Comparisons will be made between Percival Everett’s latest book and Brokeback Mountain, but it is far more complex than Annie Proulx’s short story. John Hunt and his 79 year-old uncle Gus live in a ranch in the high desert of Wyoming. This is frontier country and even though the journey has been difficult, the African-American horse trainer has challenged racial stereotypes. John is still mourning his wife’s death and Gus has spent time in prison for killing a man who was raping his wife, but life goes on.
That is until a young gay college student is murdered and strung up, and the small community is visited by some young men who want to stage a gay pride rally outside the city hall. One of the group is David, son of a friend of John’s from his college days. John’s taming of horses can be seen as a parallel to the way he tames the humans who enter into his life, and it is not long before he’s mentoring David too.
The narrative trots along at a comfortable pace, the unpretentious characters are easy to get close to and the wry humour keeping the reader on their toes. When Gus points out that there’s plenty of hate to go around though, the undercurrent of uncertainty builds to an uncomfortable level. Like the famous Brokeback kiss, Wounded has a kiss that shatters the narrative. Lives are effected and decisions must be made as the characters come to terms with the ripples David has created in this community.
Wounded is by Percival Everett and is available from Faber and Faber for $29.95.
