Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Accustomed to the Dark by Thomas DeConna is an interesting coming-of-age tale of friendship, relationships, and coming to terms with life and humanity. Young journalist Jenny Smith is looking for an opportunity to jump-start her journalism career. She has scored an interview with the reclusive but celebrated children’s book author AJ Kenton, who, although he hasn’t written a new book in years, has consistently refused to give interviews. When she arrives at the author’s home, however, she is not truly allowed to interview the author. Instead, an elderly AJ Kenton wants to relate one last story to Jenny; the story of a young boy growing up in middle-class America, in the 1960s in a typical but dysfunctional family. As a twelve-year-old, AJ Kenton had gone door-to-door selling flower and vegetable seeds to his neighbors. This opportunity to glimpse the inner workings of ordinary families had given him an insight into his neighbors' lives, their successes, their failures, and their oft-thwarted aspirations. Through this tale of conventionality, Kenton conveys to Jenny that despite the passing years, nothing much has changed in society; we are still hidebound by expectations, dysfunction, and illusory conceptions.

Accustomed to the Dark is one of those rare books that forces readers to think and examine their own lives, choices, and preconceptions. Author Thomas DeConna has expertly used the allegory of AJ Kenton’s childhood to explore our innermost secrets and fears. By selling seeds around his neighborhood, AJ was frequently invited inside his neighbors' houses and exposed to their innermost secrets. I particularly enjoyed his introduction to teenage angst and passion through his encounters with the frustrated and beautiful Nancy Newcross; shades of The Graduate there. The relationship that resonated the most with me was the one that AJ formed with Mrs. Billings. It was her encouragement of AJ’s desire to paint that showed him an artistic talent of any sort was not necessarily something to be scoffed at. Continually faced with expectations from others that the arts were a waste of time, especially in forging a career, Mrs. Billings gave AJ the courage to follow his passions. AJ meets so many disparate, fascinating, and self-contained characters that one thing becomes obvious; a family is in many ways a façade. What goes on behind closed doors is not reflected by the front that we present to the world. Even the most perfect-looking family may be riven by dysfunction and disharmony. This is a gentle, sweet tale of a young boy’s childhood and yet it has layers of depth and insight that will appeal to thoughtful readers. I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it.