Book Review: "Bury Your Gays" by Chuck Tingle

Please clap. I have read two books outside my comfort zone this week.

I am a gigantic coward, which is why I generally steer clear of horror as a genre. (I’m still scarred from a prank my college roommates played on me related to the book “IT.”) But when I saw a few friends raving about this book, I figured I’d give it a chance. The fact is, this was more creepy and disturbing than all-out frightening, so I may be ok.

Misha has been a horror screenwriter for years, always hoping he’ll hit it big. And he finally does, in the form of an Oscar nomination, even though he jokes that it’s in a category they don’t televise. But despite this success, the studio bosses want him to kill the gay characters in his long-time streaming series—or don’t make them fall in love. This should get them even bigger ratings.

The demand is clear: kill them or be in breach of his contract. Misha cares more about the characters, so he’s willing to sacrifice his career. But suddenly he realizes he and his friends are being stalked—by monsters he created onscreen. Can he survive this onslaught? He’s going to need to face up to some secrets first.

This was really compelling, both as a story and a commentary on queer representation in the media. It’s a great way to convey this message.

Many thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for the advance copy! The book publishes 7/9.

Book Review: "The Queer Bible" edited by Jack Guinness

The Queer Bible is such a terrific and inspiring concept!!

While this would have been perfect for Pride Month, I was still excited to get this book. It’s a collection of essays written by queer people about the queer people and cultural phenomena that inspired them, and each essay is illustrated by a queer or ally artist.

“The moment young people realize that they’re LGBTQIA they can instantly feel cut off from those around them. They feel separated from the very people they should feel closest to—their friends and families....This is the book I wish I’d read when I was growing up,” remarked Jack Guinness, the book’s editor, in his foreword.

This is such an enjoyable, rich resource. The essays are written about celebrities, actors, musicians, authors, and changemakers, as well as movies and television programs. I’ve heard of some but not all, and the authors of these essays are both familiar—Elton John and Gus Kenworthy, to name two—and people I had the chance to learn about as well.

I really found The Queer Bible fascinating. I mean, where can you read a book that talks about Adam Rippon, George Michael, James Baldwin, Pedro Almodóvar, Harvey Fierstein, Susan Sontag, Queer Eye, and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert? This is definitely one of those books where you can open it at any page and find something really interesting to read about. And you'll never find yourself bored, because you'll just keep discovering something new.

Thanks to Dey Street Books and William Morrow Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an unbiased review! This would make a really great gift.

Book Review: "The Mandevilles' Marvelous Marvels" by J.E. Miller

As the characters quickly learn in J.E. Miller's The Mandevilles' Marvelous Marvels, a job with a circus might not be all that it seems...

Janie has always been a bit of a vagabond, moving from place to place, doing odd jobs to make ends meet, and then moving on. When she meets Andrew she recognizes a kindred spirit, and after a while they start to make plans to travel city by city until they get to their ultimate destination—Fimaldi Hunu.

“Fimaldi Hunu was a huge place that had everything, the best of all worlds. It had city life, full of opportunity, ever changing and progressing.”

While on a train, Janie meets a man who is traveling to audition for a circus, The Mandevilles’ Marvelous Marvels. Apparently this show is quite renowned in the circus world, both for its spectacle and its mysterious owners. When Janie and Andrew hear that the circus travels all over the place, they decide to audition—he as a drummer with a gimmick, she as an aerialist.

After some good auditions (and with a little outside help), they land spots in the circus. They’re quickly taken in by the spectacle of it all and the camaraderie of their fellow performers, but there’s already things that make them—or at least Janie—feel uneasy. And when they stop in a strange city, the addition of a bizarre final act sets everyone on edge—and sets chaos in motion.

With, The Mandevilles' Marvelous Marvels, Miller has created a story that is part fantasy and part mystery. Her descriptions are so vivid and so fascinating that this is one story begging for a tv/movie adaptation. There are so many characters I can't wait to learn more about. And this is just the first part of a series—she definitely leaves you hanging and waiting for part 2!!

Thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!! She’s got me hooked!!

Book Review: "Interior Chinatown" by Charles Yu

Charles Yu's National Book Award-winning Interior Chinatown is funny, sharply satirical, thought-provoking, and uniquely told.

Willis Wu doesn’t feel like his life makes much of an impact: he tends to think of himself as “Generic Asian Man.” As an actor, he has played roles as diverse as Disgraced Son, Delivery Guy, Silent Henchman, and Guy Who Runs In and Gets Kicked in the Face. But he dreams of reaching what he sees the pinnacle of success for Asian actors—becoming Kung Fu Guy.

He and his parents live a fairly unremarkable existence in small one-room apartments in Chinatown. Their building is above the Golden Palace restaurant, the hub of the community, where a police procedural called Black and White is in constant production. Willis and his parents and most of the community tend to drift in and out of the series, playing interchangeable parts and hoping their big break might someday come.

As Willis’ star appears to be rising, his consciousness about his role in the world grows. His family history is revealed and illustrates the challenges that Asians have faced since immigrating to America and other places in the world. Suddenly he begins to wonder if what he has dreamed of for so long—becoming Kung Fu Guy—is what he really wants. Is there more?

This is a fascinating, slightly trippy book at times. It’s really funny, as it skewers pop culture and the entertainment world’s treatment of Asians, but it’s also tremendously insightful and sensitive.

At times the book is written as a screenplay, at other times it's more narrative in structure. I’ll admit that there were parts I wasn’t sure were actually happening or if they were in Willis’ mind. But I couldn’t put Interior Chinatown down, and I can totally understand why it won the National Book Award.

Truly a book I’ll remember.