Supersonic by Thomas Kohnstamm
A born-and-raised Seattleite, author Thomas Kohnstamm nails the Seattle ethos in his sprawling, funny and deeply human third novel, “Supersonic.” Shuttling between the late 1800s, the 1970s and 2014, “Supersonic” looks at the various inhabitants of a hillside community overlooking Seattle: the cynics, dreamers, schemers, strivers, bumblers, industrialists and idealists among them.
The most modern plotline follows Sami, a PTA powerhouse in white orthopedic tennis shoes. Sami is intent on getting the local elementary school renamed in honor of her grandmother, Masako Hasegawa, who led the music program there for decades. Then Sami finds out the dirt — the school is slated for closure. She’s contemplating cutting a deal with the devil, her self-centered sister-in-law, to pull some strings. Sami just needs a few more parents to step up the PTA’s fundraising efforts, and so far only Loose Bruce, a broken-down stoner ski bum turned stay-at-home dad, has risen, somewhat, to the occasion.
We get Masako’s backstory when, as a young mother, she lost her husband but survived incarceration at camps Harmony and Minidoka and, through sheer force of will, gained her education and a job at Stevenson Elementary. Determined to give her daughter Ruth a stable life, she sets high expectations for her only child, brooks no dissent, and is completely furious when Ruth takes up with Larry, a shambling, socially stunted airplane mechanic. Larry’s not white — Duwamish, actually — but to Masako he’s “aitsu” (“that guy”), or not good enough for her daughter. Larry’s had a crush on Ruth since middle school and is determined not to blow it when they reconnect years later. Yet at every turn, hapless Larry just can’t get it right.
We meet Larry’s ancestor, Siab, who witnessed the slaughter of dozens of family members at the hands of white settlers. Hardened and cynical, Siab ekes out a living as a potato farmer on his ancestral lands above the Duwamish River where he crosses paths with Erasmus, an East Coast con man. Nearly destitute, Erasmus reinvents himself during the Yukon Gold Rush and makes his fortune — but is never satisfied.
Kohnstamm renders each character vividly and connects each of their stories in a satisfying, logical way. His “regular folks versus corporate greed” storyline is reminiscent of some Carl Hiaasen novels — darkly comic and loaded with social commentary but not as over-the-top as Hiaasen or Hiaasen’s late colleague Dave Barry. In this, Kohnstamm stays true to his Seattle roots, smart and opinionated but slightly more low-key about it.
Kohnstamm credits Jonathan Evison as his mentor, and there are strong similarities between “Supersonic” and Evison’s best work: snappy dialogue, sad-sack men who just can’t seem to make good choices, humorous and surprising plot twists, and a good dose of hope and heart. Other Washington-based historical novels with irreverence and verve include Jim Lynch’s “Truth Like the Sun” and Evison’s “West of Here.” All are available at the Whatcom County Library System. Info: www.wcls.org.
Christine Perkins is executive director of the Whatcom County Library System, wcls.org.
(Originally published in Cascadia Daily News, Friday, June 20, 2025.)