Dixon, Descending is a thought-provoking debut novel, weaving a compelling narrative that is unfortunately undermined by uneven execution. The ambitious scope of the novel mirrors the monumental challenge at its core—the summit of Mount Everest by two brothers—providing a backdrop for a tale of survival and guilt, choices and their repercussions, forgiveness and recovery.

The novel’s central character is Dixon, a former Olympic-level runner who, having narrowly missed making the team, has since avoided letting himself be consumed by a singular goal. Now a school psychologist, Dixon becomes involved in a tricky bullying case. Dixon feels personally connected as he is fond of the victim, Marcus, a boy who truly looks up to him. Dixon attempts to set aside his own anger towards Shiloh, the bully, and intervenes, but his efforts backfire, leading to an escalation of the bullying. Feeling increasingly on edge, Dixon finds himself yielding to Nate, his charismatic older brother, when the latter proposes a daring endeavour - to ‘conquer’ Mount Everest and become the first Black American men to do so. This audacious feat sparks something in Dixon, who, for the first time in years, becomes wholly absorbed by something. Preceding Mount Everest, the two brothers have a lot of training to do, and Dixon soon finds himself being the one to push his brother Nate onwards. Despite the dissent from their loved ones, the two brothers travel to Mount Everest. Along the way, they encounter many other climbers and find themselves confronted by the strange hierarchies operating in the ‘climbing’ world. However prepared they feel, a string of disasters has tragic consequences for the brothers.

Much of the novel delves into the aftermath of the climb. Ravaged by Mount Everest, Dixon is guilt-ridden and grief-stricken. His decision to return to work proves to be a terrible idea, resulting in him finally losing control at Shiloh. Things take a turn for the worse, and now Dixon is even more tormented by how he handled the bullying case. The Dixon we encounter in these pages is barely holding on, with Mount Everest still looming over him.

Through Dixon’s journey, the novel explores the consequences of life-altering decisions. Not only does Dixon experience survivor’s guilt, but he also finds himself losing sight of the kind of person he was, is, and wants to be. Dixon undergoes a transformative odyssey, grappling with the haunting echoes of his past choices.

Despite the novel’s exploration of Dixon's internal and external struggles, the narrative doesn’t always deliver emotional depth. A more introspective narrative would have provided a more in-depth character analysis. The before and after timelines also don’t always gel well, with the bullying storylines sometimes feeling as if from a different book. It didn’t help that Dixon is a character lacking in ‘history,’ that is, we learn virtually nothing about his and Nate’s childhood, and throughout the narrative, I kept forgetting that Dixon is divorced and has a child. The ex-wife and his daughter have no impact whatsoever on his character or his story. Sure, sometimes this contributes to the characterization of a character, say, someone who is entirely self-involved and unreliable, with little interest in his family, etc. But Dixon is presented as someone who should care. The narrative establishes and critiques the dichotomy between the brothers, with Dixon playing the role of the reliable, ‘good’ brother, while Nate is the carefree, wildcard, ‘bad’ brother. Extended flashbacks into their childhood and young adulthood, and their relationship with the rest of their family would have made for a more nuanced portrayal of their bond. Nate serves the role of foil to Dixon, and because of this he never really comes into his own as a character. His behavior during the climb, particularly in the final stages, appears somewhat overdramatized. Sure, we can attribute some of his actions to their extenuating circumstances, but there are moments where his dialogue seems inconsistent and forced, designed more for dramatic effect.

Having greater insight into Dixon’s professional life before the climb would have added depth to his character. Following the physical and emotional traumas he experienced, it's understandable that maintaining professionalism becomes challenging, especially in the face of provocation from Shiloh. However, Dixon doesn't exhibit many of the traits and knowledge one might expect from someone who finds fulfillment as a school psychologist. While he questions Shiloh's actions, he fails to consider the possible underlying issues that have shaped Shiloh's behavior. It's only towards the end of the novel that he starts to ‘contextualize’ some aspects of Shiloh's personality. I did appreciate that the novel doesn’t merely go for a cause-and-effect approach when it comes to exploring abuse, violence, and trauma.
Still, a more thorough exploration of the bond between Dixon and Marcus would have contributed to Dixon's authenticity as a school psychologist. At times, it felt as if Dixon's role as a school psychologist was primarily a plot device to incorporate the Marcus/Shiloh storyline. Yet, it might have been more convincing for Dixon to be a teacher, considering his surprising lack of awareness regarding mental health throughout the novel. This adjustment would have aligned better with the portrayal of his character and the challenges he faces in understanding and addressing the complexities of his students' psychological issues.

The chapters transporting us back to Mount Everest were certainly immersive and succeeded in giving us a glimpse into the kind of people driven by ambition and hubris, leading them to court danger in pursuit of greatness. Sadly, these sections feature a female character who seems to have been included merely to underline the dynamic between the brothers (why she chooses to have a fling with Nate over Dixon). She is the type of one-dimensional female character I usually encounter in male-authored fiction, so I was disappointed to find her here….

Nevertheless, despite these criticisms, I found the novel engrossing. Dixon, Descending would make for a solid book club choice, as it certainly succeeds in challenging readers' notions of right and wrong, the extent of forgiveness, and whether renewal and hope are and should always be possible.5-so-so-reads cover-love he-is-not-feeling-good-at-all ...more23 s1 comment Steve998 166

Outstanding! I really enjoyed this!

Once I started, I found the book impossible to put down. The hook took hold quickly, the characters came to life, and the various storylines played out nicely.

And, well, if it's any indication, the book was released less than a week ago, and I was in the middle of another book when it arrived, but, well, you get the idea. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was wrong (who me, Pollyanna?), but I found the twists and turns as credible as I found them compelling.

Also, and this isn't relevant for most folks thinking about trying the book - but, trust me, you should read it, it's very well done , but ... it's not every day that someone you know (even if you don't know them well) publishes a book (OK, OK, I live and work in a weird and privileged world where a lot more of my colleagues and friends and former classmates have published books than most, but ... but ... still), but I was particularly intrigued by this because, on the one hand, I didn't realize until quite recently that the author was, well, an author, ... and the topic (... the climbing, not just the running, although running is another of my favorite reading topics) is one that's long fascinated me (and I can't say I'm stunned by the passage in the Acknowledgements that points to the same historical (and familiar) reference and plenty of overlapping non-fiction reading). And it was particularly frustrating to have been out of town for the author's reading at DC's iconic Politics and Prose. Still having pre-ordered the book, I thought I might take a quick peek, and, well, as indicated above, that was that.

I'll leave the topic of race to others. Obviously, race animates almost every aspect of the book, and I thought it was handled effectively, extremely well. But I also expect, nay, assume, that the there's no way around the fact that the book will speak to many readers very differently depending upon what they bring to the table, their perspective, their lived experience, etc. But isn't that true with pretty much everything we read?

It'll come as no surprise to any of my Goodreads friends or that I'm a sucker for a good ending, and I think the author got this one just about right. Sure I experienced plenty of eye-dabbing and reaching for the tissues, but I appreciated that the author didn't try to do too much at the end, instead, tying up enough of the loose ends without obsessing over a shiny bow or a fireworks display. Particularly given how much I enjoyed the reading experience, I found the conclusion fully satisfactory and true to or in keeping with the overall work. Chapeau!

It's a splendid book, I hope it sells lots of copies, and, looking down the road, I can't wait to see what the author does next.sports12 s1 comment Tina315 608

Wow- I am blown away! I came because I d the plot (two brothers set off the be the first Black men to summit Everest), but stayed for the writing and the depth. What a fantastic debut! 12 s Shannon5,559 311

I had high hopes for this debut about two Black brothers who decide to climb Everest. The plot sounded different and interesting but I wasn't a huge fan of the pacing or the way the story jumped back and forth in time. Most of the novel deals with how Dixon recovers from his Everest expedition and the tragedy that happened on the mountain. Without giving too much away, things do not go as planned. Okay on audio and recommended for fans of books Into thin air by Jon Krakauer. bipoc-books debuts disability-books ...more6 s Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page)608 1,044

4.5 stars. A great read. 6 s Renée | apuzzledbooklover466

I think this story would’ve possibly worked better for me on audio. I struggled to get through it honestly. The premise is very interesting. Two brothers, black Americans decide to summit Mt. Everest. The story interweaves timelines, of the climb, before and after. There’s a lot more to the story but I just did not connect with it in the way I had hoped.bookstagram library5 s1 comment Michelle673 680

4.0

This is a very challenging book for me to review because it wasn't what I expected and that I appreciate, but I felt it was trying to cover a lot of things all at once. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so, but I guess I need to sit with my thoughts on this a little more.

I mentioned that it wasn't what I was expecting and that was because I thought it would go into Dixon's failure at making the Olympics, how that shaped his turn to climb Everest and his journey of trying to accomplish that. What I read was way more than that and I thought it was an incredible way of exploring someone's character and how a turning point in life can change you for good and bad. I think the book might have been more effective if it was told in a more linear fashion? (This is all personal opinion, it is getting very high so this probably hasn't bothered anyone else, but I think I lost some of the strength of Dixon's journey with the interruptions in time.)

I greatly appreciated the exploration of Dixon's change and then how he became a reluctant supporter of a troubled young Black man who seems determined to punish himself by refusing to take help. The arc of that relationship was my favorite part of the book and I could have read much more of that.

All in all, a good debut. I listened to the audio, which I received for free thanks to @prhaudio. Thank you also to Dutton Books for the gifted print copy. This releases today, 2/6/24.audiobook direct-from-publisher feb-2024-reads ...more5 s Carla950 115

I went in blind on this one. I assumed it would be about climing Mount Everest - and it was, but there was a whole lot more going on in this one.

To be clear from the beginning, I preferred the time spent on the moutain. I wanted to know about the physicality demanded from the mountian, the mental preparation, and the niche things a general person doesn't know. If I had to estimate, only about 25% of this story touches on those elements, so in that regard, it was a little disappointing.

What I wasn't expecting was the emotional component and backstory about our main character, Dixon. There is a lot of anger, guilt, and grief he must grapple with, and honestly, that feels the real heart of the story. I d Dixon very much and felt so much of his pain and guilt.

Having known this wasn't just a mountain climbing adventrure, I might not have been set up for disppointment due to my own expectations. Both sides of this story are good and kept me engaged, so the disappointment was short-lived. (Honestly, 'disappointment' is probably the wrong word...just different expectations of what I was getting into...it was just a little jarring to expect an adventure story that really is much different than that.) Once I got around that, I sunk into Dixon's story and really enjoyed the reading experience.

Outen is a phenomenal writer and I happened to stumble across a podcast she did (Thoughts from a Page) and it really added to my experience of reading her book. I always love to hear the backstory of a book and Outen was really delightful.

I will also say that I have returned to this mountain, Dixon, and his brother a lot in the week since I've finished reading it. It has staying power and has even piqued my interest to try to find more of the adventure stories I was seeking when I picked it up. 20244 s Claire Whitehead 9

This book was an incredible but heartbreaking story. I think my heart rate went up to 150 while I was reading it, but I could never put it down. I loved how it alternated sections in the book from their journey of climbing Mt. Everest and then the aftermath of their lives back home afterwords. 3 s1 comment Melodi | booksandchicks 816 64

Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted ALC of this book.

A book that really tells the story of what a person can do for another in this life. Dixon has a major life experience hiking Mount Everest and he takes what he learned from that experience and incorporates it into his life within the school system the impact is large.

This gives great food for thought with giving us a feel of "the moral of this story is". My one complaint was I found myself checking out at times. The pacing felt off, there were certain plot points I was more interested in than others.2 s Lex LindsayAuthor 7 books8

Lucked into an ARC of this, and I'm finishing just past it actually being released. I have to say I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

I'm lucky to have read Into Thin Air pretty recently, which further contextualized this novel for me. That said, it wasn't necessary to have any context at all. Because Karen Outen can tell a story.

Spoilers incoming.

There are so many things that stood out to me in Dixon, Descending. It's so interesting to have Dixon and Shiloh set up as these mirrors of one another when on the surface they're so very different. You don't realize for a long time that it's what they are. One man whose moral compass seemingly always points North. One boy who seems determined to kick his moral compass into pieces. And yet...

In particular, I'm left thinking about the comments on the articles about Nate's death, held up against Dixon's initial mindset about Shiloh, about society's mindset about Shiloh. Such different situations, but all condemnation, all based in our society's tendency to favor the punitive over the restorative. In Dixon, Descending, we really see the scope of that in all its forms, from the nasty comments about how a man deserved to die to the view of a young boy as irredeemable, beyond saving.

Against all of that, we have this background of grief and recovery and what both of those things mean for different people. In Dixon in particular, this grief is handled unflinchingly and with so much nuance. By the end, we're given a true image of someone who has gone through the worst of it and come out the other side. Scarred but still living.
equity-and-justice favorites own2 s Lillian Warner13 2

I couldn’t put down Dixon, Descending. From the first page, I was totally absorbed in everything—first, the drama of the opening climbing scene—and then the complex, often fraught dynamics between Dixon and the men in his life: Nate, Marcus, Shiloh, and Herbert. The author’s exploration of brotherly bonds and what it means to be a “good person” moved me from start to finish. Dixon is on a hero’s journey, seeking his own redemption. The characters he meets on his journey are vibrant and three-dimensional. I especially loved scenes with Herbert and Lena.

Though the relationships in the book are what I connected with the most, the climbing scenes were out of this world! The writing was exhilarating and full of tension and detail (I feel I learned so much!). I could picture myself on Mount Everest, witnessing Dixon and Nate. I especially loved the description when Dixon summited; the image of being on the top of the world and being able to see the atmosphere stuck with me.

Loved this book and would recommend it to anyone!This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review2 s Julie Nelson131

Overall good, but not great.
I got sucked into the desire to climb Mt. Everest and then was struggling in part two when we jumped ahead to Dixon’s life after he got down from Everest. I wanted to hear the story of what happened!
Of course, we do, eventually.
Ultimately his story of what happened in his life off the mountain was the more interesting, so I understand why the author did it this way, but it still made the first part of the read less than enjoyable for me.2 s Martish409 2

Impressive debut novel. I was drawn to this as I personally know both a man and a woman who summited Everest and another who attempted it and have been curious about what motivates people to take on such a challenge. This book explores the themes of obsession, loyalty, guilt and grief - it’s very sad yet ultimately hopeful.2 s Laura (thenerdygnomelife)671 2

4.5 rounded up.
This novel was immersive and atmospheric — I felt I needed to put on a parka just to get through the Everest chapters! Karen Outen has crafted convincing characters that are well fleshed-out while delivering realistic emotional tension.

Dixon is talked into climbing Mt. Everest by his brother Nick. Together, they would be the first Black Americans to scale it. From page one, we're tossed directly into their arduous climb. At first attempt, this was a little sudden for me to take on with no character knowledge, and I set the book aside as a DNF. When I came back at a time when I was more ready for it, though, Dixon, Descending absolutely sucked me in.

This is not an easy read. Outen brings her narrative to life so well that there was one scene in particular that I found really difficult to get through emotionally. While that probably means this isn't a great choice for your next beach read, it also makes the journey you take through Dixon's emotions and recovery all that more convincing. 1 Shakila (BooksandThemes)604 25

I thought this was a unique one. Black men taking on climbing Mt Everest, I was sold! The descriptions of Dixon and his brother Nate taking on this big mountain was gripping. I was on the edge of my seat at times reading and listening to the challenges they faced on the mountain. The audiobook (narrated by none other than JD Jackson) was perfect for the suspense and emotions as we read about Dixon navigating the mountains and his everyday life.

This story was not only about the ambition and determination of completing this climb, it was also about the determination and passion Dixon had for the youth as a psychologist. He used his failures in the Olympics and changed his narrative to helping youth. I loved the passion he put in to get justice for Shiloh. We see how he did not let his once dreams leave him at a loss in life. He put that once Olympic energy into something else he was passionate about.

From this one I would take those words to describe Dixon and his story - determination, perseverance, resilience, and passion! This was a great debut novel!

Thank you Dutton Books for my ARC and Penguin Random House Audio for my complementary ALC. 4 s Gail (Neuroknitter)506 5 Read


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