Candy Everybody Wants

Candy Everybody Wants

By Josh Kilmer-Purcell

Clearly, I was having a slight moment of obsession with Josh Kilmer-Purcell and needed to eat up his work.

Candy Everybody Wants is the story of Jayson, a young boy who dreams of stardom in the 70’s/80’s. It started out a small story about questions of sexuality, a kid feeling like he is meant for so much more than those around him, unrequited love, and the pains of odd/ unique families. I love books about the smaller struggles of life that pull me into someone’s personal universe. Then, it turned into a strange adventure in New York with glitter, prostitution, child stars, first sexual encounters, love, stardom, and crime. Okay, I am sensing some common themes between this and I Am Not Myself These Days. A lot of male hookers, sex houses, underground celebrity, a darkness behind glitter… okay, I can be down with that. THEN, and I won’t spoil it because some of you might also be obsessed with Kilmer-Purcell, it became completely huge and absurd. Think: crime novel.

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to. I couldn’t.

I didn’t hate it. But then, when I got to the end, I wasn’t so sure.

If I elaborate too much, it will spoil the ending. But, the ending kinda spoils itself so… I don’t know. Just know that timelines don’t make sense and the whole thing at the end is just so freaking stupid that I can’t even wrap my head around what he must have been thinking while writing it.

I feel like I went on a few dates with someone, thought I was in love and eagerly looked forward to spending more time together, and then he revealed his freak flag. You want to look past it, I mean, he is so cute and charming and smart… but you can’t. I can’t. I’m sorry Josh.

Anyway, it isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read. How is that for a recommendation?