The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley

A Novel

By: Shaun David Hutchinson

Narrated by: Jason Keller

A heartbreaking yet uplifting story about a boy who has lost everything but finds new hope drawing in the shadows of a hospital.

Andrew Brawley was supposed to die that night, just like the rest of his family.

Now he lives in the hospital, serving food in the cafeteria, hanging out with the nurses, sleeping in a forgotten supply closet. Drew blends in to near invisibility, hiding from his past, his guilt, and those who are trying to find him. His only solace is in the world of the superhero he's created - Patient F.

Then, one night, Rusty is wheeled into the ER, half his body burned by hateful classmates. Rusty's agony is like a beacon for Drew, pulling them together through all their pain and grief. In Rusty, Drew sees hope, happiness, and a future for both of them. A future outside of the hospital, and away from their painful pasts.

But to save Rusty, Drew will have to confront death, and life might get worse before it gets better. And by telling the truth about who he really is, Drew risks any chance of a future...for both of them.

©2015 Shaun David Hutchinson (P)2021 Tantor

Good concept, poorly executed

The concept of a boy hiding out in plain sight in a hospital after his family die, and the people he builds relationships with along the way is intriguing. Like a twist on Amor Towles' "A Gentleman in Moscow." Add to that a gay teen protagonist and a slow burn (pun intended IYKYK) romance. Sprinkle in a bit of the supernatural (Death stalking the halls in a pencil skirt and heels, looking for the one who got away). Mix it all together and color me excited! I had high hopes for this book.
Unfortunately, it fell far short of my hopes in all areas. I think the author bit off more than he could chew with this. There were too many story lines, too many nurses, too many unanswered questions (why was the usually happy and engaging priest despondent that one day?), too many big things happening off-page (we only hear reports of things that happened, not experiencing them along with the main character), and the whole comic book thing was just totally unnecessary. Instead of using the comic book to try and explain what the MC was going through, just have the MC go through it. We, the readers, don't need an interpretation of the story inserted into the story to explain the story as the story is story-ing! Lol. I heard a singer once say that if you have to explain the lyrics of a song to the audience before you sing the song, then the lyrics aren't doing their job. I think the same applies here with the comic. If the author has to insert the comic to explain the story as the story is happening, then the story just isn't well crafted. And at the end of the day, that's the takeaway from this book. It's an intriguing concept that was just poorly executed.