A tragic end to a new beginning.
Read Like a Writer
Chapters 24-29
Everything our characters have been working to build comes crumbling down at the start of chapter 24, where we start to see the tension between the studio and director. It turns out that one of the actors, Wes Malone, was looking out for his own interest and tipped the studio off after their private viewing.
Again, we see Xavier and Aaron’s opposing viewpoints on how exactly the rest of this will play out. Xavier wants to leave a mark, and legacy in the world, while Aaron wants to figure out how to still have Horace’s story told. It seems he is trying to fulfill Horace’s mothers own prophecy now that he is gone.
There’s a standstill on the studio’s desire for reshoots to make the film more palatable and Xavier’s refusal to compromise that we know will eventually come to a head.
Aaron gets Xavier and Lowell, the studio executive, to agree to meet, but it all becomes a set up. Almost a false victory in a sense because they arrive at a gay bar that is quickly raided, leaving Aaron with a wired jaw.
Xavier is incensed with Aaron’s attempt at playing nice with the studio, and we finally learn the one sin in Hollywood on page 272. “Don’t expose the rapacious puppet masters who prey on stars and crews and audiences alike.”
This is a testament to the withholding important in sustaining suspense. We almost get through the whole story before getting that title moment.
But sadly, we see the result of Xavier’s transgression when Aaron receives a call from Diahann Carol that his car had been hit. We get this heartbreaking line as Aaron goes to ID Xavier’s body because Antonio has seemingly disappeared. “His body looked robbed; his talents, his intelligence, his light were stolen.”
I was really surprised that Antonio also didn't show up to the funeral. I wasn’t all the way sure what to make of his character.
Aaron seems to go on with business as usual while concocting a bit of half-brain scheme to try to take Lowell down. It doesn’t work and only lands him fired and banned from the studio. Kimberly doesn’t take too well to this and suggests separate lives for a marriage that was already hanging on by a thread.
We see how the story leads into the gay liberation movement after the raid at the Black Cat. That part of Xavier’s stand was a domino effect to everything that came after, including the Stonewall Riots two years later in 1969.
We end with Aaron explaining why he was submitting this story to Mr. Kepner, who we learn is one of the key figures at the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives.
While Xavier’s death left me a little heartbroken, I was comforted by the last line of the book, “He died for the revelation to come.”
That’s a wrap! Tell me, what did you think about the book? Feel free to reply or drop a note in Bookum.
With Love and a dog-eared page,
Ashley
YOUR READING SCHEDULE
We'll move through the book together over five weeks, with our final gathering in Week 6. Here's the pace:
Week 1 (July 26) — Chapters [Letter, Chapters 1-5]: Let the voice in. No pressure to analyze yet — just read.
Week 2 (August 2) — Chapters [6–11]: We start to look at the seams.
Week 3 (August 9) — Chapters [12–17]: Mid-read Nook conversation (details to come).
Week 4 (August 16) — Chapters [18-23]: The home stretch begins.
Week 5 (August 23) — Chapters [24–29]: Finish the book. Sit with it.
Week 6 (August 30) — The Gathering: In-person (+ virtual option) @ Reparations Club
— — —
📚JOIN US
We will close out the book discussion with a summer gathering at Reparations Club, one of Los Angeles's most essential Black-owned bookstores on August 30th, 10am-11:30am. If you haven't picked up your copy yet, we'd love for you to grab it directly from them — it's a small act that keeps community-centered spaces like this one alive, and it means something that our dollars go there.
→ Order from Reparations Club:https://rep.club/products/only-one-sin
Use discount code: BOOKCLUB10 for 10% off.
Not in LA? Make sure you are subscribed to our YouTube channel, where we will stream the conversation.
