397 reviews for:

Dancer from the Dance

Andrew Holleran

3.82 AVERAGE

dbg_was_here's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Story

“But darling, gossip is the food of the gods.”

While Malone searches for the man of his dreams, he’s taken under the wing of Sutherland, a campy and witty queen who shows Malone the ins and outs of Manhattan’s queer nightlife.

From Fire Island to discos after hours, Malone’s journey will immerse all readers in the fast-paced gay scene of the 1970s until the sun rises and there’s nothing left to do but go home.

My Verdict

Come thru, mawmaw!!!

Elegant, provocative, atmospheric.

What I Loved

Every chapter breathes life into the gay experience of yesteryear that many folks try to recreate annually during Pride Month.
What this story lacks in a fast-paced plot it makes up for with dynamic characters.
“The vast majority of homosexuals are looking for a Superman to love and find it very difficult to love anyone merely human.”

What You’ll Love

Classic literature about post-Stonewall gay liberation in NYC before the arrival of the AIDS epidemic.
A timeless observation of young queers dancing through their tenure on the scene until their time is over.
Sutherland’s one-liners will have you starting a journal to revisit your favorite quotes on a rainy day.

This review has been repurposed from content first published on my Instagram, so it may be missing elements that would complete the presentation. To see more or follow other reviews, meet me on Instagram at @dbg.was.here.

roxy_boettcher's review against another edition

3.75

emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

markkwesi's review against another edition

5.0

Even more mesmerising the second time.

fulltimelogan's review against another edition

3.0

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

In 2024, while it is refreshing to have a queer narrative set in New York that doesn’t end with AIDS, there is nothing in this narrative that hasn’t already been told in television, film, and other media. Perhaps upon first receipt of this book, it was telling a narrative different from others, but there are only so many times I can tolerate hearing about white gays in New York before the turn of the century. As a result, it leaves this novel feeling trapped and dated.

windbreak's review against another edition

3.0

honestly it was hilarious and beautiful to begin with but then i just started to get really tired of it. it's not even quite a tragedy.

cameronpetrovich's review against another edition

2.5

challenging reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book felt like it wanted to tackle major themes facing (primary gay men) LGBTQ+ folks back in a time when the community wasn’t as visible, but it did so in as superficial as a way as possible without even alluding to why many queer men feel they have no deeper meaning to life.