Breakaway Books

Authored by Bryan Washington; Published November 2025; Fiction

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Palaver is an awkward, almost painful story of the distance that strains between a mother and her son. It feels oddly of this era.

In Palaver, an alarming call from an estranged son—all the way in Japan—brings his mother on a surprise visit from the United States. The two circle each other warily over the course of the mother’s visit, alternately snapping at each other and exchanging bids for affection. As the son enters a romantic relationship and the mom engages in a reluctant courtship, memories of their past bubble up and complicate what looks like a simple visit from the outside.

In an age when going no contact with one’s parents feels like the norm, this novel feels surprisingly gentle. Yes, the mother and son use sharp words with each other, and they do not hold their negative feelings back. But in spite of the harshness of their interactions, there is a form of reconciliation contained in these pages and an openness to a renewed relationship, even if it doesn’t look precisely like either the mother or the son imagines. Their relationship is complex, the story of an immigrant—the mother, who travels from the Caribbean to the US—layered on top of another—the son, who leaves the US to go to Japan. Neither are cookie-cutter immigrant narratives but nuanced depictions of the awkwardness of diving into a new culture.

For a novel defined by realistic awkwardness and even conflict, I was surprised to find the son’s story somewhat heartwarming. By the end of the novel, he looks back to discover that he has formed a true community in Japan. There are people who want him around, who consider him to be an essential part of their family. It’s obvious from the rest of the novel that this has not always been the case for him, and I couldn’t help but rejoice with the son. He is even able to recognize his mother’s love, as distorted as it is. She did, after all, hop on a plane to visit him after no more than a slightly strange phone call.

Palaver might not have a lot of action, but it is a thoughtful meditation on family and belonging. If you want to think more deeply about those topics, pick it up!