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A review by heresmika
Dragging Mason County by Curtis Campbell
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
<i> Thank you NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd for sending me this book for review consideration! All opinions are my own. </i>
in a small southern town, a group of queer teens comes together to make a drag show. peter, the main character, argues with someone and in the heat of the moment says hurtful things. unfortunately, it was all filmed and uploaded online, and peter’s reputation is in shambles. to support his best friend (a teen drag queen), impress the new guy in town, and mostly, fix his reputation, peter offers to produce Mason County’s debut Drag Extravaganza!
i really like the dialogue in this book! a lot of it feels like conversations that i would have with my friends. the characters are witty and funny, and they aren’t afraid of teasing each other. you could sense that peter and alan have been friends for a while just from the way they talk to each other.
at the beginning of the book, i liked how supportive alan and peter are for each other, they had a united front. peter may criticize alan to his face, but the moment someone else says something, he will defend him like alan did nothing wrong. however, because of a long miscommunication, it started to feel awkward at times. their friendship has a lot of ups and downs throughout the book, and you can’t help but love their silly actions.
the main character’s thought process is so interesting! he says a lot of out-of-pocket things and keeps hurting people, but it makes the book a lot more entertaining. as you see his backstory, you learn to love him despite his attitude.
i also really enjoyed the idea of the book. trying to make a name for yourself while still dealing with a town that doesn't like you is difficult, and i appreciated that the author used comedy to describe these moments that so many people can relate to. the characters were brave and loveable, and i was rooting for their cause. the book showed that people can change and grow and that it's okay to become someone else. it was very comforting to see change as good rather than something to be scared of.
however, i didn’t really like how people said peter wasn’t "gay enough" because he didn’t want to act feminine, and how his friends keep pushing him to do things he isn’t interested in. i also don’t like how people kept saying that he didn’t do enough or doesn’t care about the show. yes, he decided to produce it for selfish reasons, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t do something wonderful. no one else even attempted to make their town a safe space, so the fact that he even took the role means so much. it felt as though the other characters were too harsh towards peter, rather than offering advice.
despite the important storyline, interesting characters, and funny plot, i kept putting the book down. i’m not exactly sure why, but i had to take breaks from the book. i think peter was a bit dense at times which led to some difficult-to-read moments, and the drama from the beginning of the book kept dragging on rather than developing other plot lines.
overall, i enjoyed this fast-paced, fun book! you would love the characters and the over-the-top storyline.
in a small southern town, a group of queer teens comes together to make a drag show. peter, the main character, argues with someone and in the heat of the moment says hurtful things. unfortunately, it was all filmed and uploaded online, and peter’s reputation is in shambles. to support his best friend (a teen drag queen), impress the new guy in town, and mostly, fix his reputation, peter offers to produce Mason County’s debut Drag Extravaganza!
i really like the dialogue in this book! a lot of it feels like conversations that i would have with my friends. the characters are witty and funny, and they aren’t afraid of teasing each other. you could sense that peter and alan have been friends for a while just from the way they talk to each other.
at the beginning of the book, i liked how supportive alan and peter are for each other, they had a united front. peter may criticize alan to his face, but the moment someone else says something, he will defend him like alan did nothing wrong. however, because of a long miscommunication, it started to feel awkward at times. their friendship has a lot of ups and downs throughout the book, and you can’t help but love their silly actions.
the main character’s thought process is so interesting! he says a lot of out-of-pocket things and keeps hurting people, but it makes the book a lot more entertaining. as you see his backstory, you learn to love him despite his attitude.
i also really enjoyed the idea of the book. trying to make a name for yourself while still dealing with a town that doesn't like you is difficult, and i appreciated that the author used comedy to describe these moments that so many people can relate to. the characters were brave and loveable, and i was rooting for their cause. the book showed that people can change and grow and that it's okay to become someone else. it was very comforting to see change as good rather than something to be scared of.
however, i didn’t really like how people said peter wasn’t "gay enough" because he didn’t want to act feminine, and how his friends keep pushing him to do things he isn’t interested in. i also don’t like how people kept saying that he didn’t do enough or doesn’t care about the show. yes, he decided to produce it for selfish reasons, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t do something wonderful. no one else even attempted to make their town a safe space, so the fact that he even took the role means so much. it felt as though the other characters were too harsh towards peter, rather than offering advice.
despite the important storyline, interesting characters, and funny plot, i kept putting the book down. i’m not exactly sure why, but i had to take breaks from the book. i think peter was a bit dense at times which led to some difficult-to-read moments, and the drama from the beginning of the book kept dragging on rather than developing other plot lines.
overall, i enjoyed this fast-paced, fun book! you would love the characters and the over-the-top storyline.