, shaming open relationships and non-monogamy. A queer AIDS book that finds itself afraid of sex ends up being exactly what our liberated forefathers were afraid of.
Kevin is in his late twenties when his longterm, live-in partner, Frankie, dies from AIDS-related complications. Bereft and alone two years after Frankie's death, Kevin navigates a world he hates finding solace only at the gym and at the bottom of a fifth of vodka. Concerned for him, his friends send him back to his aunt in Minneapolis until later in the year he can return, sober, and join ACT UP. A common story arc, After Francesco tells the story of a man living in despair and ignorance who finds himself through consciousness raising and friendship.
But Malloy's story is too jam packed with scene changes that make little sense - from New York to Minnesota and back to New York all so quickly - that the clutter leaves all the details too undeveloped. Reading the book also felt suspiciously like reading a sanitized gay novel of the 80s and 90s - all of the queer plot but none of the queer sex - which became clearer as Malloy made several sex-negative comments, shaming open relationships and non-monogamy. A queer AIDS book that finds itself afraid of sex ends up being exactly what our liberated forefathers were afraid of.
July 17, 2021
What an emotional ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK GOD FOR Brian Malloy!!!
At its heart, this book is about loss, grief and healing in the midst of the AIDS crisis.
So though it is a very personal story, it is also without any doubt an important historical book that gives you insight into what the gay community went through at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. For me it is always difficult to read about that time, especially now, when we see how epidemic could be deal with.
Beautifully written, deeply moving, heart rendering and FULL OF HOPE.
P.S. It is a story of Kevin Doyle from The Year of Ice
THANK GOD FOR Brian Malloy!!!
At its heart, this book is about loss, grief and healing in the midst of the AIDS crisis.
So though it is a very personal story, it is also without any doubt an important historical book that gives you insight into what the gay community went through at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. For me it is always difficult to read about that time, especially now, when we see how epidemic could be deal with.
Beautifully written, deeply moving, heart rendering and FULL OF HOPE.
P.S. It is a story of Kevin Doyle from The Year of Ice
June 21, 2021
Writing about AIDS in the 1980s is perhaps more important now than ever, as survivors grow older, younger queer folk take freedoms for granted and the forces of revisionism smooth over our history.
Reading about AIDS in the 1980s is perhaps more resonant now than ever, as we contrast that initial response – denial that led to genocide - with the current mobilisation by governments, the media and the medical profession against the more indiscriminate killer that is Covid-19.
Brian Malloy’s After Francesco takes us back to 1988 through the words of Kevin, who’s trying to makes sense of life in the wake of his lover's death from AIDS. Having moved to NY from Minneapolis to come out, get laid and fall in love, Kevin’s purpose is subsequently demolished by Francesco’s demise. How do you pick up the pieces of your own life, let alone find love again, when everything – friendship, love, sex – is associated with death?
After Francesco is at its most effective when it tackles the crisis head on, chronicling the war fought by activists against the neglect that cost the lives of so many, embedding real Act Up demonstrations into the narrative, such as the march on the FDA to demand the availability of experimental drugs.
It’s at its best when it reveals the countless ways the disease was amplified by an arsenal of man-wielded weapons: shame, bigotry, hatred, neglect and greed. It’s most affecting when it describes the ravages of AIDS on one’s body, one’s dignity, one’s hard-won but still fragile sense of pride. It’s particularly moving when it invokes the social innovations victims, friends and lovers brought forward in self-defence: support networks, surrogate families, allyship and new forms of confrontational activism.
New York is vibrantly described as a land of opportunity for thousands of gay kids fleeing small towns to find themselves; a playground that is also a minefield patrolled by gay bashers, violent cops and an invisible but deadly virus; a battleground for titanic forces: Trump’s greed, Koch’s hypocrisy and Reagan’s bigotry pitted against an uprising of the marginalised.
Having lived through this hell, Malloy takes his responsibility seriously. This novel feels written for those born later, an education disguised as a new adult romance – albeit a very good one. I got the sense accessibility was just as important as authenticity. How do you hook young readers on a bleak period drama about sickness, grief and death? Using his considerable gifts as a writer – dialogue, humour, and characterisation, Malloy negotiates tonal shifts with dexterity, compromising very little to bring as many as he can on the journey.
When his characters reminisce about the good old days, when getting a cold didn’t mean picking out your pallbearers, Malloy seems to be encouraging younger readers not to take their own contemporary happiness for granted. Forty years after the first cases were identified, there are still lessons to be learned. As more and more queer writers of that era fall out of print, it’s books like Malloy’s that remind us of how far we’ve come, and how vigilant we must remain.
Reading about AIDS in the 1980s is perhaps more resonant now than ever, as we contrast that initial response – denial that led to genocide - with the current mobilisation by governments, the media and the medical profession against the more indiscriminate killer that is Covid-19.
Brian Malloy’s After Francesco takes us back to 1988 through the words of Kevin, who’s trying to makes sense of life in the wake of his lover's death from AIDS. Having moved to NY from Minneapolis to come out, get laid and fall in love, Kevin’s purpose is subsequently demolished by Francesco’s demise. How do you pick up the pieces of your own life, let alone find love again, when everything – friendship, love, sex – is associated with death?
After Francesco is at its most effective when it tackles the crisis head on, chronicling the war fought by activists against the neglect that cost the lives of so many, embedding real Act Up demonstrations into the narrative, such as the march on the FDA to demand the availability of experimental drugs.
It’s at its best when it reveals the countless ways the disease was amplified by an arsenal of man-wielded weapons: shame, bigotry, hatred, neglect and greed. It’s most affecting when it describes the ravages of AIDS on one’s body, one’s dignity, one’s hard-won but still fragile sense of pride. It’s particularly moving when it invokes the social innovations victims, friends and lovers brought forward in self-defence: support networks, surrogate families, allyship and new forms of confrontational activism.
New York is vibrantly described as a land of opportunity for thousands of gay kids fleeing small towns to find themselves; a playground that is also a minefield patrolled by gay bashers, violent cops and an invisible but deadly virus; a battleground for titanic forces: Trump’s greed, Koch’s hypocrisy and Reagan’s bigotry pitted against an uprising of the marginalised.
Having lived through this hell, Malloy takes his responsibility seriously. This novel feels written for those born later, an education disguised as a new adult romance – albeit a very good one. I got the sense accessibility was just as important as authenticity. How do you hook young readers on a bleak period drama about sickness, grief and death? Using his considerable gifts as a writer – dialogue, humour, and characterisation, Malloy negotiates tonal shifts with dexterity, compromising very little to bring as many as he can on the journey.
When his characters reminisce about the good old days, when getting a cold didn’t mean picking out your pallbearers, Malloy seems to be encouraging younger readers not to take their own contemporary happiness for granted. Forty years after the first cases were identified, there are still lessons to be learned. As more and more queer writers of that era fall out of print, it’s books like Malloy’s that remind us of how far we’ve come, and how vigilant we must remain.
March 29, 2024
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
“He said, I’m worried.
I said, I know.
He said, No, you don’t. I’m worried you won’t be able to handle this.
It was the first time he ever broke my heart. I shook, sobbing, because I believed he was right.”
It has been ten years since Kevin left Minneapolis for New York City in the hopes of finding himself - to be around others who would make him feel at ease about himself. He may not have successfully pursued a college education, but he was lucky in finding love with Francesco, 'a gay man so content with just being who he was, so devoid of insecurity, that I felt like I had discovered an entirely new species of Homo sapiens.' And with him, a whole joy of life and love was discovered that he would not train for all the memories he cherished with him, until the devastating news that would forever change their lives. It has been two years After Francesco lost his fight against AIDS - two years in which Kevin has lost himself and his will to live - drowning himself in alcohol and wasting away his life - till those who are left behind remind him why it is so important for him to stay - rekindling in him the will to live again. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
“He was enough for me; in fact, he was all I had ever wanted. I told him that, and I’m glad I did. There’s a lot I can reproach myself for, and one thing I’ll never be able to forgive myself for, but not telling Francesco I loved him enough isn’t on the list.”
I get really emotional whenever I read about AIDS - I can't help it. 😞 An entire generation was affected - the scope of the heartache and the panic and the gravitas of the tragedy - I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for those who were affected by it. Kevin's pain - his anguish and grief over Francesco's death echoed in every corner - in every crevice existed the reminder of him of the beautiful life they shared together in New York - a loneliness so palpable that my heart ached for him. 'But what made me fall in love so fast and so completely, I quickly came to realize, was his ease: with himself, with the world. This was new to me.' 🥹 He has an irreplaceable gratitude for Francesco for the inescapable love that he blessed him with, when Kevin was so young and naive. He welcomed him with such warmth and tenderness - he was everything to him. His death crippled his heart - made it impossible for him to even cry for him, crippling himself emotionally in the process. It makes sense then why going back home was probably the best thing for him, to find a way to break away from that lingering pain that threatened to destroy him, in order to keep the remaining parts of his heart still intact. 😢
“Sometimes there are no words. Or there are, but we’re sick and tired of hearing them over and over again. So, instead of words, we hold him, physically, in our arms, which manifest our love and our support.”
It felt so strange returning to Michigan with Kevin - so much of what had taken place ten years ago still clings to his heart and the place, but it felt like we only got a brief glimpse into the life he had left behind. It was nice to meet his Aunt again - I adored his friendship with Tommy - the straight guy who loves him unequivocally. 'i felt myself suffocating: It was the worst kind of betrayal to leave him there all by himself, locked tight in a box.' 😟 There were a few challenges I wished could have been addressed in a more positive light, but I understood why it turned out the way it did, only for him to realize how much of himself is in desperate need of change. Coming home also gave him the chance to explore the possibility of a new relationship - to pursue one with Dave, someone he met at his grief counseling sessions - someone who has also lost his beloved partner to AIDS. What really hit me was how emotional Kevin finally allowed himself to be - the tear ducts that refused to stop - the sheer want to just hold someone - 'maybe holding on to each other’s the healthiest thing we can do' - the longing for a touch that could make him feel comforted - embraced and loved. 🫂🫂 I didn't know for sure if there was any future to him with Dave, but it was an interesting and necessary part of his life; for him to understand and realize where he saw his potential future with. Can it be possible for two people so traumatized by their grief to forge a future together?
It was a really genuine and realistic portrayal of how he is so deeply affected by Francesco's death - so much of his heart belonged to him - how can one find it in themselves to beat again - to breathe again without it. Kevin's voice always shined with honesty, and this time around; most of it centered around his memories of Francesco, but it was still an emotional character-driven read, where we see Kevin struggle with his own grief, but watching the rest of the world also being affected by it. 😥 The story focused a major part of the narrative on the political aspect of how AIDS became a fight for acceptance and the heartbreaking way in how one takes advantage of this tragedy. That bit with Francesco's sister - how she chose to profit from her brother's fight appalled me - I don't even have the words to describe how furious it made me to see the blase and insincere and callous way in which people can just profit off other's pain - without any remorse. 😣💔💔
“I live not knowing. But I act like I have it, like everyone has it, because maybe we all do. It’s how we live now; it’s how we die now.”
As much as Kevin's love for Francesco was felt with every fiber of my being, so, too, were the friends that fought for him to stay alive - that gave him the strength he needed. And to celebrate the lives of those who lived - their memory nor their legacy does not die with them. Laurie and Tommy and even, Toshiro, each leant their hand to embrace Kevin with their love for him - to show how brave he is for never giving up - to remind him how strong he is for being here. 'Who you are, he said, is entirely up to you, whether you believe it or not.' 🥺 Their actions, their thoughts - everything came from the heart. Their desire for helping him - whether he wanted it or not - even when he was reluctant, stubbornly refusing to believe that someone as broken and tainted as him could ever be capable of being loved again - they reminded him that he is worthy of it. everything came from their heart. Life does not end in death - it takes time to remind oneself of that, but once you accept that - then you remember the beauty of the love that you shared and how it would feel for them to know that you still wanted to live. 🤍🤍
The writing was as expressive as ever; whether he was hurting or being snarky, Kevin's voice remained true to himself - honest to a fault in all his reactions. He prides himself on that, and I'm glad he did not lose that part of himself. The narrative tone did shift with a lot of telling rather than showing, which certainly didn't make Kevin any less of an engaging protagonist, but it did earn a significantly noticeable dip in the writing quality. 😕 But, what I walked away from Kevin's growth is how he accepted that he can learn to love again. It is a healing process where the love he had for Francesco will never die and that doesn't mean he has to die with him. ❤️🩹❤️🩹'But you’re terrified of them peering into your soul, seeing the man behind the façade. Thus you conceal your eyes, the mirrors to your soul.' And there is a kindness to him that still exists - it was so prevalent when he cared for Live Eddie - silently enduring the hurls of bitter rage and resentment when he comforted Dave, knowing that he wasn't the one to ease the pangs of loneliness - when he lightly teased Pete for his attraction to him, feeling that he didn't deserve someone so pure and innocent as him. For he is so kind - he has always been kind - and when that crushing reveal of that bitter truth takes place - it was so unexpected - my eyes widened in shock... But it is such a tragic if not fitting response to why Francesco's death weighs so heavily on his heart. 😞
“Kevin, you’re not defeated. You lost the one person you loved more than anyone else in this world. And some of your very best friends. And it makes sense that you feel like part of you died, too. . . and here we are . . . and it’s a beautiful evening.”
I was actually surprised when I realized that the author had written a sequel to Kevin's story, nearly twenty years after the first book's release. But, after reading the Author's Note, I understood why he was drawn to continue his story now - how the events of COVID reminded him of the harrowing time period for those who were losing their loved ones in the wake of a disease that no one quite knew how to treat. And even so, it never broke their spirits - they never stopped fighting and loving with all their hearts. 'No.” Am I crying? I can’t even tell anymore.' 😢 I don't think that sadness will ever quite go away - every new story about it is another heartbreaking one of the friends and family those who were left behind were unable to save; but they live with the thope that their memory or their love for them will never fade away, even when they find it in their hearts to move on after. 🫂
“He said, I’m worried.
I said, I know.
He said, No, you don’t. I’m worried you won’t be able to handle this.
It was the first time he ever broke my heart. I shook, sobbing, because I believed he was right.”
It has been ten years since Kevin left Minneapolis for New York City in the hopes of finding himself - to be around others who would make him feel at ease about himself. He may not have successfully pursued a college education, but he was lucky in finding love with Francesco, 'a gay man so content with just being who he was, so devoid of insecurity, that I felt like I had discovered an entirely new species of Homo sapiens.' And with him, a whole joy of life and love was discovered that he would not train for all the memories he cherished with him, until the devastating news that would forever change their lives. It has been two years After Francesco lost his fight against AIDS - two years in which Kevin has lost himself and his will to live - drowning himself in alcohol and wasting away his life - till those who are left behind remind him why it is so important for him to stay - rekindling in him the will to live again. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
“He was enough for me; in fact, he was all I had ever wanted. I told him that, and I’m glad I did. There’s a lot I can reproach myself for, and one thing I’ll never be able to forgive myself for, but not telling Francesco I loved him enough isn’t on the list.”
I get really emotional whenever I read about AIDS - I can't help it. 😞 An entire generation was affected - the scope of the heartache and the panic and the gravitas of the tragedy - I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for those who were affected by it. Kevin's pain - his anguish and grief over Francesco's death echoed in every corner - in every crevice existed the reminder of him of the beautiful life they shared together in New York - a loneliness so palpable that my heart ached for him. 'But what made me fall in love so fast and so completely, I quickly came to realize, was his ease: with himself, with the world. This was new to me.' 🥹 He has an irreplaceable gratitude for Francesco for the inescapable love that he blessed him with, when Kevin was so young and naive. He welcomed him with such warmth and tenderness - he was everything to him. His death crippled his heart - made it impossible for him to even cry for him, crippling himself emotionally in the process. It makes sense then why going back home was probably the best thing for him, to find a way to break away from that lingering pain that threatened to destroy him, in order to keep the remaining parts of his heart still intact. 😢
“Sometimes there are no words. Or there are, but we’re sick and tired of hearing them over and over again. So, instead of words, we hold him, physically, in our arms, which manifest our love and our support.”
It felt so strange returning to Michigan with Kevin - so much of what had taken place ten years ago still clings to his heart and the place, but it felt like we only got a brief glimpse into the life he had left behind. It was nice to meet his Aunt again - I adored his friendship with Tommy - the straight guy who loves him unequivocally. 'i felt myself suffocating: It was the worst kind of betrayal to leave him there all by himself, locked tight in a box.' 😟 There were a few challenges I wished could have been addressed in a more positive light, but I understood why it turned out the way it did, only for him to realize how much of himself is in desperate need of change. Coming home also gave him the chance to explore the possibility of a new relationship - to pursue one with Dave, someone he met at his grief counseling sessions - someone who has also lost his beloved partner to AIDS. What really hit me was how emotional Kevin finally allowed himself to be - the tear ducts that refused to stop - the sheer want to just hold someone - 'maybe holding on to each other’s the healthiest thing we can do' - the longing for a touch that could make him feel comforted - embraced and loved. 🫂🫂 I didn't know for sure if there was any future to him with Dave, but it was an interesting and necessary part of his life; for him to understand and realize where he saw his potential future with. Can it be possible for two people so traumatized by their grief to forge a future together?
It was a really genuine and realistic portrayal of how he is so deeply affected by Francesco's death - so much of his heart belonged to him - how can one find it in themselves to beat again - to breathe again without it. Kevin's voice always shined with honesty, and this time around; most of it centered around his memories of Francesco, but it was still an emotional character-driven read, where we see Kevin struggle with his own grief, but watching the rest of the world also being affected by it. 😥 The story focused a major part of the narrative on the political aspect of how AIDS became a fight for acceptance and the heartbreaking way in how one takes advantage of this tragedy. That bit with Francesco's sister - how she chose to profit from her brother's fight appalled me - I don't even have the words to describe how furious it made me to see the blase and insincere and callous way in which people can just profit off other's pain - without any remorse. 😣💔💔
“I live not knowing. But I act like I have it, like everyone has it, because maybe we all do. It’s how we live now; it’s how we die now.”
As much as Kevin's love for Francesco was felt with every fiber of my being, so, too, were the friends that fought for him to stay alive - that gave him the strength he needed. And to celebrate the lives of those who lived - their memory nor their legacy does not die with them. Laurie and Tommy and even, Toshiro, each leant their hand to embrace Kevin with their love for him - to show how brave he is for never giving up - to remind him how strong he is for being here. 'Who you are, he said, is entirely up to you, whether you believe it or not.' 🥺 Their actions, their thoughts - everything came from the heart. Their desire for helping him - whether he wanted it or not - even when he was reluctant, stubbornly refusing to believe that someone as broken and tainted as him could ever be capable of being loved again - they reminded him that he is worthy of it. everything came from their heart. Life does not end in death - it takes time to remind oneself of that, but once you accept that - then you remember the beauty of the love that you shared and how it would feel for them to know that you still wanted to live. 🤍🤍
The writing was as expressive as ever; whether he was hurting or being snarky, Kevin's voice remained true to himself - honest to a fault in all his reactions. He prides himself on that, and I'm glad he did not lose that part of himself. The narrative tone did shift with a lot of telling rather than showing, which certainly didn't make Kevin any less of an engaging protagonist, but it did earn a significantly noticeable dip in the writing quality. 😕 But, what I walked away from Kevin's growth is how he accepted that he can learn to love again. It is a healing process where the love he had for Francesco will never die and that doesn't mean he has to die with him. ❤️🩹❤️🩹'But you’re terrified of them peering into your soul, seeing the man behind the façade. Thus you conceal your eyes, the mirrors to your soul.' And there is a kindness to him that still exists - it was so prevalent when he cared for Live Eddie - silently enduring the hurls of bitter rage and resentment when he comforted Dave, knowing that he wasn't the one to ease the pangs of loneliness - when he lightly teased Pete for his attraction to him, feeling that he didn't deserve someone so pure and innocent as him. For he is so kind - he has always been kind - and when that crushing reveal of that bitter truth takes place - it was so unexpected - my eyes widened in shock... But it is such a tragic if not fitting response to why Francesco's death weighs so heavily on his heart. 😞
“Kevin, you’re not defeated. You lost the one person you loved more than anyone else in this world. And some of your very best friends. And it makes sense that you feel like part of you died, too. . . and here we are . . . and it’s a beautiful evening.”
I was actually surprised when I realized that the author had written a sequel to Kevin's story, nearly twenty years after the first book's release. But, after reading the Author's Note, I understood why he was drawn to continue his story now - how the events of COVID reminded him of the harrowing time period for those who were losing their loved ones in the wake of a disease that no one quite knew how to treat. And even so, it never broke their spirits - they never stopped fighting and loving with all their hearts. 'No.” Am I crying? I can’t even tell anymore.' 😢 I don't think that sadness will ever quite go away - every new story about it is another heartbreaking one of the friends and family those who were left behind were unable to save; but they live with the thope that their memory or their love for them will never fade away, even when they find it in their hearts to move on after. 🫂
March 22, 2021
I have read a number of novels set against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis in the gay community during the 1980s. Many of them focus on what it was like to care for dying loved ones, but After Francesco by Brian Malloy has a different focus: what it was like to live on while those around you perished.
The novel begins two years after Kevin Doyle loses Frankie, the love of his life. Kevin hasn’t moved on, nor does he want to. He talks to Frankie as if he were still there, and relives old memories as he drinks himself deeper into depression. His friends know that Kevin is slowly killing himself, and in a last-ditch effort to help him pull his life together, they put him on a plane bound for his hometown in the Midwest.
The novel reads more like a memoir, with Kevin driving the narrative, flipping between his present day and scenes from his relationship with Frankie. The story is simple, but the characters are richly drawn and complex. Kevin’s grief is palpable and complicated, like grief always is. It is angry, it is sad, it is frustrated, it is thankful, and it is filled with love that has nowhere to go. Relatable, for anyone who has lost a person they love.
In the United States, by 1995, one in nine gay men had been diagnosed with AIDS, one in 15 had died, and AIDS had decimated 10% of the 1.6 million gay men aged 25-44. (The AIDS Epidemic’s Lasting Impact on Gay Men, The British Academy Blog Feb. 19, 2018). This book helps readers understand, in some small way, the reality behind those numbers. It offers a glimpse of what it felt like to live in a time where there were no treatments, no government responses, and where rampant discrimination meant that not only were gay men dying, but they also were losing their jobs, their homes, and their livelihoods all at the same time.
Given the gravity of the subject matter, the most surprising part of this novel is its humor—humor tinged in bitter sadness. The book is a study in the kind of humor that helps us cope in the absolute worst of circumstances. Some of the most humorous lines were so real that in my head I could hear my best friends saying them. I expected to cry when reading this one (and I did) but I hadn’t expected to laugh. There were probably as many chuckles as there were tears.
As the 40th anniversary of the first reported AIDS cases approaches, this is an important read that is absolutely worth your time. It would be a great book club selection, and the copy that I have even contains a list of questions for discussion.
***I received an Advanced Reader Edition of this book from the publisher. It goes on sale May 25, 2021.
The novel begins two years after Kevin Doyle loses Frankie, the love of his life. Kevin hasn’t moved on, nor does he want to. He talks to Frankie as if he were still there, and relives old memories as he drinks himself deeper into depression. His friends know that Kevin is slowly killing himself, and in a last-ditch effort to help him pull his life together, they put him on a plane bound for his hometown in the Midwest.
The novel reads more like a memoir, with Kevin driving the narrative, flipping between his present day and scenes from his relationship with Frankie. The story is simple, but the characters are richly drawn and complex. Kevin’s grief is palpable and complicated, like grief always is. It is angry, it is sad, it is frustrated, it is thankful, and it is filled with love that has nowhere to go. Relatable, for anyone who has lost a person they love.
In the United States, by 1995, one in nine gay men had been diagnosed with AIDS, one in 15 had died, and AIDS had decimated 10% of the 1.6 million gay men aged 25-44. (The AIDS Epidemic’s Lasting Impact on Gay Men, The British Academy Blog Feb. 19, 2018). This book helps readers understand, in some small way, the reality behind those numbers. It offers a glimpse of what it felt like to live in a time where there were no treatments, no government responses, and where rampant discrimination meant that not only were gay men dying, but they also were losing their jobs, their homes, and their livelihoods all at the same time.
Given the gravity of the subject matter, the most surprising part of this novel is its humor—humor tinged in bitter sadness. The book is a study in the kind of humor that helps us cope in the absolute worst of circumstances. Some of the most humorous lines were so real that in my head I could hear my best friends saying them. I expected to cry when reading this one (and I did) but I hadn’t expected to laugh. There were probably as many chuckles as there were tears.
As the 40th anniversary of the first reported AIDS cases approaches, this is an important read that is absolutely worth your time. It would be a great book club selection, and the copy that I have even contains a list of questions for discussion.
***I received an Advanced Reader Edition of this book from the publisher. It goes on sale May 25, 2021.
May 8, 2021
It’s 1989, Regan rules the White House and the AIDS epidemic is in full bloom, with gay men dying in epidemic numbers. Kevin Doyle is 28 years old and grieving the loss of his partner Francesco who died from AIDS two years ago, along with grieving the losses of most of their friends who are either dead or dying. Kevin hates his job working at a non-profit for Republican CEO’s, lives in Alphabet City pre-gentrification and still talks to Frankie, despite pleading from his best friend Laurie to begin to move on. In addition to drowning in his grief, Kevin is becoming an alcoholic and is dead broke, unable to afford New York much longer. So he’s shipped off to Minneapolis, his hometown, to recuperate and as he comes back to life, he has to decide how he wants to live his life post Francesco. My generation (the straight ones at least, as I can’t speak for the LGTBQ community) knows nothing about AIDS. To us, it’s an epidemic in Africa amongst women and children, which is all we’ve been taught. At least, that’s what my health teachers said in my private middle school and my public high school. (Thank you Missouri education.) To keep things short and simple, the AIDS epidemic was genocide against “undesirables,” which included addicts and prostitutes as well as gay men and it was sanctified by the Regan administration. This book is a slap in the face for a straight woman living in Missouri in 2021. I knew things were bad but I had no idea how bad it was. This is a must read for anyone looking to educate themselves on gay history. A generation was wiped out because people didn’t care, as long as it didn’t affect them. This was an intense book, especially when it comes to the grieving process but I genuinely think that’s what made this book so powerful. I’m going to be savoring and thinking about this book for a long time.
March 8, 2021
Read if you: Want a deeply moving, at times painful, and ultimately hopeful story about a man struggling with the AIDS death of his partner.
This can be rather difficult at times to read--the pain and trauma is so acute--but it is definitely worth it. The horror of AIDS--as well as the stigma--is perfectly captured.
Librarians/booksellers: There aren't many historical fiction stories about AIDS written by an author who experienced that era firsthand. Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
This can be rather difficult at times to read--the pain and trauma is so acute--but it is definitely worth it. The horror of AIDS--as well as the stigma--is perfectly captured.
Librarians/booksellers: There aren't many historical fiction stories about AIDS written by an author who experienced that era firsthand. Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2021
“You walk slowly, my darling boy, you keep your own pace. And those that tell you to move past your grief just don’t understand your journey”. -Aunt Nora
“Be curious first, judgmental a distant second.”- Francesco
I loved this book so much. It’s a study in grief and loss. Immense loss. It’s 1988 and Kevin Doyle is a gay man living in NYC in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. He’s lost so many friends, but when he loses the love of his life, Francesco (Frankie) his life goes off the rails. Nothing matters anymore, he drinks himself into oblivion, gets fired from his job, and his friends are worried about him. After he nearly dies from alcohol poisoning, his friends know they need to help him make a change. So off he goes to Aunt Nora’s house in small town Minnesota where the memories of being in the closet surround him.
I loved Aunt Nora. For 1988, and a Catholic, she loves and accepts her nephew in a way that would have been rare and made me cry a few times. I also love that his macho Minnesota best friend Tommy who supports and loves him. I feel like that would have been rare as well.
This book is beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting, it’s a little bit of everything. Can’t wait to read Brian Malloy’s other book about Kevin “The Year of Ice” based on his early years before NYC.
“Be curious first, judgmental a distant second.”- Francesco
I loved this book so much. It’s a study in grief and loss. Immense loss. It’s 1988 and Kevin Doyle is a gay man living in NYC in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. He’s lost so many friends, but when he loses the love of his life, Francesco (Frankie) his life goes off the rails. Nothing matters anymore, he drinks himself into oblivion, gets fired from his job, and his friends are worried about him. After he nearly dies from alcohol poisoning, his friends know they need to help him make a change. So off he goes to Aunt Nora’s house in small town Minnesota where the memories of being in the closet surround him.
I loved Aunt Nora. For 1988, and a Catholic, she loves and accepts her nephew in a way that would have been rare and made me cry a few times. I also love that his macho Minnesota best friend Tommy who supports and loves him. I feel like that would have been rare as well.
This book is beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting, it’s a little bit of everything. Can’t wait to read Brian Malloy’s other book about Kevin “The Year of Ice” based on his early years before NYC.
June 1, 2021
I have NO idea why this book isn’t getting more buzz, but it should be one that everybody puts on their TBR immediately.
Giving off vibes similar to The Great Believers, After Francesco is set in the height of the AIDS crisis. What makes this story even more authentic is that the author went through this time period himself, bringing his personal experience to the table; and let me tell you it was a heartbreaker.
Despite its heavy subject material, I was able to fly through this book. I loved Kevin so much and had to know how he was going to carry on without the greatest love of his life. It’s a novel that focuses on what gay men went through historically and personally during this time, but it’s also a story of hope and friendship. It will simultaneously destroy your soul and hug it; you simply don’t know which from chapter to chapter.
It’s an excellent way to kick off Pride, and I encourage all of you to give it a read.
VERDICT: 4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Giving off vibes similar to The Great Believers, After Francesco is set in the height of the AIDS crisis. What makes this story even more authentic is that the author went through this time period himself, bringing his personal experience to the table; and let me tell you it was a heartbreaker.
Despite its heavy subject material, I was able to fly through this book. I loved Kevin so much and had to know how he was going to carry on without the greatest love of his life. It’s a novel that focuses on what gay men went through historically and personally during this time, but it’s also a story of hope and friendship. It will simultaneously destroy your soul and hug it; you simply don’t know which from chapter to chapter.
It’s an excellent way to kick off Pride, and I encourage all of you to give it a read.
VERDICT: 4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 20, 2021
An incredible story of a gay man who survived losing his partner to AIDS during the beginning of pandemic while the country was turning their back to them due to homophobia. Kevin takes you along with him as he grieves for his lost partner, Francesco, and several other friends. He gives us an insight of what he goes through during this heart-breaking time while fearing for his life, both medically and socially (will the police hurt him? Will that person take offense to him being gay and act on it?).
As you read on, Kevin becomes your friend and you cheer him on and mourn with him during his ups and downs.
I’ve already recommended this book to several friends.
As you read on, Kevin becomes your friend and you cheer him on and mourn with him during his ups and downs.
I’ve already recommended this book to several friends.
June 21, 2021
Rating: 4.5/5 rounded up to 5/5 stars
Okay, so I’m kind of in love with this book. Like, it’s in my top 10 favorite LGBTQ+ books of all time now.
Highlights:
- lots of gay characters
- really fun writing style
- hilarious at times
- amazing main character (he is such a lovable a**hole)
- found family
- important history of gay America
I honestly think think this is something that a lot of people should read. Not just because it’s good, but because of the story and the message it tells. It’s such a beautiful account of what the gay community went through during the first years of the AIDS epidemic in America.
When I first started reading it, I was worried it would be TOO sad, but I was so wrong. Yes there were sad moments and moments that made me tear up, but it was so much more! It was real and unique and funny. It was surprisingly funny! I actually laughed out loud multiple times. And I loved the MC so much!
Anyway, the editor-in-chief describes this book as “a novel about love and loss. It’s also a novel about mistakes. About friendship. About family. And it’s a novel about survival.” I can’t think of a better way to say it. It’s just so much more amazing than I ever expected.
This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and more people NEED to read this.
(TW: AIDS, graphic descriptions of illness/caretaking, depression, grief, alcoholism, homophobia, police brutality, su*cide)
Okay, so I’m kind of in love with this book. Like, it’s in my top 10 favorite LGBTQ+ books of all time now.
Highlights:
- lots of gay characters
- really fun writing style
- hilarious at times
- amazing main character (he is such a lovable a**hole)
- found family
- important history of gay America
I honestly think think this is something that a lot of people should read. Not just because it’s good, but because of the story and the message it tells. It’s such a beautiful account of what the gay community went through during the first years of the AIDS epidemic in America.
When I first started reading it, I was worried it would be TOO sad, but I was so wrong. Yes there were sad moments and moments that made me tear up, but it was so much more! It was real and unique and funny. It was surprisingly funny! I actually laughed out loud multiple times. And I loved the MC so much!
Anyway, the editor-in-chief describes this book as “a novel about love and loss. It’s also a novel about mistakes. About friendship. About family. And it’s a novel about survival.” I can’t think of a better way to say it. It’s just so much more amazing than I ever expected.
This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and more people NEED to read this.
(TW: AIDS, graphic descriptions of illness/caretaking, depression, grief, alcoholism, homophobia, police brutality, su*cide)
June 16, 2021
“Be curious first, judgmental a distant second.” That’s what I’d say to anyone considering reading this excellent novel. It’s a novel that deals with grief and profound loss. It’s equal parts hilarious, deeply felt, and hopeful. This is what life is like. It doesn’t sugar coat anything, but retains a sense of humor throughout. Please read this book!
(And to the reviewer who complained this book was sex-negative, perhaps consider that all characters in a work of FICTION are not mouthpieces for an author’s personal opinions.)
(And to the reviewer who complained this book was sex-negative, perhaps consider that all characters in a work of FICTION are not mouthpieces for an author’s personal opinions.)
June 4, 2021
4.5 / 5
Brian Malloy writes with such honesty that I felt that Kevin’s story of grief and pain was a true story. Sadly, there are far too many real-life stories similar to Kevin’s because of the AIDs epidemic.
Kevin Doyle lost his partner, Francesco, two years ago to AIDs. Now here in New York City in 1988, Kevin is trying to live life without Francesco. He is tired of going to friends’ funerals, tired of the government ignoring this epidemic, and tired of living in shame - Kevin is just tired of living without Francesco. So he drinks to numb himself.
When his friends step in to try to help, Kevin decides to move back to his hometown of Minneapolis to regroup.
Brian Malloy has written a raw, hard look at the reality of the AIDs epidemic. In Kevin’s story, we are up close and personal with the grief and pain that so many gay men had to endure - many times in secret. And as Malloy points out in his Author’s Notes, the AIDs epidemic is far from over.
Thank you to [partner] @bibliolifestyle and @kensingtonbooks for these #gifted copies.
Brian Malloy writes with such honesty that I felt that Kevin’s story of grief and pain was a true story. Sadly, there are far too many real-life stories similar to Kevin’s because of the AIDs epidemic.
Kevin Doyle lost his partner, Francesco, two years ago to AIDs. Now here in New York City in 1988, Kevin is trying to live life without Francesco. He is tired of going to friends’ funerals, tired of the government ignoring this epidemic, and tired of living in shame - Kevin is just tired of living without Francesco. So he drinks to numb himself.
When his friends step in to try to help, Kevin decides to move back to his hometown of Minneapolis to regroup.
Brian Malloy has written a raw, hard look at the reality of the AIDs epidemic. In Kevin’s story, we are up close and personal with the grief and pain that so many gay men had to endure - many times in secret. And as Malloy points out in his Author’s Notes, the AIDs epidemic is far from over.
Thank you to [partner] @bibliolifestyle and @kensingtonbooks for these #gifted copies.
June 19, 2021
I just finished reading this. When I stumbled across it on a giveaway on Goodreads, I knew I had to read it.
I was a young kid when the AIDS pandemic began and have lived in the Midwest most of my life. It wasn't even talked about where I lived. My first experience was working with a wonderful gay man as a teenager who was positive. I've met many more gay men and women over the years and had/have friendships with several. I also have a close family member (heterosexual) who died from it.
#afterfrancesco may be a work of fiction, but it is illuminating for anyone removed from the situation and the time. Brian Malloy brings the time, the relationships, lives lost, battles and deaths alive. If it doesn't, open your eyes, touch your heart, make you laugh and make you cry, then I don't know what to say. It's an easy read. We cannot let this time be forgotten. Read the author's note too. I will be checking out Brian's other literary works. Huge thank you to Kensington Publishing for the book, which I won from one of their Goodreads giveaways!! #kensingtonpublishing
I was a young kid when the AIDS pandemic began and have lived in the Midwest most of my life. It wasn't even talked about where I lived. My first experience was working with a wonderful gay man as a teenager who was positive. I've met many more gay men and women over the years and had/have friendships with several. I also have a close family member (heterosexual) who died from it.
#afterfrancesco may be a work of fiction, but it is illuminating for anyone removed from the situation and the time. Brian Malloy brings the time, the relationships, lives lost, battles and deaths alive. If it doesn't, open your eyes, touch your heart, make you laugh and make you cry, then I don't know what to say. It's an easy read. We cannot let this time be forgotten. Read the author's note too. I will be checking out Brian's other literary works. Huge thank you to Kensington Publishing for the book, which I won from one of their Goodreads giveaways!! #kensingtonpublishing
June 19, 2021
I couldn't put this book down. It's honest, sad, tragic and ultimately beautiful.
The story takes place in the late 1980's and the main character is dealing with the death of his partner, Francesco from AIDS. Kevin is stunned, spinning his wheels and unable to move on. After almost killing himself by alcohol-poisoning twice and with a lot of help and support of his family and friends, he eventually starts to live again.
A wonderful book. Pick it up or listen to it on audio book (like I did).
The story takes place in the late 1980's and the main character is dealing with the death of his partner, Francesco from AIDS. Kevin is stunned, spinning his wheels and unable to move on. After almost killing himself by alcohol-poisoning twice and with a lot of help and support of his family and friends, he eventually starts to live again.
A wonderful book. Pick it up or listen to it on audio book (like I did).
June 20, 2021
This book was so many things. It was heartbreaking, and it brought back so many horrific memories of what these young men went through the devastation of the disease, the suffering, not having even the comfort of a human touch due to fear in their last moments.
But this book is also about hope and healing, and friendship and it has many light hearted moments as well. Aunt Nora, the Irish Catholic Aunt, was such a fantastic character, and so many other friends that try to help Kevin find his way back.
This truly is a must read, and I highly recommend it.
But this book is also about hope and healing, and friendship and it has many light hearted moments as well. Aunt Nora, the Irish Catholic Aunt, was such a fantastic character, and so many other friends that try to help Kevin find his way back.
This truly is a must read, and I highly recommend it.
June 26, 2022
A heart breaking story set amid the AIDS nightmare. Kevin is such a believable character, facing unimaginable circumstances. I didn’t realize at first that this is the sequel to The Year of Ice. Well worth the read!
May 2, 2021
Thank you GoodReads Giveaways for the opportunity to read After Francesco. I
absolutely loved this book. It was a hard read for me. Several times, I had to put this book down because I was either so indignant about the negative treatment of people with AIDS or I was crying for the Kevin and his utter devastation of life without Francesco.
The characters were strong, caring people that made After Francesco shine. I especially loved quiet, compassionate Toshiro. I did not quite understand the dynamics between Kevin and him until the unexpected ending. With the ending, the inhale/exhale repetition and interplay between Kevin and the rest of the characters made complete sense.
Brian Mallory has written After Francesco with humor and honesty. This book is one that I will think about for a long time and will reccomend to my friends.
absolutely loved this book. It was a hard read for me. Several times, I had to put this book down because I was either so indignant about the negative treatment of people with AIDS or I was crying for the Kevin and his utter devastation of life without Francesco.
The characters were strong, caring people that made After Francesco shine. I especially loved quiet, compassionate Toshiro. I did not quite understand the dynamics between Kevin and him until the unexpected ending. With the ending, the inhale/exhale repetition and interplay between Kevin and the rest of the characters made complete sense.
Brian Mallory has written After Francesco with humor and honesty. This book is one that I will think about for a long time and will reccomend to my friends.
May 6, 2021
Viseral, gut-wrenching, and beautiful, this books tells an unforgetable story of one man's journey through AIDS. This book doesn't pull any punches, but instead of focusing on someone who is dying, it focuses on a partner struggling with grief, guilt, and an inability to move on. The other characters are vivid and brilliantly drawn, and there are no foregone conclusions to be made about where the story is going to go. I highly recommend this book.
March 31, 2021
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
I loved this book! I do not have one negative thing to say about it. I had never heard of this author but I am now going to seek out his other books.
I loved this book! I do not have one negative thing to say about it. I had never heard of this author but I am now going to seek out his other books.
June 14, 2021
Stunning and important novel.
June 19, 2021
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS...
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway and was asked to write a review about what I thought. I must preface this review by saying this is my very first one and I really don't know what I am doing but this is honestly my opinion without fancy words.
When I first received this book I wasn't sure how I felt about the topic. I was not sure I wanted to read about something as depressing as AIDS. Man am I glad I read it. 'After Francesco' is probably one of the best reads I have come across this year.
The story is based in Minneapolis and New York in 1988 during the AIDS crisis and is about Kevin a gay man in his twenties that has lost his partner to AIDS and has just now lost one of his best friends. Kevin has not been able to cope with losing Francisco over two years ago but when dead Eddie passes Kevin has a breakdown and almost dies. The rest of the story is about how Kevin and all of those around him cope with a world that is taking all they love away from them. The gay community is greatly represented in this book and is easy to see and feel what they went through during this awful time.
The author Brian Mallory is very descriptive throughout the story, which most times I'm like 'Ok just get on with it, I don't care'. But not with this one. The descriptions make it possible for the reader to put themselves in the room when Kevin is changing live Eddie's diaper or when Kevin is talking to the MD about getting tested, and you are able to feel all the emotions the characters have.
Every emotion can be felt throughout the book. Anger at the way people treat the man with AIDS, the way the families of the deceased react to their partner, as if the partner was nothing more than a piece of dirt on their shoe. Sadness at the thoughts from Kevin about leaving Francesco alone at the cemetery, 'He never would have done that to me. He never would have left me alone'. Happiness when Kevin finally starts to move on with his life.
There is so much to say about this book that I could go on forever but I will stop and just say 'Read it!!!'
#AfterFrancesco
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway and was asked to write a review about what I thought. I must preface this review by saying this is my very first one and I really don't know what I am doing but this is honestly my opinion without fancy words.
When I first received this book I wasn't sure how I felt about the topic. I was not sure I wanted to read about something as depressing as AIDS. Man am I glad I read it. 'After Francesco' is probably one of the best reads I have come across this year.
The story is based in Minneapolis and New York in 1988 during the AIDS crisis and is about Kevin a gay man in his twenties that has lost his partner to AIDS and has just now lost one of his best friends. Kevin has not been able to cope with losing Francisco over two years ago but when dead Eddie passes Kevin has a breakdown and almost dies. The rest of the story is about how Kevin and all of those around him cope with a world that is taking all they love away from them. The gay community is greatly represented in this book and is easy to see and feel what they went through during this awful time.
The author Brian Mallory is very descriptive throughout the story, which most times I'm like 'Ok just get on with it, I don't care'. But not with this one. The descriptions make it possible for the reader to put themselves in the room when Kevin is changing live Eddie's diaper or when Kevin is talking to the MD about getting tested, and you are able to feel all the emotions the characters have.
Every emotion can be felt throughout the book. Anger at the way people treat the man with AIDS, the way the families of the deceased react to their partner, as if the partner was nothing more than a piece of dirt on their shoe. Sadness at the thoughts from Kevin about leaving Francesco alone at the cemetery, 'He never would have done that to me. He never would have left me alone'. Happiness when Kevin finally starts to move on with his life.
There is so much to say about this book that I could go on forever but I will stop and just say 'Read it!!!'
#AfterFrancesco
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2021
Written with humor at times this book is shocking and upsetting yet deeply moving. It is set in New York and Minneapolis during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Kevin has been grieving the loss of his partner for two years. He spends his time drowning his sorrows in alcohol and reliving the memory of Francesco. After hitting an all-time low he tries to turn his life around “After Francesco”. The author boldly brings to light the struggles of gay men, those with AIDS, and the those who mourn the loss of their loved one. This story is powerful, graphic and could be uncomfortable for some readers. But for me it brought insight into a generation lost to a disease that was ignored and misunderstood. This story made me laugh, made me cry. It is one of those books that will stick with me for a very long time!
March 10, 2022
Before the cowardly bigots in the Republican party try to ban all the LGBQT literature, I have decided to double down on the genre. Coincidently, two of my recent choices have been set in the early 70’s and 80’s respectively- times in which my community will never return to, no matter how many laws these morons try to pass.
Moving into the 80’s, we have Braian Mallory’s masterpiece in grief and longing called, “After Francisco.” The story begins as we meet Kevin, who is still reeling from the loss of his boyfriend, Frankie, due to complications from AIDS two years previous. To cope with his loss he still speaks to Frankie’s ghost (just as Jonathon spoke to his mother’s ghost in ZIggy), hangs out with his best friend, who has also lost his lover to AIDS, and finally, he drinks lots and lots of vodka (been there).
When Kevin finally hits rock bottom in NYC he is forced to move back to his hometown in Minnesota. Here we meet a great cast of supporting characters including his aunt, a potential love interest, and his straight high school best friend who gets high a lot and makes babies. The best friend drags him to a rock concert to cheer him up. Kevin thinks, “At least Eddie Van Halen is hot!” (Been there).
One of my favorite time periods for books and movies is NYC in the 80’s so I was happy when the third act takes us back to this setting, but not happy about the reason.
This is a gorgeously written, emotional book about grief, survivor’s guilt, and fear- at one point I was literally bawling while at the coffee shop. But it is also very much a book about moving one, searching for hope when there seems to be none, and finding your inner strength to preserve- and all the other shit gay people have to do every damn day. (Really been there)!
Moving into the 80’s, we have Braian Mallory’s masterpiece in grief and longing called, “After Francisco.” The story begins as we meet Kevin, who is still reeling from the loss of his boyfriend, Frankie, due to complications from AIDS two years previous. To cope with his loss he still speaks to Frankie’s ghost (just as Jonathon spoke to his mother’s ghost in ZIggy), hangs out with his best friend, who has also lost his lover to AIDS, and finally, he drinks lots and lots of vodka (been there).
When Kevin finally hits rock bottom in NYC he is forced to move back to his hometown in Minnesota. Here we meet a great cast of supporting characters including his aunt, a potential love interest, and his straight high school best friend who gets high a lot and makes babies. The best friend drags him to a rock concert to cheer him up. Kevin thinks, “At least Eddie Van Halen is hot!” (Been there).
One of my favorite time periods for books and movies is NYC in the 80’s so I was happy when the third act takes us back to this setting, but not happy about the reason.
This is a gorgeously written, emotional book about grief, survivor’s guilt, and fear- at one point I was literally bawling while at the coffee shop. But it is also very much a book about moving one, searching for hope when there seems to be none, and finding your inner strength to preserve- and all the other shit gay people have to do every damn day. (Really been there)!
June 6, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway and in that spirit I am writing this review.
This book is one that I, most likely, would not have read if I hadn't won it from goodreads. I'm so grateful I did, otherwise I would have missed out on this moving novel. Brian Malloy has written an emotional story about the AIDS crisis that immediately pulled me into his character's lives and kept me there until the very end.
This book is one that I, most likely, would not have read if I hadn't won it from goodreads. I'm so grateful I did, otherwise I would have missed out on this moving novel. Brian Malloy has written an emotional story about the AIDS crisis that immediately pulled me into his character's lives and kept me there until the very end.
May 25, 2021
Moving, sad: resonated strongly with me😪
I loved Brian Malloy's book!
I recall those days in the 80's when AIDS first got grudging recognition as the deaths piled up. This book brought memories back, of colleagues frantically hiding their orientation and some losing their battle against the disease. So, Malloy's story about Kevin trying to cope with the death of his partner and friends strongly resonated with me. It's a sad tale but how could it not be and remain true to the subject?
The story has lots of hardship and Kevin's gallows humor but there are moments of love, hope and friendship as well. Reading After Francesco was an emotional experience and well worth the time. This era should not be forgotten.
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
I loved Brian Malloy's book!
I recall those days in the 80's when AIDS first got grudging recognition as the deaths piled up. This book brought memories back, of colleagues frantically hiding their orientation and some losing their battle against the disease. So, Malloy's story about Kevin trying to cope with the death of his partner and friends strongly resonated with me. It's a sad tale but how could it not be and remain true to the subject?
The story has lots of hardship and Kevin's gallows humor but there are moments of love, hope and friendship as well. Reading After Francesco was an emotional experience and well worth the time. This era should not be forgotten.
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
April 14, 2021
I won an advanced copy of “After Francesco” from a Goodreads giveaway! I loved this book. It was so amazingly heartbreaking, and I was so sad watching Kevin struggle with his grief over the loss of his partner, Francesco. I have always felt strongly that the gay community has been excessively marginalized, and have been interested in the history of the gay community (Stonewall was a RIOT) for years. I also lost my father in the early 90’s to AIDS, 26 years ago yesterday, though his was due to intravenous drug use. That all being said, this book hit so many of my heart’s soft spots, and it was wonderful. If you need a good read that will definitely make you cry, and if you enjoy realistic, and fulfilling, character development, read this book.
February 24, 2021
After Francesco
I’m honored and grateful for the chance to read an advance copy of After Francesco by Minneapolis author Brian Malloy. It’s a beautiful book and timely. It brought back memories of protest in D.C. and here at home in Minneapolis. There’s a special kind of courage that triumphs over internalized as well as external homophobia. Thank goodness for DESIRE that can triumph over just about anything! Of course, I don’t know what it’s like to inhabit that world, NEw York City in the eighties. But Brian Malloy’s excellent descriptions bring me a lot closer. That slogan SILENCE EQUALS DEATH expresses the choice we faced. I’m so glad this novel is bringing it back into the light.
I’m honored and grateful for the chance to read an advance copy of After Francesco by Minneapolis author Brian Malloy. It’s a beautiful book and timely. It brought back memories of protest in D.C. and here at home in Minneapolis. There’s a special kind of courage that triumphs over internalized as well as external homophobia. Thank goodness for DESIRE that can triumph over just about anything! Of course, I don’t know what it’s like to inhabit that world, NEw York City in the eighties. But Brian Malloy’s excellent descriptions bring me a lot closer. That slogan SILENCE EQUALS DEATH expresses the choice we faced. I’m so glad this novel is bringing it back into the light.
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