Whiteout Conditions
Whiteout Conditions by Tariq Shah, published by Two Dollar Radio in 2020, is a literary exploration of grief and friendship set against the backdrop of a harsh Midwestern winter. This 114-page work follows Ant, who has a peculiar fascination with funerals, as he returns to Chicago for the funeral of his childhood friend Ray. The narrative delves into Ant’s complex emotions and memories, revealing how the loss of Ray, a figure from his past, forces him to confront the realities of adulthood and the weight of his relationships.
In this psychological and urban noir, readers will accompany Ant and his friend Vince as they navigate the chilling suburbs of Chicogoland, where the environment mirrors their internal struggles. The story addresses themes of toxic masculinity, the responsibilities that come with growing up, and the haunting nature of revenge. With a poet’s sensibility, Shah crafts a narrative that is both weirdly funny and deeply poignant, capturing the essence of city life and the intricacies of friendship amidst tragedy.
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“Ant is borderline obsessed with funerals, likening the events to weddings as gatherings he looks forward to. Yet, when a childhood friend passes, Ant’s veneer starts to crumble. Weirdly funny, Whiteout Conditions tracks Ant and his friend Vince as they make their way through Chicogoland’s suburbs, which, in Shah’s telling, are as harrowing as any arctic climate.”
–Wendy J. Fox, BuzzFeed ’15 Small Press Books To Kick Off Your 2020 Reading Season’
Ant is back in Chicago for a funeral, and he typically enjoys funerals. Since most of his family has passed away, he finds himself attracted to their endearing qualities: the hyperbolic language, the stoner altar boy, seeing friends in suits for the first time. That is, until the tragic death of Ray — Ant’s childhood friend, Vince’s teenage cousin. Ray was the younger third-wheel that Ant and Vince were stuck babysitting while in high school, and his sudden death makes national news.
In the depths of a brutal Midwest winter, Ant rides with Vince through the falling snow to Ray’s funeral, an event that has been accruing a sense of consequence. With a poet’s sensibility, Shah navigates the murky responsibilities of adulthood, grief, toxic masculinity, and the tragedy of revenge in this haunting Midwestern noir.
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