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. Melanie discusses the initial feelings she had hearing her son’s diagnosis, her path to finding acceptance and how connecting with others in similar situations opened her eyes and prompted her to write her debut book. The group discuss their own routes to acceptance and how building support networks with others was the life line that they all needed. Melanie spoke candidly about what she first struggled with, but also highlighted just how relieving it was to find others that she could relate so deeply to. 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. Debbie Gray, managing director of Genesius Pictures, said: “This beautiful, intensely powerful and heart-breaking memoir, ‘Go the Way Your Blood Beats’ is a story about being seen. We are committed to adapting Emmett’s story into a TV film which will help bring his voice together with those other underrepresented groups, into the mainstream.” Go the Way Your Blood Beats” is a compelling memoir that challenges societal norms, promotes inclusivity, and offers a profound exploration of the intersectionality of identity. Emmett de Monterey’s powerful storytelling ensures that readers will be captivated and moved by his experiences and the lessons they hold for us all. Critical Analysis

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. I was in this environment where I was told I belonged but actually I’d never felt more lonely or more alienated from people that were ostensibly my community.” 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. One of the strengths of this memoir is de Monterey’s ability to convey the constant struggle faced by individuals who exist outside societal norms. He portrays the reductive and violent language thrown at him from various institutions, such as the medical establishment, the education system, and the church. By highlighting these encounters, de Monterey exposes the harmful impact of ableism and homophobia on marginalized communities, forcing readers to confront their own prejudices and biases.

De Monterey, who is a trained psychotherapist, commented: “Writing this book has been a wonderful, rewarding experience. I’ve so enjoyed working with Isabel, who is a remarkable and sensitive editor. I’m thrilled it’s being published by Viking.” In the months that followed, Emmett struggled to accept the outcome of his surgery. There were small improvements, but he still had cerebral palsy. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451111/go-the-way-your-blood-beats-by-monterey-emmett-de/9780241570531

His words flow effortlessly, drawing readers into his world with ease. His honesty and vulnerability create a deep connection, making it feel as if you're right there experiencing every emotion alongside him. 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.When the author responds that he has cerebral palsy, the guy’s reaction is swift and unpleasant: ‘You should be at home’

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.” When Emmett de Monterey is eighteen months old, a doctor diagnoses him with cerebral palsy. Words too heavy for his twenty-five-year-old artist parents and their happy, smiling baby.Viking has landed debut author Emmett de Monterey’s “beautiful, powerful” memoir Go the Way Your Blood Beats following an exclusive submission. 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. Emmett is painfully honest, brutally so in places. His strong voice is bold, brave and courageous. The book shows the resilience of human nature. To have encountered such narrow-minded and judgemental attitudes, and now to be happy and comfortable in your own skin, is to be celebrated. The title of this engaging memoir exploring Emmett de Monterey’s life growing up gay and disabled (he has cerebral palsy) in 1980s London comes from James Baldwin: “You have to go the way your blood beats. If you don’t live the only life you have, you won’t live some other life, you won’t live any life at all…”