PositiveNecessary FictionMale culture in America and elsewhere is at the center of a critical storm in 2018, at least when it’s not being hauled off in handcuffs or fired. This may not be the best year for the release of a bro-book. Still, for lovers of a good story, and those interested in a subtle revisioning of masculinity, Dan Sheehan’s novel delivers the goods ... This is a moral novel, concerned with questions of right and wrong, but it is not one that explores both men’s and women’s questions. Some readers may be put off by the dearth of multi-dimensional female characters. Others may be put off by how the novel avoids mention of the sexual assaults that were common Sarajevo siege-era atrocities. The humor and lyricism of Restless Souls, however, engrave an almost irresistible invitation to join these characters on their journey to touchy-feely land and make it easy to suspend prejudice and disbelief to follow them there. Once along for the ride, readers will be willing to stay put and hope for the best.
