“I am writing this grief journal at the repeated advice of my therapist. I’m writing it to myself, as my own reader. I hate readers. Mostly because I hate myself.”

You could say Kyle Jr. grew up in a dysfunctional family. That’d be an understatement. His mother’s wealthy family disinherited her for marrying the working-class Kyle Sr., and she’s never forgiven him (or KJ) for that.

When his father’s suicide turns his life upside down, KJ fills his therapist-recommended grief journal with plenty of sarcasm, excerpts from sweary, punny high-school short stories, and fourth-wall-breaking asides. Through all the bravado and swagger, a portrait emerges of a young man confronting a dark past with genuine compassion and keen insight. He’s determined to reconcile with its legacy–and to survive.