Deep Fried

Americanized millennial Arjun Chatterjee is a food-truck chef working in a parking lot outside the nation’s capital. He dreams up multiethnic recipes and pursues a young woman toiling in a Kafkaesque office nearby. Building a clientele, he faces life with a sly optimism.  

One day he idly asks the sky: “Why am I here?” 

Deep Fried is a tragicomic love story wrapped in creative freedom. Its chefs, musicians, and entrepreneurs face a world of oversized dreams and shaky prospects.

They try, fail, and fail better. Will it be enough?

“Doyon proves himself a tremendous new literary voice… ‘Deep Fried’ makes manifest all that fiction should do—transport, enlighten, stir reflection, and bring communities closer through our shared human experiences.” ★★★★★ —The Bookish Elf

“Deep Fried feels like Our Town reimagined by Kurt Vonnegut on a nitrous buzz, a vital, shaggy, distinctly American tale of dreamers and strivers colliding in a courthouse parking lot. ‘Never let them change you. Never give up,’ advises one character’s mentor in this sprawling tale enlivened by Doyon’s vivid prose; it’s a message each of these characters takes to heart as they work to piece together the puzzles of their own lives. In the end Deep Fried strikes an affirming note: life is hard, full of capriciousness, bad luck, and bad actors, but inside its crunchy folds lies a sweetness powerful enough to sustain any who taste it.” –Jason Warburg, author of Believe in Me, Never Break the Chain, and Home Was a Dream

“A quirky, thoughtful meditation on creativity, purpose, and the American dream... Doyon blends humor with moments of profound introspection. This savory slice of contemporary American life will edify readers who have ever dared to follow their dreams or wondered, ‘Why am I here?’ [Editor’s Pick]” —BookLife Reviews

“Draped in humor and slice-of-life realism, Mark Doyon’s ambitious debut novel takes the reader on an invigorating journey, extolling the individual’s need to seek a better life and a better tomorrow. Arjun Chatterjee, a highly motivated and optimistic chef, is in search of the elusive American dream. ‘Sometimes he’s the eggroll, and sometimes he’s the oil,’ but what's really being dished up for him and his cohort of colorful characters is the ability to change and evolve while maintaining hope. Deep Fried raises vital questions about freedom, about how we define success, and the true cost of the pursuit of dreams.” –Richard Fulco, author of We Are All Together and There Is No End to This Slope

“With twists both humorous and heartbreaking, Deep Fried is a touching story about pursuing freedom in a world that wants to knock you down... Doyon keeps things fresh by rendering characters exquisitely—detailed backstories, alarming conflict, charming and just-weird-enough dialogue... Deep Fried feels like modern-day folklore—lively, odd, and full of familiar, old-world proverbs.” –Frankie Martinez, Independent Book Review

"Mark Doyon's Deep Fried opens with a deceptively mundane scene that sets a profound tone for the novel’s exploration of the mundane, absurd, and existential. The opening image of a penny baking in the asphalt—passed over, unnoticed, and forgotten—mirrors the deeper themes of the novel, reflecting the human tendency to overlook life's small moments, as well as the disillusionment that comes with being both seen and unseen. The penny’s inanimate musings on its fate serve as a brilliant metaphor for the novel’s exploration of individual significance and purpose… Readers who enjoy witty, character-driven novels with philosophical undertones will find Deep Fried captivating... Doyon delivers a story that’s not just about food trucks and office politics but about the universal search for meaning and belonging." —Demetria Head, A Look Inside

“Through the vibrant lens of food trucks, Doyon contrasts his characters’ dreams with their grueling realities, prompting readers to reflect on what it means to pursue happiness in a restrictive world... The food truck becomes a metaphor for life's possibilities. Doyon's gorgeous prose and thoughtful character development make this novel an enthralling read.” ★★★★★ —Yna Erdrich, The Book Commentary

“Deep Fried beckons: Give me your discouraged, your angry, your bitter, your gluttonous, your deluded, your blind and greedy. But most of all, give me your hopeful. And this hopefulness lingers with Doyon’s characters like a sweet aftertaste.” –Jerry Januszewski, author of An Apprenticeship in the School of Anxiety

“Doyon crafts a narrative that is both a love letter to creative freedom and a brilliant exploration of the trials and triumphs of the American dream.” –Heena R. Pardeshi, The Reading Bud

“Deep Fried has what I value most in fiction, but too rarely find: empathy, heart, and a deep understanding of the human condition. Doyon conveys the thoughts and emotions of a wide range of characters, from cooks to immigrants to musicians to troubled teens to pigeons. They are all brilliant and flawed and very much alive, and the reader finishes the book feeling grateful for the chance to get to know them.” —Peter McDade, author of Songs by Honeybird and The Weight of Sound

“Deep Fried by Mark Doyon offers a masterclass in what a well-done character-driven novel looks like, putting together a hodgepodge community of people who do not really know one another, viewed through the lens of the Washington DC food truck scene. Doyon shines with some incredibly astute observations and full character development, particularly in how he portrays their wildly diverse lives. Doyon’s writing has an intelligent wit to it as he mixes humor with some surprisingly heavy existential questions. Arjun is a supremely likable character, and his dreams for a successful future will be relatable to readers everywhere. Candy is a bit of a train wreck but it's just so darn bad that you want something better for her. Overall, this is a tasty addition to literary fiction dealing with a contrast of journeys in the nation's capital, making it an entertaining and memorable read with even more to offer than the deep-fried treats promised. Very highly recommended.” —Jamie Michele, Reader’s Favorite

“Doyon weaves deceptively ordinary lives and aspirations into a fine tapestry, with a wisdom that juxtaposes the simple and sublime in perfect proportion. Deep Fried is a modern American story, with all the attendant dissonance and humor that implies.” —Matthew Broyles, author of Rewired and Threnody

“Written with verve and originality, ‘Deep Fried’ is a hunger-inducing novel.” —Suzanne Kamata, Foreword Clarion Reviews

“This novel showcases people we might know or run into in our everyday lives... [It] encouraged me to think beyond what I know and explore other worlds and possibilities.” —Leslie Storey, Storeybook Reviews

“Witty and compelling… Doyon’s brilliantly observed culinary world is wrought in intoxicating splendor.” —The BookLife Prize