Afterparties

By: Anthony Veasna So

Narrated by: Jason Sean

Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Seamlessly transitioning between the absurd and the tender-hearted, balancing acerbic humour with sharp emotional depth, Afterparties offers an expansive portrait of the lives of Cambodian Americans. As the children of refugees carve out radical new paths for themselves in California, they shoulder the inherited weight of the Khmer Rouge genocide and grapple with the complexities of race, sexuality, friendship and family.

A high school badminton coach and failing grocery store owner tries to relive his glory days by beating a rising-star teenage player. Two drunken brothers attend a wedding afterparty and hatch a plan to expose their shady uncle's snubbing of the bride and groom. A queer love affair sparks between an older tech entrepreneur trying to launch a 'safe space' app and a disillusioned young teacher obsessed with Moby Dick. And in the sweeping final story, a nine-year-old child learns that his mother survived a racist school shooter.

With nuanced emotional precision, gritty humour and compassionate insight into the intimacy of queer and immigrant communities, the stories in Afterparties deliver an explosive introduction to the work of Anthony Veasna So.

©2021 Anthony Veasna So (P)2021 W F Howes

Critic reviews

“A stunning collection from an exciting new voice.” (Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half)

“A bright and fearless debut, full of heart, joy and unforgettable characters.” (Douglas Stuart)

“I was in awe through the entire collection - and you will be, too. Afterparties is an actual marvel." (Bryan Washington, author of Lot and Memorial)