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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
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
Really enjoyed this one! I liked the story, the characters, and the setting. Love the idea of queer witches and the way the author handled writing about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Quotes:
“"Beware the stranger and sinner, for their outlandish ways might transform you into the most glorious being known to the heavens. "
Quotes:
“"Beware the stranger and sinner, for their outlandish ways might transform you into the most glorious being known to the heavens. "
-Disco Witch Manifesto #14“
“"Oh, poo!" Howie waved his hand. "We're gay.
“"Oh, poo!" Howie waved his hand. "We're gay.
We'd redecorate the inside of a milk carton given the chance."”
“"Love is not the cause of happiness-it's a symptom of it."
“"Love is not the cause of happiness-it's a symptom of it."
-Disco Witch Manifesto #29”
“Vince, face it…Men suck.
“Vince, face it…Men suck.
Straight men, gay men. We all suck.”
“Feeling brave doesn't make you want to escape the world. Bravery makes you want to stay.”
“Feeling brave doesn't make you want to escape the world. Bravery makes you want to stay.”
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
A bestiary of magical people creating a heart-warming community that’s brave enough to weather the heartbreak of the AIDS epidemic.
I really enjoyed the element of community and quirky characters in this story.
The dialogue does feel simplistic at times, but I personally didn’t mind. The story has an important message and was heart warming to read.
I really enjoyed the element of community and quirky characters in this story.
The dialogue does feel simplistic at times, but I personally didn’t mind. The story has an important message and was heart warming to read.
It's the summer of 1989, and Joe is off to a gay retreat to forget an old lover and have the summer of his life.
A fun and heartwarming journey into the gay '80s. It simultaneously made me wish I was a gay man and feel so glad for the amount of research that has been done in 40 years for HIV/AIDS.
A fun and heartwarming journey into the gay '80s. It simultaneously made me wish I was a gay man and feel so glad for the amount of research that has been done in 40 years for HIV/AIDS.
Blair Fell’s The Disco Witches of Fire Island is a captivating and poignant novel set against the backdrop of Fire Island Pines in 1989. Joe Agabian, reeling from the loss of his boyfriend to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, arrives for his first summer on the island with his best friend Ronnie, hoping to make a little money, meet some hot men, and escape for the summer. Their plans take a mystical turn when they meet Howie and Lenny, two quirky house cleaners who are secretly members of a coven of queer witches. The witches have been trying to protect the island and its young men, but the devastation of the epidemic has left their powers weakened. As Joe navigates his grief, he finds solace in a blossoming romance with a mysterious ferryman, but soon discovers dark forces that threaten him and the community are at play.
What really stands out in this book is how Blair Fell weaves together personal experiences and historical events. The heavy themes, particularly surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic, are handled with incredible sensitivity while also being true to the struggles of that time. The author does an amazing job capturing the community spirit of activism, love, and resilience that defined the era, bringing these characters to life in a way that feels both magical and grounded in reality.
The metaphors throughout the novel are both poignant and timely, drawing parallels to our current political climate. How do we keep going when everything seems so uncertain? When everything around you feels like it’s falling apart, when you are losing friends to tragedy, can you still dance, still love, still live? And in the face of personal and collective loss, the answer that emerges is clear: Yes.
Despite the heavy themes of grief, loss, and the AIDS epidemic, this book is an exhilarating ride from start to finish! It captures the chaotic, life-affirming energy of a wild summer in your 20s and might make you want to turn on some disco and start dancing. The characters are all so lovable and likeable, making it easy to get swept up in their journey. The community that envelops Joe is heartwarming and helps him find the strength to move forward, even when he hits rock bottom. The fantastical elements were delightful and unpredictable, with the disco witches offering a fresh take on queer magical realism.
Hope, humor, romance and the heartfelt portrayal of grief made this a truly unforgettable read. My heart was lifted, shattered, and pieced back together again multiple times. I laughed, I cried, and I found myself wishing Howie would adopt me! As a New Yorker, I also really appreciated the accuracy of the characters' attitudes and dialogue, especially old school NY - Italian. Lenny.
The book also captures the vibrant queer party culture of the '80s, embracing its hedonism and heavy sexual themes without judgment or negativity, offering a celebration of freedom and self-expression. This story is certainly unconventional and has its moments of silliness, but if you embrace that, it will touch you in ways you never expected.
Thank you Blair Fell & Alcove Press / Edelweiss for the ARC!
What really stands out in this book is how Blair Fell weaves together personal experiences and historical events. The heavy themes, particularly surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic, are handled with incredible sensitivity while also being true to the struggles of that time. The author does an amazing job capturing the community spirit of activism, love, and resilience that defined the era, bringing these characters to life in a way that feels both magical and grounded in reality.
The metaphors throughout the novel are both poignant and timely, drawing parallels to our current political climate. How do we keep going when everything seems so uncertain? When everything around you feels like it’s falling apart, when you are losing friends to tragedy, can you still dance, still love, still live? And in the face of personal and collective loss, the answer that emerges is clear: Yes.
Despite the heavy themes of grief, loss, and the AIDS epidemic, this book is an exhilarating ride from start to finish! It captures the chaotic, life-affirming energy of a wild summer in your 20s and might make you want to turn on some disco and start dancing. The characters are all so lovable and likeable, making it easy to get swept up in their journey. The community that envelops Joe is heartwarming and helps him find the strength to move forward, even when he hits rock bottom. The fantastical elements were delightful and unpredictable, with the disco witches offering a fresh take on queer magical realism.
Hope, humor, romance and the heartfelt portrayal of grief made this a truly unforgettable read. My heart was lifted, shattered, and pieced back together again multiple times. I laughed, I cried, and I found myself wishing Howie would adopt me! As a New Yorker, I also really appreciated the accuracy of the characters' attitudes and dialogue, especially old school NY - Italian. Lenny.
The book also captures the vibrant queer party culture of the '80s, embracing its hedonism and heavy sexual themes without judgment or negativity, offering a celebration of freedom and self-expression. This story is certainly unconventional and has its moments of silliness, but if you embrace that, it will touch you in ways you never expected.
Thank you Blair Fell & Alcove Press / Edelweiss for the ARC!
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug use, Sexual content, Medical content
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sweet with enough salt to keep it from becoming overpowering. The best kind of contemporary fantasy (for a given value of contemporary--is historical fantasy more accurate?) where the world is just full of magic and still feels lived in. Gently strange and unapologetically direct about it. The saddest comedy and the goofiest tragedy I've found in a while.
What an incredibly special and unique book!
Knowing a lot of this book was informed by the author’s own life makes it even more special. A true love letter to the queer community.
I laughed and I cried.
Knowing a lot of this book was informed by the author’s own life makes it even more special. A true love letter to the queer community.
I laughed and I cried.
Took a sec to get into but love the characters and plot
I wanted to get into this book but I just…couldn’t. Would be willing to pick it up again at a later date!