Go the Way Your Blood Beats

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I’d told Joanna I was gay when I was 16, while lying on my living room carpet, listening to REM. Although I had finally said the words out loud, I wasn’t sure I believed it, if I knew what the words would mean for me. I still felt like the bullied boy, my eyes fixed to the whiteboard, ignoring the sting of spitballs on my collar and the breaktime shouts of “bender”. I would catch the train home on Fridays, fizzing with freedom. Sometimes I would buy a gay magazine, if the newsagent wasn’t too crowded, but the photos of smooth-muscled perfection only increased my feelings of alienation. I hid them under my mattress – they didn’t seem to promise a bright future, a party I could join. I have cerebral palsy and, as a disabled person, I felt my sexuality would always be theoretical. What did it matter, really, what I called myself? Emmott de Monterey's memoir is a fabulous read that chronicles his journey of growing up disabled and gay in the 1980s and 90s. I was completely engrossed in this book and couldn't put it down. The author's storytelling is a perfect blend of moving, funny, and poignant moments that left a lasting impact.

His story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit, inspiring readers to be more empathetic and understanding.From an early age, de Monterey grappled with the realities of living with cerebral palsy, a condition that shaped his understanding of identity and difference. However, he refused to let his disability define him, instead using it as a wellspring of strength and inspiration for his writing. Trafalgar Square was tight with bodies, all noise and glitter. Joanna saw the woman before I did. She was about 50, old to us then. Her hair was shaved into a precise greying quiff. She had tattooed arms and was topless apart from an open leather vest. Her nipples were large, but almost hidden by heavy-looking piercings. My first thought was that her display looked painful. My second was that she looked wonderfully, exuberantly, like herself. The stranger looked proud. Comfortable in her skin in a way I had never been.

Emmett’s story starts with his premature birth, weighing a tiny 1lb 1oz. His survival seems miraculous, though after reading his memoir, I’m sure the author would not appreciate this terminology. We travel through his diagnosis with cerebral palsy, and his understanding and acceptance of being gay; the behaviour and attitudes of others in the brutal 1980s and 90s. Wall said: “This is an extraordinarily moving and original British memoir that reminded me of books by Jeanette Winterson, Cathy Rentzenbrink and Sathnam Sanghera. I can’t wait to introduce Emmett’s unforgettable voice to readers—he is a stunning writer and a rare talent.” In his memoir, De Monterey draws from his personal experiences to provide a vivid account of what it means to navigate the world as a gay, disabled individual. His narrative is marked by his encounters with societal institutions, such as the medical establishment, the education system, and the church, that often perpetuate reductive and violent language towards marginalized communities. The memoir’s strength lies in De Monterey’s ability to vividly depict the cultural nuances and complexities he encounters along the way. Through his evocative prose, readers are transported to distant lands, where they can almost taste the flavors, hear the sounds, and feel the emotions that permeate each chapter. The author’s keen observations and introspective reflections invite readers to question their own beliefs and biases, fostering a deeper appreciation for the diversity that enriches our global community.

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Go the Way Your Blood Beats” by Emmett de Monterey is a memoir that explores the challenges faced by a gay, disabled individual in a society that perpetuates ableism and homophobia. De Monterey’s personal experiences and emotional storytelling make this memoir an important contribution to the understanding of intersectionality and the complexities of identity. The medical model of disability posits that the disabled individual needs to be fixed or somehow normalised by surgical intervention, and I had completely swallowed this idea,” Emmett explains. The book is raw and intimate, showing his childhood experiences of, in Emmett’s own words, his “double difference”. As a reader, I felt so many emotions. I felt angry, sad, ashamed for the behaviour of general society, afraid for the author; while his first experience of Pride made me smile. Viking has landed debut author Emmett de Monterey’s “beautiful, powerful” memoir Go the Way Your Blood Beats following an exclusive submission.

De Monterey’s early life was marked by challenges. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age, an experience that deeply shaped his understanding of identity and difference. Despite these challenges, De Monterey maintained a resilient spirit, using his personal experiences as a source of strength and inspiration in his writing. Emmett de Monterey added: “I’m thrilled and delighted that Genesius Pictures will be developing my book for TV. I’ve admired the company ever since seeing their beautiful film ‘Mrs Lowry & Son,’ and am sure they will bring the same originality and sensitivity to telling my story.”Emmett de Monterey’s memoir, “Go the Way Your Blood Beats,” offers a captivating and poignant account of his life as a gay, disabled individual growing up in 1980s London. Drawing from his personal experiences, de Monterey provides readers with a vivid exploration of the challenges and triumphs he faced in a society that was both ableist and homophobic.