A review by h_motionless
Queer by William S. Burroughs

adventurous dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Queer is shockingly risky for its time; it's crass, filthy, offensive, and of course, very queer. However, despite how filthy it is, it's somehow beautiful. It may not be politically correct, but its undoubtedly authentic. Burroughs masters verisimilitude in this novel, and even though not much happens, it still feels engaging. Overall, it feels like the plot of James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room, mixed with the style of Murakami's Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973, but if Charles Bukowski wrote the whole thing. It's marvellous.
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