Books are an underrated and underutilized source of queer media, and sometimes it can be hard to come across them in bookstores, especially if you are a fan of books that do not focus simply on romance. But not all queer books are romance, with “Providence” by Craig Willse and “Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas falling into the psychological thriller and paranormal fantasy genres, respectively.
Queer media got a huge amount of love this past year, from “Plainclothes” to “Boots” and “Heated Rivalry.” Romance was the big theme behind these movies and shows, but there is a considerable lack of love for media that does not fall under the typical romcom or drama categories.
While they deserve the love, queer media is an expansive genre that includes much more than love.
The psychological thriller follows Mark Lausson, an English professor at an elite school in Ohio, who is quite introverted. Due to the isolated nature of the school, he is dissatisfied with his life, both personal and professional. This changes when the confident and mysterious sophomore Tyler Cunningham joins his class.
Captivated by Tyler’s charm and confidence, Mark finds himself being drawn into a passionate and reckless affair that leads him to question his sense of identity, desire and judgment. As the relationship continues, Mark ignores the red flags of Tyler’s past and his intentions.
The novel explores how loneliness, longing and desire can cloud one’s judgment and distort perceptions of right and wrong.
As the story progresses, Mark gets intertwined with Tyler’s chaos. Secrets become exposed and consequences that force him to confront the dark side of himself and the world around him in the small college town.
Identity, deception and self-perception are themes explored through elements of dark academia and thriller, creating a narrative about how far one may go for connection and meaning.
My Review
Despite a bit of a slow start, it picked up and piqued my interest. We knew exactly what was going on in Mark’s mind as it was written through his eyes.
Morally ambiguous characters always capture my attention more than a goody-two-shoes, and Mark was a great example of someone who really has to think about what is right versus wrong.
With that, he’s also an unreliable narrator. We only know what he thinks and nothing about what Tyler knows or wants.
Tyler never really feels like a fully-fledged person; we never get his perspective, and as we uncover more of his past, his character reflects more of a projection of Mark’s desires. Mark’s obsession with Tyler clouds his judgment in such a way that you would only see with someone who is fatuated by the idea of someone rather than the person themself.
The twist genuinely shocked me, so much so that I immediately texted my friend at nearly 11 p.m. about it having a shocking twist. It took a while to get there; the slow-burning effect was a real challenge at times.
It had me questioning when the thriller aspect was going to come in. The psychological stuff came into play early on, as we could see how Tyler’s actions were confounding and weighing on Mark, but where was the twist?
Then it came, and I was captivated. I ended up finishing the book in the rest of that sitting.
For fans of thrillers and not knowing what will happen next, “Providence” is a great example of what happens when you ignore warning signs and the predicaments that come with ignorance. When you are in love– or infatuated – with someone, the lines you will cross, the morals you bend and the bridges you will burn are depicted well in this novel.
Blending magic, identity, family and romance, the story follows an adventurous but touching story of Yadriel on a quest to prove himself with complications along the way.
Yadriel, the protagonist, is a gay, transgender Latino teenager who comes from a long line of powerful brujx– magic practitioners who can interact with spirits. With a family that refuses to accept him as a man, he is prevented from being accepted as a true brujo, as they won’t let him do the rite of passage to gain his powers.
Determined to prove himself and his family’s respect, Yadriel performs a forbidden ritual to Lady Death with the help of his best friend and cousin, Maritza. Intending to summon the ghost of his murdered cousin Miguel earlier that night to release him to the afterlife, the wrong spirit wakes.
He accidentally summons the spirit of his recently deceased classmate Julian Diaz, who won’t cross into the afterlife willingly. Clouded with confusion and unwillingness to let go, Julian is determined to settle his unfinished business.
Working together to uncover the truth behind Julian’s death– while also trying to figure out what happened to Miguel– they grow closer and form a deep bond that leads to Yadriel questioning what it truly means to let go. Along their journey together, the story explores themes of self-acceptance, cultural tradition, love and belonging in an extensive supernatural universe influenced by Latinx culture and folklore.
My Review
This adventure was really fun and kept my attention throughout the book. I could not put it down once I started reading.
Yadriel and Julian were both incredibly well-written characters. Complete opposites of each other, while also being relatable in their own respective ways.
Yadriel was not reduced to his gender identity. He had much more to him than just being trans, from struggles with cultural traditions to anxiety.
He was not portrayed as weak, but he was not strong either; he felt like someone you would meet in real life. His feelings, passion and determination made him such a well-rounded character
Furthermore, it was amazing to have a gay trans male lead of a story. Finding accurate trans representation in media can be incredibly difficult, and at times, it almost felt like it was the story of my life.
I absolutely loved Julian. While Yadriel was very similar to me, Julian’s sarcastic and energetic vibe was exactly what this story needed.
He was the embodiment of using comedy to cope with trauma. As we get to know his character more, it really shows that the boy everyone assumed him to be was not who he truly was. Despite that, he did not let his past define him, and regarding those he loves, he is the type of person you want at your side.
Their dynamic was more than just being your typical love interest. Julian pushed Yadriel to grow emotionally and challenged his assumptions.
It also showed the importance of familial bonds between Yadriel and Maritza. Love should be unconditional, like Martiza showed him, and nothing compares to having a best friend who sees you.
The magical and paranormal aspects created a vivid and lively world that was rich in culture from the Día de los Muertos celebrations around them. Thomas tied the magical elements into cultural traditions, making the story have solid roots.
For fans of supernatural mystery and coming-of-age stories, “Cemetery Boys” offers an enjoyable queer perspective on identity, culture, tradition and chosen family.
