Don’t Skip Out on Me: A Novel

With subtle prose, captivating characters, and enthralling plot, Willy Vlautin’s Don’t Skip Out On Me is a must-read. Abandoned by his parents, Horace goes to live with Eldon and Louise Reese. Horace works for them as a ranch hand, yet the Reeses treat him as their son. When Horace decides to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer, he leaves his quiet life in Tonopah, Nevada, and moves to Tucson. Horace finds a job at a tire shop and trains under Alberto Ruiz. He quickly realizes, however, that reality is not everything he had hoped for. Although Eldon continues to encourage him to return to the ranch, Horace declines in determination to achieve fame and fortune.

Told in alternating narration between Horace and Eldon, Vlautin creates an arresting portrait of devotion. Don’t Skip Out On Me is not lacking in small, seemingly insignificant details; however, these particulars are what make the characters feel exceptionally real. Vlautin’s language is refreshingly straightforward. But beware — the novel’s simplicity does not diminish its emotional punch. Finally, Vlautin closes his book with a description of each song of the novel’s soundtrack, which is available for free online, that he wrote and recorded with his band, Richmond Fontaine.