In Prospero Returned, Anthony Donaldson, a seasoned English teacher in Toronto, begins a new school year still reeling from the death of his long-time partner, Clyde. Emotionally armoured and outwardly composed, Anthony expects routine-but that illusion begins to unravel when Brian Josephs, a sensitive and enigmatic new student, arrives in his class. What starts as mentorship quickly evolves into a deeper, more complicated bond, forcing Anthony to confront the blurred boundaries between care, memory, and desire.
Haunted by Clyde's presence-preserved in letters, photographs, and forgotten mementoes-Anthony finds himself questioning the very tenets of identity, love, and moral obligation. At the same time, his once-solid friendship with Principal Sonny Jarvis begins to falter under the strain of buried truths and shifting trust.
With wry humour, piercing reflection, and lyrical poignancy, Prospero Returned explores the uneasy terrain of grief, aging, and emotional vulnerability. It is a novel about the ghosts we carry, the illusions we outgrow, and the complicated grace of unexpected connection. As the past presses in and professional lines blur, Anthony must ask: can healing truly begin if we're still speaking in the language of what was?