REVIEW: When Men Cry by Nick Wasiliev

Good old Aussie mateship is at the core of When Men Cry, the impressive and engrossing debut novel from young Sydney author Nick Wasiliev, but it offers so much more.

Nick Wasiliev

Examining masculinity and the mental health crisis of contemporary Australia, this is a portrait of four men in their early 20s, friends who met at university and, despite their diverging paths, remain connected and caring. In typical ‘Aussie bloke’ fashion, however, they do not always excel in communicating their commitment to each other – let alone understanding it.

Narrated by would-be town planner Chris in his final year of study, When Men Cry begins with a night out on the town together to celebrate Logan’s recent return to Sydney from Queensland after having dropped out of university to pursue an army career. Joined by the sensitive Noah and fun-loving larrikin Jock, a planned night of drinking and camaraderie moves on to Sydney’s newest gambling den and down a path that will lead to their involvement in each other’s lives in ways they could never have anticipated and that will test the ultimate limits of friendship.

Finding one’s life path and identity, exploring dating and relationships, moving out of home, developing moral values and transitioning from boy to man is the destiny of every male adolescent and is challenging in itself. When a friend in crisis facing depression, rage, self-loathing and instability is added to the mix, navigating nascent adulthood is nigh impossible. Through Chris and “the lads”, however, Wasiliev allows the reader a sobering and insightful examination of mental health, youth, friendship, loyalty and redemption which demonstrates a deft literary talent and understanding of the human condition which will, undoubtedly, ensure a fan-base keenly anticipating his works to come.

It’s also impressive to note that 10% of any profits from the sale of When Men Cry will go to Livin, a charity set up to break the stigma of mental health and to promote wellness and positive living for vulnerable young people.

—When Men Cry by Nicholas Wasiliev (Booktopia Editions) is out on the 13th of November.

When Men Cry

by Nick Wasiliev

The anticipation is building in the air, and Chris can feel it. It’s been over a year since him and his uni mates Noah, Logan and Jock had been together, in the same place. Finally, the gang will be back together. Finally, the beers can start flowing!

However, as the night begins it becomes clear that one of them is hiding something. Little does Chris know, this night will take them down a dark path into the depths of each other’s lives and the gambling dens of the Sydney underworld: to places that will test their friendship to its very limit...

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Scott Whitmont