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schopenhauers_poodle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
An enjoyable work about queer longing from William Burrough's early years. Doomed romance, a nomadic expat life, sexual fluidity, and ayahuasca–it still feels contemporary.
I've been going through Burrough's works starting with "Junky," which I did not particularly like. "Queer" on the other hand, I found to be a poignant and engaging story of frustrated desire. Originally meant to be published together with "Junky," as a sort of juxtaposition of need (for a drug) and desire (for another, specifically, Lewis Marker), "Queer" stands on it's own. Where I found "Junky" flat, disjointed, and it's original shock value diminished significantly from time and more progressive attitudes, I found "Queer" vulnerable and emotionally brutal. And despite the introduction's claims, "Queer" has a straightforward narrative with a more developed plot and characters than "Junky." The background of Mexico City and expat life in all it's excesses and abuses was also excellent.
I have yet to see the movie but if you've never read Burroughs before, be forewarned that his protagonists are not likeable or of upstanding moral character; nor is that a prerequisite for good writing or even relatability to aspects of "Lee." (And skip the introduction if you don't want spoilers.)
Burroughs should have published this one and not waited decades.
I've been going through Burrough's works starting with "Junky," which I did not particularly like. "Queer" on the other hand, I found to be a poignant and engaging story of frustrated desire. Originally meant to be published together with "Junky," as a sort of juxtaposition of need (for a drug) and desire (for another, specifically, Lewis Marker), "Queer" stands on it's own. Where I found "Junky" flat, disjointed, and it's original shock value diminished significantly from time and more progressive attitudes, I found "Queer" vulnerable and emotionally brutal. And despite the introduction's claims, "Queer" has a straightforward narrative with a more developed plot and characters than "Junky." The background of Mexico City and expat life in all it's excesses and abuses was also excellent.
I have yet to see the movie but if you've never read Burroughs before, be forewarned that his protagonists are not likeable or of upstanding moral character; nor is that a prerequisite for good writing or even relatability to aspects of "Lee." (And skip the introduction if you don't want spoilers.)
Burroughs should have published this one and not waited decades.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Colonisation
emluss99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse
Moderate: Pedophilia
maestro_cerrotorcido's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-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
0.5
A friend gave me this book for my birthday. I think she maybe grabbed it at a thrift store and didn't really research much into it. I had never heard of William Burroughs nor the Beat Generation. I hated the author from the introduction where he uses a racial slur and would have DNF'd this book really early if it hadn't been a gift. And even though the book was written earlier (maybe the 50's?), the introduction is dated in 1985 when the book was published. The book is described as semi-autobiographical which makes me dislike Burroughs even more because to call every character in the book unlikable would be an understatement. Lee is horribly racist, misogynistic, and pedo-y. The reader is asked to take into account that he is going with withdrawal so his libido is coming back which doesn't sit well with me. I then researched more of Burroughs's life and found out that I not only dislike him more but he is a pretty famous and liked author which is baffling to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Alcohol
diamondsequallove25's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Lee is unreliable narrator but I just know he would love dark humor also the writing of William S is beautifully written and I can't wait to pick up another book of his.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
blackbookbitch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this! An incredible exploration of desire and queer identity influenced by Burroughs' own trouble with substances and his interest in the occult. I don't think I've seen anyone write about the ugliness of desire in such a way before and I felt it so deeply and understood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Racism
linaslzr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I like the introduction which provided more context for the story and also found the appendix interesting, learning about the author's relationship to the manuscript, not having read it for sp many years bc of how traumatic it was.
I found the prose simple but interesting enough. The writing was quite visceral and graphic at times, and really vague others. A bit of weird mix of straightforward narrative and disjointed monologues. I think it did a good job of portraying a really deep sadness, and I guess I did end up feeling some sympathy for him at times. It felt like he was projecteing his desperation, self-deprecation, and bitterness onto his view of the world, which also reflects societal norms, especially for the time that it was written. It felt incomplete which I guess make sense.
I found the prose simple but interesting enough. The writing was quite visceral and graphic at times, and really vague others. A bit of weird mix of straightforward narrative and disjointed monologues. I think it did a good job of portraying a really deep sadness, and I guess I did end up feeling some sympathy for him at times. It felt like he was projecteing his desperation, self-deprecation, and bitterness onto his view of the world, which also reflects societal norms, especially for the time that it was written. It felt incomplete which I guess make sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
sophiaiscoolxd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racism, Antisemitism, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment
campire's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Medical content, Trafficking, and Stalking
lucius_gooseman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
slow-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
4.0
“Pat's served excellent steaks. Lee liked the place because it was never crowded. At Pat's, he ordered a double dry martini. Allerton had rum and Coke. Lee began talking about telepathy.”
This book is really crushing. In the same vein of A Single Man, Burroughs’s Queer is an aching, longing portrayal of queerness in the wrong time and place. My heart goes out to Lee, who is a repugnant character, but also such a relatable figure. He and I have the same moves, btw (talk constantly) and the quote above just decimated me, I don’t know why. It’s the quiet moments in Queer that make it as enjoyable as it is, a man who’s lost his way looking for love and losing it just as he's lost everything else. Despite Lee's shortcomings, I really related to him and found the book endlessly readable because of it- his fight for love is bogged down by his unlovable tendencies and quirks, the community pushes him down, and he's literally addicted to intravenous drugs.
Queer is sadly, bogged down by several anecdotal monologues pertaining to nothing in particular, feeling more like a stand-up special for William S. Burroughs than a narrative novel. His writing style is particularly abrasive, cutting up the rather romantic and wistful prose with racial slurs and sexual dialogue. I'm not offended by it, but he actually has some nice writing here that's really trampled on. There is also a secondary plot much more akin to Jungle Cruise than anything remotely psychological or romantical, a search for Ayahuasca that takes precedence over everything Burroughs worked toward in terms of romance, longing, and character building. Thankfully, this inspired me to read his other books, soooo it was ultimately successful.
This book is really crushing. In the same vein of A Single Man, Burroughs’s Queer is an aching, longing portrayal of queerness in the wrong time and place. My heart goes out to Lee, who is a repugnant character, but also such a relatable figure. He and I have the same moves, btw (talk constantly) and the quote above just decimated me, I don’t know why. It’s the quiet moments in Queer that make it as enjoyable as it is, a man who’s lost his way looking for love and losing it just as he's lost everything else. Despite Lee's shortcomings, I really related to him and found the book endlessly readable because of it- his fight for love is bogged down by his unlovable tendencies and quirks, the community pushes him down, and he's literally addicted to intravenous drugs.
Queer is sadly, bogged down by several anecdotal monologues pertaining to nothing in particular, feeling more like a stand-up special for William S. Burroughs than a narrative novel. His writing style is particularly abrasive, cutting up the rather romantic and wistful prose with racial slurs and sexual dialogue. I'm not offended by it, but he actually has some nice writing here that's really trampled on. There is also a secondary plot much more akin to Jungle Cruise than anything remotely psychological or romantical, a search for Ayahuasca that takes precedence over everything Burroughs worked toward in terms of romance, longing, and character building. Thankfully, this inspired me to read his other books, soooo it was ultimately successful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Hmm. This is my first foray into Burroughs’s work and, admittedly, I only read it because of the film adaptation coming out soon. I found it to be a pretty divisive novel in relation to its own characters, with little to no resolution. Which I am quite conflicted about.
This is a novel about the complexity of enduring longing and, at the same time, the simplicity of raw lust.
However, some notes—
Queer is a vast commentary on the queer scene of 1950s Mexico City, with strong emphasis on the different “classes” of queerness. Vague expatriate Lee’s attention to subtlety when discussing it aloud to someone he’s interested in (Allerton) vs his physical desires perhaps is quite obvious. The younger, more handsome Allerton is very aloof, whether by design or creation, which frustrates Lee as much as it fuels his need to be around Allerton, to capture Allerton’s gaze. Lee is a lonely extrovert seeking refuge in various rendezvous when what he desperately needs—what he finds hard to comprehend in what he wants from Allerton—in all actuality, is someone who is consistent in his affections and everyday company and will do what he asks. Allerton, meanwhile, could take him or leave him, though Lee does provide him with a sort of strange companionship he never completely disregards.
The admittance of anything is avoided outright, emotions squandered under the masculine idealisms of the times. Lee represses parts of himself that Allerton would possibly see as weak, whereas Allerton suppresses parts of himself which Lee desires. They are constantly at odds with the other even when they are under some agreement, a rather daunting dynamic that’s never really fully formed.
Lee is judgy and needy but wants to appear as a very nonchalant traveler. Except he is a drug user intent on finding some sort-of unknown stability within the unstable of another country. I found his character to be very closed-minded and biased in spite of his apparent need for universal validation, and ultimately his sexuality.
Allerton, on the other hand, is hard to define. He goes along with ideas and plans until he doesn’t, his emotional intelligence waning more often than not; however, he does have some clear lines of limitations. Though they are not always consistent.
Lee definitely takes advantage of Allerton, but then again Allerton also takes advantage of Lee; just in different ways. If Lee really is a direct reflection of Burroughs, it says a lot about his assertive nature that often seems to blur the lines when it comes to defining consensual.
The writing drew me in easily and kept me reading at a quick pace, but the story left me with many questions and concerns, especially for the real life counterparts. I don’t know what to think about Burroughs and his alternate persona, but I am excited for Luca Gaudagnino’s take on it and for the movie to expand more on nearly every point.
TL; DR situationships are probably never the answer to any of life’s questions!!
This is a novel about the complexity of enduring longing and, at the same time, the simplicity of raw lust.
However, some notes—
Queer is a vast commentary on the queer scene of 1950s Mexico City, with strong emphasis on the different “classes” of queerness. Vague expatriate Lee’s attention to subtlety when discussing it aloud to someone he’s interested in (Allerton) vs his physical desires perhaps is quite obvious. The younger, more handsome Allerton is very aloof, whether by design or creation, which frustrates Lee as much as it fuels his need to be around Allerton, to capture Allerton’s gaze. Lee is a lonely extrovert seeking refuge in various rendezvous when what he desperately needs—what he finds hard to comprehend in what he wants from Allerton—in all actuality, is someone who is consistent in his affections and everyday company and will do what he asks. Allerton, meanwhile, could take him or leave him, though Lee does provide him with a sort of strange companionship he never completely disregards.
The admittance of anything is avoided outright, emotions squandered under the masculine idealisms of the times. Lee represses parts of himself that Allerton would possibly see as weak, whereas Allerton suppresses parts of himself which Lee desires. They are constantly at odds with the other even when they are under some agreement, a rather daunting dynamic that’s never really fully formed.
Lee is judgy and needy but wants to appear as a very nonchalant traveler. Except he is a drug user intent on finding some sort-of unknown stability within the unstable of another country. I found his character to be very closed-minded and biased in spite of his apparent need for universal validation, and ultimately his sexuality.
Allerton, on the other hand, is hard to define. He goes along with ideas and plans until he doesn’t, his emotional intelligence waning more often than not; however, he does have some clear lines of limitations. Though they are not always consistent.
Lee definitely takes advantage of Allerton, but then again Allerton also takes advantage of Lee; just in different ways. If Lee really is a direct reflection of Burroughs, it says a lot about his assertive nature that often seems to blur the lines when it comes to defining consensual.
The writing drew me in easily and kept me reading at a quick pace, but the story left me with many questions and concerns, especially for the real life counterparts. I don’t know what to think about Burroughs and his alternate persona, but I am excited for Luca Gaudagnino’s take on it and for the movie to expand more on nearly every point.
TL; DR situationships are probably never the answer to any of life’s questions!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail