Open Throat

Open Throat by Henry Hoke is a hauntingly original novel told from the perspective of a queer mountain lion living beneath the Hollywood sign. Blending poetic prose and raw introspection, the story captures the beast’s hunger—for food, for safety, for understanding—amid a chaotic human world. As the lion navigates wildfires, gentrification, and loneliness, Open Throat becomes a deeply affecting exploration of survival, identity, and the blurred line between the wild and the urban. A slim but powerful read that lingers long after the final page.