LGBTQ Literature

From Christopher Isherwood's enduring 20th-century classic Goodbye to Berlin to contemporary titles like Janet Mock's Redefining Realness, the titles in this study guide collection explore a range of ideas, issues, genres, and forms that speak to the LGBTQ community.

The Rain God

by Arturo Islas

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Disability, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Language, Masculinity, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Death, The Past, Environment, Place, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Immigration, Religion & Spirituality

Tags LGBTQ+, Arts & Culture, Race & Racism

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The Rest of Us Just Live Here

by Patrick Ness

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Love, Family

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness, Religion & Spirituality

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, a novel by critically acclaimed young adult (YA) author Patrick Ness, tells the story of Mikey, a high school senior living in a fictional town in the state of Washington. The novel follows Mikey as graduation approaches and he navigates the anxieties and uncertainties of love, friendship, and the fear of leaving behind everything he’s grown up with. Ness, the author of the widely lauded Chaos Walking trilogy... Read The Rest of Us Just Live Here Summary

The Sand Child

by Tahar Ben Jelloun

Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Literature, Power & Greed

Tags Magical Realism, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Gender & Feminism, African Literature, African American Literature, French Literature, LGBTQ+, Classic Fiction

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fame

Tags Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, LGBTQ+

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) is a work of historical fiction by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel follows Monique, a journalist struggling to make a name for herself until she receives an offer to interview the mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo, about fame, scandal, and love. The novel is a study of human nature that explores The Cost of Fame, The Oversexualization and Commodification of Women’s Bodies, and the difficulty... Read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Summary

The Shards

by Bret Easton Ellis

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Hate & Anger, Coming of Age, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, The Past, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, LGBTQ+

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The Song of Achilles

by Madeline Miller

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, European History, Mythology, World History, Fantasy, Romance

The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary

The Starless Sea

by Erin Morgenstern

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, LGBTQ+

Erin Morgenstern, best-selling author of The Night Circus, published The Starless Sea in 2019. This work of magical realism interweaves separate stories with shared plots, themes, and characters. The book addresses ideas such as the concept of story, its meaning, and the nature of beginnings and endings, along with fate, free will, and what it means to become part of a narrative. This guide references the Knopf Doubleday first edition.Plot SummaryZachary Ezra Rawlins, an Emerging... Read The Starless Sea Summary

The Sun and the Star

by Rick Riordan, Mark Oshiro

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Grief, Memory, Love, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Plants, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, LGBTQ+, Depression & Suicide, Mental Illness, Grief & Death, Love & Sexuality, Psychology, Trauma & Abuse

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The Sunbearer Trials

by Aiden Thomas

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hope, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Animals, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Mythology

... Read The Sunbearer Trials Summary

The Sweetness of Water

by Nathan Harris

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Memory, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, The Past, Marriage, Daughters & Sons, Community, War, Safety & Danger, Plants

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Race & Racism, American Civil War, African American Literature, Grief & Death, US History, Love & Sexuality, Post-War Era, Military & War, World History

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The Tiger Flu

by Larissa Lai

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Femininity, Environment

Tags Science Fiction, LGBTQ+, Gender & Feminism, Health, Science & Nature, Chinese Literature, Fantasy

The Tiger Flu by Larissa Lai is a work of dystopian speculative fiction first published in 2018 by Arsenal Pulp Press, an independent publisher based in Vancouver, Canada. With its focus on futuristic technologies that merge and manipulate human biology, The Tiger Flu can be subclassified as a cyber/biopunk thriller. The book won the 2019 Lambda Literary Award, which recognizes and celebrates the best LGBTQ books of the year. A Chinese Canadian, lesbian writer, Larissa... Read The Tiger Flu Summary