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yarbroughac's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The form and structure mirror elements of the plot so well, and this marriage of form and narrative scratches a particular itch in my brain. It was an incredibly fun read, and for anyone who picks it up - keep an eye out for the paragraph that masterfully pulls off a “jump cut” in a way I have never experienced in print before, believe me, you will know what paragraph I am referring to when you get there.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, and Alcoholism
Minor: Body horror
grets_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Drug use, Alcoholism, and Blood
firstsiren's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Bored Gay Werewolf obviously jumped right off the shelf to me. Brian and his friends (Nik and Darby, how could I not name them?) are such loveable characters and I found myself growing quite defensive of them over the course of this bad boy.
I love that it doesn't take itself too seriously but also forces you to accept the off-kilter world that these people live in and take that seriously.
I would say that this book could benefit from a little bit of added length to tie up some loose story ends and better transition through some of the later pacing and theming but I'm hoping that a prospective sequel deals with that!
Final note: It was so nice just how gay Brian was, which sounds silly given the title of the novel but I really appreciated how his sexuality felt tangible and consequential to his situation.
I love that it doesn't take itself too seriously but also forces you to accept the off-kilter world that these people live in and take that seriously.
I would say that this book could benefit from a little bit of added length to tie up some loose story ends and better transition through some of the later pacing and theming but I'm hoping that a prospective sequel deals with that!
Final note: It was so nice just how gay Brian was, which sounds silly given the title of the novel but I really appreciated how his sexuality felt tangible and consequential to his situation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Moderate: Homophobia and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit and Fatphobia
readthesparrow's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
SUMMARY
Brian lives in a disaster apartment, sleeps on a floor mattress, and spends most of his wages on getting drunk. He’s also a werewolf. He has no idea how to handle any of this.
When his lycanthropy catches the attention of Tyler, a rich entrepreneur looking to create a werewolf wellness program, Brian is skeptical. As a gay man working double shifts as a waiter, Tyler’s weird masculine self-help startup bullshit is off-putting. But his weird schlock actually kind of helps: not only can Brian better handle his monthly transformations, but he’s also drinking less and working out more.
His co-workers and only friends Nik and Darby are worried about him, but Brian doesn’t buy it until he discovers exactly what Tyler actually wants, and soon he’s in a hell of a lot deeper water than he’d ever meant to swim in.
REVIEW
Be warned: there may be minor spoilers!
Writing
The prose is snappy and sharp, written with a dry, sarcastic wit. I normally don’t go for sarcastic narrative voices—I usually find them obnoxious and painfully unfunny—but Santorella’s prose gets its sarcasm on point. The jabs are often self-depricating yet relatable or are aimed at straight culture, toxic masculinity, and/or shitty customers, meaning they hit a deserving target.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing Brian and the rest of the cast to life. I usually shy away from reading audiobooks for the first experience with a story, since I sometimes struggle to pay attention, follow the plot, or figure out which character was which. However, not only was the prose and plot consistently engaging enough to keep my attention, but the narrator (Anthony Nyro) did such a fantastic job at bringing character’s voices to life that I was never confused as to who was speaking.
Characters
Look. Is Brian an awful person? Absolutely. He’s a trashfire who hooks up with married men and doesn’t get all that upset when he accidentally murders someone during his monthly wolf-outs.
Is he relatable? Oh, yeah. He may be a trashfire, but he’s a gay trashfire who works in the service industry and helps his friend Nik study during their shifts and defends his nonbinary femme coworker Darby from asshole customers.
His character is engaging, and the character development over time—especially as he is coming out of his brush with the manosphere—is an excellent exploration of the intersections between manhood, queerness, and community, both the good and the bad.
The side characters, too, are so well-written. Nik and Darby, Brian’s friends, are supportive and understanding. They’re not doormats, though: they both tell him off when he’s being a douche, and hold him accountable. Their reactions to Brian’s shift in personality is realistic.
So too is the representation both characters provide. Nik is a Filipina nursing student, while Darby is a non-binary performance artist. As a non-binary person who is always looking for well-written non-binary characters, I adored Darby, especially since they reminded me a bit of a friend of mine.
The only characters that are stereotyped are done so with intention. Tyler, for example, and the kinds of people he is friends with all fulfill a particular stereotype of rich, white, cishet people who have no clue what it’s like to live in the real world. Even so, they feel realistic.
For example, one cishet women, Sarah, latches onto Brian’s identity as a gay man, expecting him to act as her gay best friend then badgering him about whether he is a top or a bottom in a stereotypically, painfully straight woman manner that any gay will recognize. Brian’s angry outburst in response is satisfying, but also painful. Because he did not play along, Sarah is perceived as the victim by the rest of the group, and Brian’s self-help ‘friends’ do not stand up for him at all.
As a gay person who has experienced that same frustration regarding straight perception of gay culture and identity, this scene—and several others—were deeply relatable.
As a gay person who has experienced that same frustration regarding straight perception of gay culture and identity, this scene—and several others—were deeply relatable.
Thematics
In an age where self-help for men is inundated by personalities like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson, a novel like Bored Gay Werewolf, which explores how and why men are sucked into these schemes and what it does to their personality, self-image, and perception of manhood and the world, is vital.
It is especially vital due to the phenomenon of members of the queer community—particularly white members—joining alt-right or conservative movements. Bored Gay Werewolf bluntly exhibits that these movements will only ever use queer people. Joining that movement will offer no respect, protection, or understanding.
Bored Gay Werewolf not only explores how men are sucked in but also how they can get out, placing emphasis on a supportive, diverse community, openness, and emotional regulation. Genuine self improvement is possible, and that it’s not found in a self-help grift but in the people who already love and care for you.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While there were some aspects I wish had been explored more in-depth (such as Brian's relationship with his parents), I nevertheless count Bored Gay Werewolf as one of the best queer books I've read. I was already recommending this book to friends before I finished it. As someone who fits one of the three titular words (I’ll let you make an educated guess which one), I thought the jabs at straight culture, Silicon Valley types, and toxic masculinity were so spot on and absolutely satisfying.
If you want a book that is unabashedly, authentically, messily queer, Bored Gay Werewolf is for you.
Thank you to W.F. Howes Ltd for providing a digital audiobook ARC via Netgalley. If you are interested in Bored Gay Werewolf, it is available now! Find more information from the publishers. If possible, I suggest supporting an indie bookshop with your purchase.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Violence
Moderate: Classism and Drug use
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