No Way Home

 

No Way Home by T. C. Boyle
4/21/26; 368 pages
Liveright Publishing 

No Way Home by T. C. Boyle is an excellent, very highly recommended, literary psychological drama of manipulation, obsession, and revenge in highly dysfunctional relationships. 

Terrence (Terry) Tully, a third-year medical resident in LA, receives a phone call informing him of his mother's death and he drives the four hours across the desert to her home in Boulder City, Nevada, by Lake Mead, to settle her affairs, including selling her house and taking care of her dog, Daisy. Once there, his problems begin. At his lowest point, he meets homeless receptionist Bethany at a restaurant. She immediately clings onto him and manages to insert herself into his mother's, now his, home. She has a tale of woe about her ex-boyfriend, Jesse, a vengeful, macho middle–school teacher. Jesse declares her to be poison. They all drink too much. This begins a psychologically twisted tale of manipulation, obsession, aimlessness, violence, retribution, and revenge.

No Way Home is said to be a love triangle, but it is really a much more brutal, complicated tale of exploitation, retaliation, and control. Terry is a rather naive man and Bethany quickly takes advantage of him. She moves into the house without his permission and his first mistake is that he doesn't immediately kick her out when he learns this. From this point on she's taking advantage of him with his tacit approval and the direction the plot is taking is clear. Jesse is immature and has impulse-control issues along with a violent streak. Encounters between the two men are inevitable, and predictably vicious.

Boyle is an exceptional writer and his talent is on full display in No Way Home. I was totally engrossed throughout and found the novel un-put-downable. None of the characters are likable, although Terry at least has some professional competence. I found myself wanting to lecture or at least install some common sense and self-realization in every single one of these characters. At the same time, I have met people like these characters who embrace their aimlessness like a badge of honor. 

The narrative is eventually told through the point-of-view of all three characters, which doesn't necessarily do them any favors but does showcase their haphazard thoughts and self-serving behavior, especially of Bethany and Jesse. Terry tends to reduce humanity to symptoms and diagnoses and seems a bit clueless at times. They are all very egocentric characters. We are also left with the feeling that there is no projected chance of redemption for any of them.

No Way Home is perfect for those who enjoy literary psychological dramas with erratic, selfish characters and dysfunctional relationships. Thanks to Liveright Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.