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davidbythebay's review
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
As with Abid Khorram's Darius duology, this book has LGBTQ+ characters. Ans as in the Darius duology we get a Persian (Irani). But thats kind of where the similarities end. Well, one more is the fantastic writing style and tone of the piece, but subject matter ends with those two similarities.
Our main POV throughout the narrative chapters is a gay boy in a boy band, Hunter. We do get emails, texts, interviews, and other things from various people showing other perspectives. The main focus, however, is Hunter. Hunter is dealing with being a celebrity at only 17 years old. His every move is to maintain a particular image. Things go off the rails, on the rails, and all around the rails.
This is more adult in its content. There is talk of sex and there is a lot of more adult themes of becoming a beacon of good in the world. A bit of mental health discussion. But nothing like in the Darius duology, which I loved and read both last year.
Of great note is the FANTASTIC use of the LGBTQ+ spectrum! There is a nonbinary drag performer and activist who sort of briefly mentors Hunter. There is a young gay country music star. The spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations are present here, even in passing characters in the bands meet and greets with fans. And that is what brings a huge smile to my face.
Romance is not a big focus here. The focus is living your life authentically by your rules, not the rules of others. Hunter talks about how his record label dresses him to appeal to the public for ticket sales by "meeting their expectations" of what a gay person dresses like. Then when the scandal hits, they rework him to be that particular subsect of the gay community's stereotypical posterchild. Heck! The band is making a documentary and the filmmaker actually asks Hunter yo act more gay, and especially more feminine gay. It's these harmful microaggressions and stereotypes that persist. It was wonderful seeing them called out.
I loved this book. My one drawback is this: I wanted more. I don't mean simply that I could have continued in this story. Yes, I could. What I really mean is there were a few things introduced that just scream for more time. The nonbinary drag performer and activist, Masha Patriarki, is one of them. The story of Kaivan (the Irani gay boy from the tour's opening band) is another. The ending left me with questions. I'll leave it at that. I think this would do well with a sequel or a companion short story collection. I want to know about Hunter and Kaivan! This is all in the description. I just want more. And I want more of the other boys.
This cast was diverse. The boy band Kiss & Tell is 5 Canadian friends, each with different backgrounds. And Khorram treats race with the same reverence as gender identity and sexual orientation.
Because I was left a little with a "that's it?" Feeling at the end - and I do mean a little feeling of that - I can only give this a 4.5 stars. It is a fantastic novel. Abid Khorram's a favorite author of mine, to be sure. Each of the three novels I've read have just been handled so wonderfully and written beautifully. I absolutely recommend this to anyone, especially if you are seeking some LGBTQ+ content that includes some representation beyond the white gay/lesbian representation books often see. I will read everything Abid Khorram writes.
Our main POV throughout the narrative chapters is a gay boy in a boy band, Hunter. We do get emails, texts, interviews, and other things from various people showing other perspectives. The main focus, however, is Hunter. Hunter is dealing with being a celebrity at only 17 years old. His every move is to maintain a particular image. Things go off the rails, on the rails, and all around the rails.
This is more adult in its content. There is talk of sex and there is a lot of more adult themes of becoming a beacon of good in the world. A bit of mental health discussion. But nothing like in the Darius duology, which I loved and read both last year.
Of great note is the FANTASTIC use of the LGBTQ+ spectrum! There is a nonbinary drag performer and activist who sort of briefly mentors Hunter. There is a young gay country music star. The spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations are present here, even in passing characters in the bands meet and greets with fans. And that is what brings a huge smile to my face.
Romance is not a big focus here. The focus is living your life authentically by your rules, not the rules of others. Hunter talks about how his record label dresses him to appeal to the public for ticket sales by "meeting their expectations" of what a gay person dresses like. Then when the scandal hits, they rework him to be that particular subsect of the gay community's stereotypical posterchild. Heck! The band is making a documentary and the filmmaker actually asks Hunter yo act more gay, and especially more feminine gay. It's these harmful microaggressions and stereotypes that persist. It was wonderful seeing them called out.
I loved this book. My one drawback is this: I wanted more. I don't mean simply that I could have continued in this story. Yes, I could. What I really mean is there were a few things introduced that just scream for more time. The nonbinary drag performer and activist, Masha Patriarki, is one of them. The story of Kaivan (the Irani gay boy from the tour's opening band) is another. The ending left me with questions. I'll leave it at that. I think this would do well with a sequel or a companion short story collection. I want to know about Hunter and Kaivan! This is all in the description. I just want more. And I want more of the other boys.
This cast was diverse. The boy band Kiss & Tell is 5 Canadian friends, each with different backgrounds. And Khorram treats race with the same reverence as gender identity and sexual orientation.
Because I was left a little with a "that's it?" Feeling at the end - and I do mean a little feeling of that - I can only give this a 4.5 stars. It is a fantastic novel. Abid Khorram's a favorite author of mine, to be sure. Each of the three novels I've read have just been handled so wonderfully and written beautifully. I absolutely recommend this to anyone, especially if you are seeking some LGBTQ+ content that includes some representation beyond the white gay/lesbian representation books often see. I will read everything Abid Khorram writes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Vomit
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