By Michelle Nathan
Starting the year off with a bang, I was so excited to receive an ARC of ‘PROUD – Stories, Poetry and Art on the theme of Pride’ on NetGalley, after hearing about it a few months ago, and it did not disappoint. This collection of short stories, poetry and artwork shares tales from a multitude of perspectives from those within the LGBTQ+ community, and it is stunning. From gay penguins, to a queer retelling of ‘Pride & Prejudice”, and even a sprinkle of Dungeons & Dragons, this anthology has a bit of everything. Sweet, funny, sometimes sad but always hopeful, I was left with that glorious warm glow in my stomach and smile on my face that only comes from reading something that genuinely lifts my spirits. Click below for the full review!
Highlights
Bite-sized – This anthology features ten short stories, book-ended by two glorious poems, with each one followed with a piece of related artwork. I love collections like these, because each story is short enough in length that you can enjoy the read in small chunks, without having to worry about forgetting character’s names after jumping around seven different perspectives over the course of 800 pages (I love a good SFF saga as much as the next person, but sometimes it’s just too much!) That being said, each story immediately sucks you into the characters’ worlds, and while the time you spend with each of them is brief, its deeply affecting and very well executed. Well written short stories are a hard thing to accomplish effectively, and these writers do so expertly!
Fantastical feats – While all the stories were wonderful, my favourite had to be the ones that included a little bit of magic (of course…!) Cynthia So’s The Phoenix’s Fault, which featured phoenix’s who chose their ‘person’ and stayed with them as lifelong pals (and occasional matchmakers) made me desperately crave a fantastical creature that I could hang out with on the regular, and worked as a beautiful parallel for the main character’s love story. The hint of magical realism in Moïra Fowley-Doyle’s Love Poems to the City was perfectly balanced and tied into the rest of the story so seamlessly I almost forgot that seeing literal signs from the universe in graffiti paint wasn’t something we all experienced (if only, right?!)
This is not a moment, it’s the movement – Juno Dawson’s introduction set up the overall and underlying message for this anthology in such a heartfelt way, I was almost in tears before I’d even really gotten started (very on brand for me, tbh.) She writes about how books such as these wouldn’t have been allowed to be stocked in public or school libraries when she was a teenager, due to prejudicial government legislation which stated that “[schools and libraries] shall not intentionally promote homosexuality”. This left young people such as Juno, who were dealing with questions about their sexuality and gender identity, feeling even more isolated and othered from their peers, which is both disheartening and potentially very dangerous. It warms my heart to know that now, only a few decades on, this incredible collection is being published to inspire young people and let them know that they are not alone in this world, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and the stories they have to share. I hope it is stocked in every library, public and within schools, across the country, as it should be, claiming the space it deserves, and being picked up and devoured by every single person who comes across it.
Wrap it Up & Rating
5 stars ***** – A bold and brilliant collection which I can’t recommend highly enough, and one which I hope receives all the success it rightfully deserves. It’s being released on the 7th of March, 2019 in the UK, so be sure to get a copy then!
Book Buds 