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sskatierickard's review
5.0
This book is so beautiful, I completely devoured it and my heart is bursting
isabelbrieler's review against another edition
5.0
you know... I generally say that books in verse like this just "aren't my thing" but this was absolutely stunning
readingtempeh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
jjhina's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
“Don’t.
Don’t come out unless you want to. Don’t come out for anyone else’s sake. Don’t come out because you think society expects you to.
Come out for yourself.
Come out to yourself.
Shout, sing it.
Softly stutter.
Correct those who say they knew before you did.
That’s not how sexuality works, it’s yours to define.”
This is a YA novel-in-verse about Michael, a half Jamaican, half Greek-Cyprian young man growing up in the UK, going to college, and amidst trying to join clubs like the Greek Society and the LGBTQIA+ Club, he still feels like he doesn't quite fit in. He finally joins the Drag Club and begins to come into himself.
I loved following Michael's journey, as he named his feelings, had curious conversations with friends, and figured shit out for himself. It was vulnerable, confusing, and ultimately, hopeful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicide, and Lesbophobia
booksandbargains's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn’t getting into this for the first maybe third which is why it’s not a five star but once it got going I felt it
booksrlush_'s review against another edition
5.0
I intended on picking up The Black flamingo because I wasn’t that tired and still in the mood to read before bed. I haven’t been able to put this book down. I feel like I’m seeing into Mikes soul. Every character and interaction is well written, the narrative makes you question along with Mike, it makes you stand up and root for him.
We follow Michael as he loves for the first time.
As he confuses attention and love.
As he deals with vitriol and hatred.
As he gets continually shamed for being him.
As he struggles with his mixed race identity and not being either white enough or black enough.
As he finally finds himself through drag performance.
I Wanna Be Fierce
I’ve been friendly.
I’ve been frightened.
I’ve been fake.
But I’ve never been fierce.
I’ve been frustrated.
I’ve been forgotten.
I’ve been forgiving.
But I’ve never been fierce.
I wanna be fabulous.
I wanna be flamboyant.
I wanna flaunt what I’ve got.
I want to be fierce.
Absolutely amazing, insightful, honest raw and passionate. A must read with all the feels. Trust me you’ll want to pick this up and get to know Mike and walk with him through his life. Beautiful prose, glittery language and everything I wanted it to be!
We follow Michael as he loves for the first time.
As he confuses attention and love.
As he deals with vitriol and hatred.
As he gets continually shamed for being him.
As he struggles with his mixed race identity and not being either white enough or black enough.
As he finally finds himself through drag performance.
I Wanna Be Fierce
I’ve been friendly.
I’ve been frightened.
I’ve been fake.
But I’ve never been fierce.
I’ve been frustrated.
I’ve been forgotten.
I’ve been forgiving.
But I’ve never been fierce.
I wanna be fabulous.
I wanna be flamboyant.
I wanna flaunt what I’ve got.
I want to be fierce.
Absolutely amazing, insightful, honest raw and passionate. A must read with all the feels. Trust me you’ll want to pick this up and get to know Mike and walk with him through his life. Beautiful prose, glittery language and everything I wanted it to be!
ihateprozac's review against another edition
5.0
THIS IS PERFECT IN LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE WAY.
What a beautiful fucking love letter to black queer kids and drag artists everywhere!!!
I’m mixed but not black, so I can’t speak to the black queer experience. Nonetheless, elements of Michael’s family dynamic and that discussion around “half-ness” really resonated with me. This book perfectly navigates that sense of otherness and lack of cultural/social capital you feel as a mixed kid when you visit the motherland and see your family (for me it’s Samoa, for Michael it’s Jamaica and Cyprus). This a feeling of “I’m not ____ enough ” and how navigating language and semantics can be so difficult but is so central to identity. I feel *so* seen.
This book is masterful in how it handles internalised homophobia, racism in the queer community, and navigating queer spaces. And these characters don’t always get it right the first time! We see these characters screw up, call each other out, apologise, grow, reconcile, and straight up drop a toxic person when it’s harmful to them. There’s so much wonderful difficult discourse here and it makes my heart so warm and fuzzy to see this on page in YA.
As I myself am a female performer who does clubkid/alternative drag, I appreciated THE FUCK out of the drag representation here! Drag represents a vehicle, identity, and outlet for Michael, and the author did such a beautiful job at explaining what drag can do for you - not just what it can do for the audience. Atta also does such a magnificent job showcasing the breadth and diversity of drag performers. It’s not just about presenting as strictly male or female, you don’t have to cinch, dance, pad, pack, lip sync, or do anything to your facial hair. Drag is so much more than what RuPaul’s platform deems it to be, and seeing this on the page made my heart SOOOOOAAAARRRRRR.
Also I loved the mixed media format and the illustrations!
I feel like I need to write approximately 400 love letters to Dean Atta now. THIS IS ABSOLUTE PERFECTION and I wish I could inject it directly into my brain.
What a beautiful fucking love letter to black queer kids and drag artists everywhere!!!
I’m mixed but not black, so I can’t speak to the black queer experience. Nonetheless, elements of Michael’s family dynamic and that discussion around “half-ness” really resonated with me. This book perfectly navigates that sense of otherness and lack of cultural/social capital you feel as a mixed kid when you visit the motherland and see your family (for me it’s Samoa, for Michael it’s Jamaica and Cyprus). This a feeling of “I’m not ____ enough ” and how navigating language and semantics can be so difficult but is so central to identity. I feel *so* seen.
This book is masterful in how it handles internalised homophobia, racism in the queer community, and navigating queer spaces. And these characters don’t always get it right the first time! We see these characters screw up, call each other out, apologise, grow, reconcile, and straight up drop a toxic person when it’s harmful to them. There’s so much wonderful difficult discourse here and it makes my heart so warm and fuzzy to see this on page in YA.
As I myself am a female performer who does clubkid/alternative drag, I appreciated THE FUCK out of the drag representation here! Drag represents a vehicle, identity, and outlet for Michael, and the author did such a beautiful job at explaining what drag can do for you - not just what it can do for the audience. Atta also does such a magnificent job showcasing the breadth and diversity of drag performers. It’s not just about presenting as strictly male or female, you don’t have to cinch, dance, pad, pack, lip sync, or do anything to your facial hair. Drag is so much more than what RuPaul’s platform deems it to be, and seeing this on the page made my heart SOOOOOAAAARRRRRR.
Also I loved the mixed media format and the illustrations!
I feel like I need to write approximately 400 love letters to Dean Atta now. THIS IS ABSOLUTE PERFECTION and I wish I could inject it directly into my brain.