3 Queer Book Recommendations for Pride Month
Books with phenomenal queer representation
In celebration of Pride month here are some books I have read this year that include incredible queer representation. These books are not just about suffering due to homophobia, but also discuss important social issues such as poverty, gentrification and immigration. I thoroughly enjoyed every single one of these books and hope you add them to your reading list.
Lot by Bryan Washington
Lot is an interconnected collection of stories that takes the reader into the lives of Houston’s marginalised citizens. The book centres around one particular family, but chapters about that family is interspersed with the tales of other people that are trying to survive in Houston. These characters live an impoverished are desperate life filled with uncertainty, violence and a sense of being stuck. Their situation is made worse by the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and gentrification that further displaces them. Each story also has a queer element ranging from a young man accepting his sexuality in an oppressive environment to a group of male sex workers that share a house.
I really enjoyed reading this collection. Washington painted a vivid image of Houston through each story. The prose was immersive and humorous, but also dark and tragic. I liked the shift in narrative from the story of the family to the story of other people in the neighbourhood. Also, there was just so much diversity in the book and I liked the cultural references. I enjoyed every single story in the collection.
“You bring yourself wherever you go. You are the one thing you can never run out of.”
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Evelyn Hugo is a Hollywood icon of the 1950s to 1980s and at the age of 79 she is finally ready to let people in on who she really is. She chooses an unknown reporter, Monique Grant, to write about her life and no one understands why. During their time together Evelyn Hugo reveals the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life, her seven husbands, and the people in her life that she truly loved. She has spent her entire life being two people and she now wants to be seen for who she truly is.
It was interesting to dive into the Hollywood of the 1950s to 80s. There was so much drama and scandal in Evelyn’s life and she was not the most likeable character, but you also start to feel bad for her because her life is quite miserable. Reading about her life just goes to show that things are not always as they seem and that choosing money and fame over people is the wrong choice.
In between her sessions with Evelyn, the reader also experiences Monique’s perspective. We learn about her life, but I felt like there wasn’t enough of Monique’s story for me to be interested in her. There is also this mystery of why Evelyn chose to give Monique her story, but I didn’t feel like it added to the story.
If you enjoy drama, scandals and life in old Hollywood I think you will enjoy the book. It’s very easy to read and deals with some important topics.
“After she died, I would cry only in the shower, where no one could see me or hear me, where I couldn’t tell what were my tears and what was the water.”
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to his illiterate mother where he recounts their family history from his grandmother and mother’s experiences living in Vietnam during the Vietnam War to their life as immigrants in the United States. He shares memories of his first love and basically tells his mother all the things he never could.
This book was so beautiful but sad. Very sad. The writing was raw and intimate. There were so many lines that gave me all the feels. Lines that you just have to sit with for a moment to really take in. The story is not plot-driven at all and there is no clear timeline. He just recounts memories, so this is something you might not enjoy too much, but I personally was not bothered by it. It made the book read almost like a stream of consciousness. This was such a great exploration of familial relationship, the immigrant experience, mental health, and sexuality.
“All this time I told myself we we’re born from war — but I was wrong. Ma. We were born from beauty. Let no one mistake us for the fruit of violence — but that violence, having passed through the fruit, failed to spoil it.”
Let’s continue to diversify our bookshelves.
