All these things-and so much more-are applicable to Utopia Avenue. It could be interpreted as a coming of age tale, or a cautionary one about the intoxicating effects of fame and the courage it takes to pursue your dreams. Though music is at the heart of this novel, its pulsating plot and depth of appreciation for its characters goes way beyond the scope of the psychedelic ’60s. Inexorably, their newfound status takes the group to the promised land: America.

It brings friendships with The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and John Lennon (who lost his mind under a table at a party), but also destruction, manipulation and danger as the band members struggle to bridge the realms of anonymity and notoriety. The band finds fame, which brings further complications. The intoxicating brew that is Utopia Avenue reaches a critical mass. And despite the fact that Levon is in someways the band’s entreé into the establishment, he too has to come to terms with his status as an outsider-gay and hiding in a hostile world. And while Elf comes from a different class, she too struggles to justify her passions and comes face-to-face with inexplicable tragedy.Ī shocking event involving Griff threatens to derail the band’s success, while the emotionally aloof Jasper (who constantly trains himself to read subtle cues in his human interactions) confronts his own demon, one which threatens to entirely engulf his psyche. Dean’s complex and painful family relationships are examined, revealing how his father’s disapproval-which descends into violence-lights an inextinguishable fire within him. As the band’s trajectory becomes more established, Mitchell deftly weaves the character’s backstories into the narrative.

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