Run J Run is a riveting tale of friendship, love, and chosen family. Using the tools of psychological drama and erotica, it presents a compelling critique of both the treatment of mental illness in our society and the false boundaries we construct in our personal relationships. A character-driven story with a cast of diverse and realistic protagonists, Run J Run celebrates the day-to-day heroism of ordinary, flawed individuals faced with trauma, loss, and marginalization.
Jeremy, a high school English teacher coming to grips with a shattered marriage and haunted by the brother he lost, unexpectedly falls in love with his best friend, Zak. Attractive, wildly unconventional, and happy in an open relationship with his partner Annie, Zak seems to embody everything missing from Jeremy’s life, but when the arrest and death of a marginalized student at the Brooklyn high school where they both teach trigger Zak’s mental breakdown and slow descent, Jeremy and Annie are compelled to cross boundaries, both external and internal, in a desperate attempt to save him.
What People Are Saying
“This gripping story, written with a great deal of graphic detail, compassion, drama, and a detailed sense of place, takes us into the deepest recesses of trauma and makes us look at family and therapy in unconventional but convincing ways. It is intricately plotted and unpredictable.” H. Nigel Thomas, author of No Safeguards, finalist for the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for fiction.
“Run J Run is a sophisticated depiction of sexual awakening and mental illness. It seamlessly navigates the deeply personal and political with a scopious understanding of the human psyche. Marvellous, compelling and vital.” Arshad Khan, filmmaker and writer, director, and producer of the award-winning film, Abu.
“Sokol dares to go to that unexplored place where mental illness intersects with the complexities of sexuality, and the result is surprisingly hopeful. The book’s social critique is not lost in abstract theory but is solidly rooted in character.” Barry Webster, author of The Lava in My Bones, finalist for the Lambda Literary Award
“Run J Run is a compelling chronicle of a tumultuous, erotically charged friendship imperilled by madness. Sokol charts these struggles expertly and compassionately, even as her narrative pushes buttons, defies categories and conventions, and breaks rules….” David Demchuk, author of The Bone Mother, nominee for the Giller Prize and winner of the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Fiction of the Fantastic.
“Brilliant and compelling with moments of rare beauty, I found this novel hard to put down. Highly recommended!,” Himmat Singh Shinhat, Montreal Serai
“So often in a profit-driven entertainment industry, whether film orl literature, the impetus of the story is unravelment, but it’s clear Sokol wants to show us people who are doing their best, no matter what the odds.” Ursula Pflug, Herizons Magazine
” ... a must-read if you want meaning and hope in what you consume. Five out of five for this one.” LisaRose Alderson, Ottawa Review of Books
“Every scene is so richly crafted, every emotion palatable.” Cait Gordon, author and blogger