Will Stepp’s 1986 is a nostalgic tapestry of childhood and adolescence, stitched together through a series of vignettes that brim with charm, humor, and raw emotion. The book follows a narrator’s youthful misadventures, from the mundane to the extraordinary, set against the backdrop of suburban America in the titular year. It’s a bittersweet journey through lawns mowed with finicky mowers, secret ponds discovered in forbidden fields, and friendships forged and frayed over the course of long afternoons.

The writing is stellar, pulling you straight into its world with rich sensory details and authentic dialogue. The interplay of nostalgia and immediacy is where the book shines most. Stepp’s prose made me feel like I was right there, watching Dusty the horse lumber toward an apple offering, and the thunder of her hooves charging across the field had my pulse racing. Stepp captures childhood’s blend of terror and thrill with uncanny accuracy.

But it’s not just the storytelling that captivated me—it’s the insight into relationships. Take “New Knife,” for example. The protagonist’s earnest desire to bond with his grandfather and the painful realization of having inadvertently hurt him is heartbreakingly relatable. The green pocketknife, cleaned and restored with care, stands as a poignant symbol of love and misunderstanding. It’s the kind of story that urges you to reflect on your own moments of familial friction.

What struck me most about 1986 is how it doesn’t shy away from the darker corners of childhood. “Mail Walk” dives into feelings of alienation, anger, and eerie surrealism. The protagonist’s disorienting walk through the apartment complex culminates in a scene that blurs the line between reality and nightmare. This chapter chilled me, not just because of its haunting imagery, but because it spoke to the universal fear of being left behind or forgotten.

Stepp’s ability to weave such a mix of light and shadow into his storytelling makes this book an emotional rollercoaster. It’s perfect for anyone who’s ever looked back at their childhood with a mix of longing and unease. Fans of reflective, slice-of-life stories like Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s Life or even films like Stand by Me will find much to love here. While some of the stories’ slower moments might test a reader’s patience, the emotional payoffs make the journey worthwhile.

1986 is a beautifully crafted tribute to the messiness and magic of growing up. I’d recommend it to anyone nostalgic for their own “good old days” or curious about life in a time that feels simultaneously distant and familiar.

Pages: 127 | ASIN: B0DJ9TSC93