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Fraternity: El círculo vicioso
A queer, dark academia YA about a mysterious boarding school, a brotherhood that must stay in the shadows, and an ancient evil that could tear it all apart.
In the fall of 1991, Zooey Orson transfers to the Blackfriars School for Boys hoping for a fresh start following a scandal at his last school. However, he quickly learns that he isn’t the only student keeping a secret. Before he knows it, he’s fallen in with a group of boys who all share the same secret, one which they can only express openly within the safety of the clandestine gatherings of the Vicious Circle––the covert club for gay students going back decades. But when the boys unwittingly happen upon the headmaster’s copy of an arcane occult text, they unleash an eldritch secret so terrible, it threatens to consume them all.
A queer paranormal story set during the still-raging AIDS crisis, Fraternity examines a time not so long ago when a secret brotherhood lurked in the shadows. What would Zooey and his friends do to protect their found family?
In the fall of 1991, Zooey Orson transfers to the Blackfriars School for Boys hoping for a fresh start following a scandal at his last school. However, he quickly learns that he isn’t the only student keeping a secret. Before he knows it, he’s fallen in with a group of boys who all share the same secret, one which they can only express openly within the safety of the clandestine gatherings of the Vicious Circle––the covert club for gay students going back decades. But when the boys unwittingly happen upon the headmaster’s copy of an arcane occult text, they unleash an eldritch secret so terrible, it threatens to consume them all.
A queer paranormal story set during the still-raging AIDS crisis, Fraternity examines a time not so long ago when a secret brotherhood lurked in the shadows. What would Zooey and his friends do to protect their found family?
416 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2022
75 people are currently reading
7527 people want to read
About the author
Andy Mientus
4 books96 followersAndy Mientus is an actor, musician and writer best known for starring in the Broadway musicals Spring Awakening, Les Miserables, and Wicked, and on television in the NBC musical drama “Smash” and as Hartley Rathaway aka The Pied Piper in the hit CW series “The Flash”. Andy co-wrote the new musical Burn All Night which had its world premiere at Oberon/American Repertory Theater at Harvard University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 516 reviews
May 18, 2022
A queer dark academia YA set in the early nineties. An all-boys boarding school. A secret gay club called the Vicious Circle.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this story has multiple POVs, something the blurb doesn’t tell us.
The first is Zooey’s, a transfer student who wants to be as invisible as possible. A rich boy, but also someone who lost his mom recently and has secrets from the past.
The second is Daniel’s, a Black boy who leads a double life. He’s a jock and has homophobic and racist friends. But Daniel is also a boy secretly in love with another boy.
And last but not least Leo’s, the extravagant, feminine, and artsy red-head, an heir from the founders of Blackfriars, who actually grew up on a trailer park. The only one fully embracing his queerness.
I had to warm up to this story because the writing is different from many other young adult stories, and Fraternity is told as a retrospective. Furthermore, the use of words is rather old-fashioned and formal, including a lot of inner thoughts between brackets. But after I got used to the writing style, I started to love it because it’s also self-reflective, sarcastic, lush, and refreshing.
At first, the story didn’t feel as dark as I had expected. More like a queer contemporary with the usual topics. But when witchy elements were introduced, the story suddenly shot into second, third, fourth gear, and wham! This is what can happen when you’re done with the bullying, the abuse, the homophobia and decide to take matters into your own hands. My stomach churned, and a discomforting feeling settled in my chest. I wanted to know so badly if the boys would be alright. So, I read on and on. Don’t let the quieter first part fool you, and be prepared for a harrowing second part.
Oh, Andy, I loved Zooey’s thoughts about being closeted and double doors, and I’m looking forward to what you are writing next. I secretly hope it will be a contemporary YA.
I received an ARC from Amulet Books (Abrams) and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this story has multiple POVs, something the blurb doesn’t tell us.
The first is Zooey’s, a transfer student who wants to be as invisible as possible. A rich boy, but also someone who lost his mom recently and has secrets from the past.
The second is Daniel’s, a Black boy who leads a double life. He’s a jock and has homophobic and racist friends. But Daniel is also a boy secretly in love with another boy.
And last but not least Leo’s, the extravagant, feminine, and artsy red-head, an heir from the founders of Blackfriars, who actually grew up on a trailer park. The only one fully embracing his queerness.
I had to warm up to this story because the writing is different from many other young adult stories, and Fraternity is told as a retrospective. Furthermore, the use of words is rather old-fashioned and formal, including a lot of inner thoughts between brackets. But after I got used to the writing style, I started to love it because it’s also self-reflective, sarcastic, lush, and refreshing.
At first, the story didn’t feel as dark as I had expected. More like a queer contemporary with the usual topics. But when witchy elements were introduced, the story suddenly shot into second, third, fourth gear, and wham! This is what can happen when you’re done with the bullying, the abuse, the homophobia and decide to take matters into your own hands. My stomach churned, and a discomforting feeling settled in my chest. I wanted to know so badly if the boys would be alright. So, I read on and on. Don’t let the quieter first part fool you, and be prepared for a harrowing second part.
Oh, Andy, I loved Zooey’s thoughts about being closeted and double doors, and I’m looking forward to what you are writing next. I secretly hope it will be a contemporary YA.
I received an ARC from Amulet Books (Abrams) and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram
January 20, 2024
Este libro me divirtió, conmovió y enseñó. Una buena historia queer con componentes de misterio sobrenatural y una estética dark academia on point. El final fue algo apurado, pero cerró la historia satisfactoriamente.
November 10, 2022
i'm only reading queer books from now on. straight stories don't interact, you suck.
i don't actually have much to say but i enjoyed my time with this book. i liked the characters and i listened to the audiobook while reading and all the narrators did a fantastic job and also there were musical interludes so what more can you want
i am though quite bewildered to see people shitting on the writing style in this book which was ...good? i have read some shitty writing before and this 100% wasn't part of that so i am very confused about the harsh words but whatever, not my circus not my monkeys.
i don't actually have much to say but i enjoyed my time with this book. i liked the characters and i listened to the audiobook while reading and all the narrators did a fantastic job and also there were musical interludes so what more can you want
i am though quite bewildered to see people shitting on the writing style in this book which was ...good? i have read some shitty writing before and this 100% wasn't part of that so i am very confused about the harsh words but whatever, not my circus not my monkeys.
August 17, 2022
DNF @ 2%. I was really excited for Fraternity, and the story seems promising, but I couldn't get past the first three pages.
December 23, 2023
4/5
Enseguida me llamó la atención sobre todo por su maravillosa portada y cuando leí la sinopsis...WOW. Así que me dispuse a leerlo y lo he devorado en apenas tres noches
✅Nos encontramos con un libro juvenil catalogado como Queer, con unos protagonistas geniales y una ambientación exquisita con un misterio que me ha fascinado😍
✅Tenemos una ambientación muy Dark Academia en un Internado exclusivo para chicos donde hay sociedades secretas y cosas muy turbias 📚 y en la época de los 90
✅La trama me ha parecido genial. Tenemos por un lado una temática muy contemporánea y adolescente que son estos chicos conociéndose y por otro lado tenemos un argumento mucho más oscuro e inquietante ya que hay algo en ese internado, algo MUY peligroso...y si, es algo sobrenatural😈
✅Los protagonistas me han encantado todos. Tendremos puntos de vista de tres de los cuatro chicos que forman el grupo y mi favorito ha sido justo el chico que no tiene capítulos🥹
✅Se tratan temas muy importantes y delicados como los prejuicios hacia los que son diferentes, lo duro que fue el problema del sida, el abuso escolar y sexual etc
✅El final me ha encantado e incluso me he emocionado
Por otro lado
❌Como he comentado antes, mi personaje favorito es el único que no tiene capítulos con su punto de vista y eso me ha puesto muy triste porque me habría encantado saber lo que piensa y conocerle mejor
❌La trama sobrenatural ha estado genial pero me ha resultado muy corta y más en segundo plano. Me hubiese gustado que se le hubiera dado más importancia
En general, un librazo muy entretenido y lleno de valores, con unos personajes muy carismáticos y una ambientación inmersiva. Súper recomendado😊
¿Os llama la atención?
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1NWBOUL6...
Enseguida me llamó la atención sobre todo por su maravillosa portada y cuando leí la sinopsis...WOW. Así que me dispuse a leerlo y lo he devorado en apenas tres noches
✅Nos encontramos con un libro juvenil catalogado como Queer, con unos protagonistas geniales y una ambientación exquisita con un misterio que me ha fascinado😍
✅Tenemos una ambientación muy Dark Academia en un Internado exclusivo para chicos donde hay sociedades secretas y cosas muy turbias 📚 y en la época de los 90
✅La trama me ha parecido genial. Tenemos por un lado una temática muy contemporánea y adolescente que son estos chicos conociéndose y por otro lado tenemos un argumento mucho más oscuro e inquietante ya que hay algo en ese internado, algo MUY peligroso...y si, es algo sobrenatural😈
✅Los protagonistas me han encantado todos. Tendremos puntos de vista de tres de los cuatro chicos que forman el grupo y mi favorito ha sido justo el chico que no tiene capítulos🥹
✅Se tratan temas muy importantes y delicados como los prejuicios hacia los que son diferentes, lo duro que fue el problema del sida, el abuso escolar y sexual etc
✅El final me ha encantado e incluso me he emocionado
Por otro lado
❌Como he comentado antes, mi personaje favorito es el único que no tiene capítulos con su punto de vista y eso me ha puesto muy triste porque me habría encantado saber lo que piensa y conocerle mejor
❌La trama sobrenatural ha estado genial pero me ha resultado muy corta y más en segundo plano. Me hubiese gustado que se le hubiera dado más importancia
En general, un librazo muy entretenido y lleno de valores, con unos personajes muy carismáticos y una ambientación inmersiva. Súper recomendado😊
¿Os llama la atención?
https://www.instagram.com/p/C1NWBOUL6...
September 22, 2022
Historical, magical, and gay with an isolated and elite academic setting. What's not to love here?
With a synopsis that featured so many of my personal buzz words, I had my expectations very highly placed before beginning this book. Whilst it did not veer into the more gothic areas of the dark academic genre, nor did it deliver the increased focus on the characters' studies there that I so longed for, it did deliver me everything else. Namely, a focus on interpersonal relationships and social hierarchies, the discovery of secret societies and a hidden underbelly of this privileged world, and a character who accesses it all with fresh eyes to unwittingly tear it apart.
This novel was set in the early 90's. It did not feature a large focus on pop culture references of the time, which I personally appreciated, although it still did manage to feel very authentic for that period. Sadly, a notable aspect of this was the accepted systemic homophobia and racism the characters experienced. Casually made yet completely demeaning remarks were constantly flung about, with the boys at school often mindlessly voicing what had been overheard and accepted from their peers, authority figures, and the media.
Without hard-headedly confronting it, the author made the reader aware of the exhaustion and anxiety experienced by the individuals whose existence is a cause for ridicule, fear, or, anger on a daily basis. Their need to protect the person they are led them all to enact a role in large social settings and to only remove these masks when completely comfortable, which takes, for some, the entire course of the novel.
I did not expect this novel to take such a serious focus, during the latter part of it. The magic that featured here was subtly interwoven with the political focus and I enjoyed seeing the interplay of the two, in this real-world setting. It proved itself a very clever and thought-provoking novel.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Andy Mientus, and the publisher, Amulet Books, for this opportunity.
With a synopsis that featured so many of my personal buzz words, I had my expectations very highly placed before beginning this book. Whilst it did not veer into the more gothic areas of the dark academic genre, nor did it deliver the increased focus on the characters' studies there that I so longed for, it did deliver me everything else. Namely, a focus on interpersonal relationships and social hierarchies, the discovery of secret societies and a hidden underbelly of this privileged world, and a character who accesses it all with fresh eyes to unwittingly tear it apart.
This novel was set in the early 90's. It did not feature a large focus on pop culture references of the time, which I personally appreciated, although it still did manage to feel very authentic for that period. Sadly, a notable aspect of this was the accepted systemic homophobia and racism the characters experienced. Casually made yet completely demeaning remarks were constantly flung about, with the boys at school often mindlessly voicing what had been overheard and accepted from their peers, authority figures, and the media.
Without hard-headedly confronting it, the author made the reader aware of the exhaustion and anxiety experienced by the individuals whose existence is a cause for ridicule, fear, or, anger on a daily basis. Their need to protect the person they are led them all to enact a role in large social settings and to only remove these masks when completely comfortable, which takes, for some, the entire course of the novel.
I did not expect this novel to take such a serious focus, during the latter part of it. The magic that featured here was subtly interwoven with the political focus and I enjoyed seeing the interplay of the two, in this real-world setting. It proved itself a very clever and thought-provoking novel.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Andy Mientus, and the publisher, Amulet Books, for this opportunity.
September 28, 2022
Fraternity was a fun read but also a bit of a mess. While I enjoyed the characters, the setting and the time period, it didn't seem to know what it was trying to be. The introduction of the supernatural element was great but sort of flopped by the end. I really enjoyed the audiobook performances though. Nonetheless, Fraternity tried something different and presented an LGBTQI+ story and characters with lots of different shades and nuances - which isn't always the case, and should be commended.
November 22, 2022
This book is good. It's not perfect, but I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to see what happened next. It's a quick read, but it does discuss some heavy topics like bullying and the AIDS epidemic so be prepared going into it.
June 24, 2024
Un libro con un suspenso bien escrito, lleno de sorpresas constantes y personajes con los que puedes empatizar bastante siendo del colectivo LGBT+. No lo voy a dejar de recomendar.
October 11, 2022
I have been waiting for this book for a very long time, and I must say, the wait was MORE THAN WORTH IT! A gay secret society at an all boys private school set in Mass. in 1991 AND there's spooky, witchy magic? Sign me TF up! It’s giving Netflix's Sabrina meets the Illuminati vibes and I’m living for it.
I loved the way the author told this story, as if the MCs are writing/telling the story themselves. It really dragged you into this world of supposed high society, but what laid underneath the thrilling suspense of it all was truly terrifying. *pause for dramatic affect*
I loved every single one of the MCs. #JusticeForSteven! I loved the found family. I loved the interracial relationship rep. I loved the bisexual rep. I loved the lesbian aunt heroes. I loved the queer history (even tho it’s inherently homophobic). I loved the magic. It got a little demonic but it was apart of the story and all the MCs had to overcome. It was literal but it was also a perfect metaphor for life in general.
I thought the author did a fantastic job depicting the 90s time frame and truly making the story authentic with a little spice because obvi it’s a dark paranormal tale. Though, fairy warning, the MCs deal with homophobia and racism from their classmates. But revenge is oh so sweet.
The message to those we lost during the AIDS epidemic brought me to my knees. You'll see in my past reviews that this subject is something that truly touches me and means so much. So to have that extra layer to an already brilliant tale truly shook me.
Stand up, fight back, create change!
The end was SO GOOD!! I. Loved. It.
There’s so much else I wanna say or talk about but I can’t without giving spoilers.
Fraternity is def the perfect spooky October read! Get into it!
I loved the way the author told this story, as if the MCs are writing/telling the story themselves. It really dragged you into this world of supposed high society, but what laid underneath the thrilling suspense of it all was truly terrifying. *pause for dramatic affect*
I loved every single one of the MCs. #JusticeForSteven! I loved the found family. I loved the interracial relationship rep. I loved the bisexual rep. I loved the lesbian aunt heroes. I loved the queer history (even tho it’s inherently homophobic). I loved the magic. It got a little demonic but it was apart of the story and all the MCs had to overcome. It was literal but it was also a perfect metaphor for life in general.
I thought the author did a fantastic job depicting the 90s time frame and truly making the story authentic with a little spice because obvi it’s a dark paranormal tale. Though, fairy warning, the MCs deal with homophobia and racism from their classmates. But revenge is oh so sweet.
The message to those we lost during the AIDS epidemic brought me to my knees. You'll see in my past reviews that this subject is something that truly touches me and means so much. So to have that extra layer to an already brilliant tale truly shook me.
Stand up, fight back, create change!
The end was SO GOOD!! I. Loved. It.
There’s so much else I wanna say or talk about but I can’t without giving spoilers.
Fraternity is def the perfect spooky October read! Get into it!
February 20, 2023
Una absoluta maravilla. 10/10. Equilibra a la perfección lo ordinario con lo sobrenatural y, sobre todo, el retrato de las partes más duras de la existencia queer en los 90 con un mensaje de empoderamiento y solidaridad. Se ha convertido en uno de mis libros juveniles favoritos.
October 14, 2022
i liked this, it made me want to rewatch my own private idaho actually.
September 26, 2022
This was my 59th book of the year, and it easily falls within my top 10, if not my top 5. From the moment I first saw this book on Goodreads, I was eagerly anticipating its arrival. I stayed up until midnight on release night so I could read it. It did NOT disappoint.
The book was filled with things that I absolutely love: a dark academia atmosphere, the 1990's, queer culture & references, romance, suspense, magic & metaphysics, social commentary, and - finally - a sense of hope. Andy Mientus expertly blended disparate genre elements into something truly special. The end result is a novel that is compelling, thrilling, emotional, tragic, touching, and truly magical.
Words cannot express how much I loved all 3 of the main characters (Zooey, Leo, and Daniel), as well as our 4th - Steven. We got such a great variety in terms of personality types, narrative styles, and story arcs because we got to read from their separate points of view.
I am a huge horror fan, and this had such an array of horror elements that did not overpower the plot, but rather helped to frame it. Setting up a story about magic & the occult against the background of a mysterious boarding school in 1991 & 1992 was everything. It was the perfect time period to take place in, because it said so much politically not just about the 90's, but also about where we are now in 2022. The focus on the AIDS epidemic was just another emotional layer of the book that was so effective, and it's important for young adults to read about.
I think what I loved most of all about the book was the final message that we were meant to receive when all was said and done: queer people are strong, they are resilient, and they are unstoppable when they come together to fight for justice and freedom. Found family can mean even more than the ones we are born into. Queer friendship is powerful. Powerful enough to take on evil secret societies and demonic entities, even.
I wish I could read this again for the first time. I'm not a huge re-reader, but I see myself coming back to it to relive the experience. I will be recommending this to everyone I know. Run, don't walk, to start this book, just in time for spooky season!
The book was filled with things that I absolutely love: a dark academia atmosphere, the 1990's, queer culture & references, romance, suspense, magic & metaphysics, social commentary, and - finally - a sense of hope. Andy Mientus expertly blended disparate genre elements into something truly special. The end result is a novel that is compelling, thrilling, emotional, tragic, touching, and truly magical.
Words cannot express how much I loved all 3 of the main characters (Zooey, Leo, and Daniel), as well as our 4th - Steven. We got such a great variety in terms of personality types, narrative styles, and story arcs because we got to read from their separate points of view.
I am a huge horror fan, and this had such an array of horror elements that did not overpower the plot, but rather helped to frame it. Setting up a story about magic & the occult against the background of a mysterious boarding school in 1991 & 1992 was everything. It was the perfect time period to take place in, because it said so much politically not just about the 90's, but also about where we are now in 2022. The focus on the AIDS epidemic was just another emotional layer of the book that was so effective, and it's important for young adults to read about.
I think what I loved most of all about the book was the final message that we were meant to receive when all was said and done: queer people are strong, they are resilient, and they are unstoppable when they come together to fight for justice and freedom. Found family can mean even more than the ones we are born into. Queer friendship is powerful. Powerful enough to take on evil secret societies and demonic entities, even.
I wish I could read this again for the first time. I'm not a huge re-reader, but I see myself coming back to it to relive the experience. I will be recommending this to everyone I know. Run, don't walk, to start this book, just in time for spooky season!
October 13, 2024
3.5 ☆
Cuanto me desesperó el personaje de Zooey, pero al final le tuve cierto aprecio.
El mensaje que trasmite es bueno. La discriminación, la identidad de cada uno y el sida fueron para mí lo más importante durante el libro. La manera en la que las cosas han cambiado y las que siguen igual 33 años en el futuro.
Sentí medio innecesario el toque de fantasía, a mi parecer no era necesario para contar esta historia, y además me quedé corta y con preguntas acerca de este tema.
Leo, chica, te amé desde la primera página ♡
Cuanto me desesperó el personaje de Zooey, pero al final le tuve cierto aprecio.
El mensaje que trasmite es bueno. La discriminación, la identidad de cada uno y el sida fueron para mí lo más importante durante el libro. La manera en la que las cosas han cambiado y las que siguen igual 33 años en el futuro.
Sentí medio innecesario el toque de fantasía, a mi parecer no era necesario para contar esta historia, y además me quedé corta y con preguntas acerca de este tema.
Leo, chica, te amé desde la primera página ♡
April 13, 2024
Leo, Daniel, Steven y Zooey, los quiero mucho.
No creo poder expresar en palabras todo lo que quiero decir de este libro en este momento porque soy llanto, pero que increíble estuvo.
No creo poder expresar en palabras todo lo que quiero decir de este libro en este momento porque soy llanto, pero que increíble estuvo.
July 1, 2025
Secret gay fraternity, dark magic and devil worship? count me in! this was so good it was hard to put down.
it was also a nice surprise that all happens in Massachusetts.
it was also a nice surprise that all happens in Massachusetts.
September 16, 2022
Fraternity is a queer dark academia book set in an all-boys boarding school in the 90s. We follow three boys, Zooey, Daniel, and Leo as they start their sophomore year at Blackfriars which will turn out to change all of their lives for good.
The book basically has two storylines/narratives that run concurrently and are linked: a search for and struggle with identity and the paranormal. The POV shifts between Zooey, Daniel, and Leo throughout the book as they tell the story of what happened at Blackfriars.
Heads up: Make sure you read the author's note and content/trigger warnings as this is set in the early 1990s and the vocabulary and setting reflect this.
All three boys are members of the Blackfriar secret gay society The Viscious Circle, and they're all trying to keep their sexuality hidden from most of their peers as being out isn't a feasible option in a school in the 90s where most students appear homophobic and/or racist. They all are attempting, with various levels of success, to fly below the radar and just get through school unscathed and mostly unnoticed.
Zooey is a recent transfer student who had to leave his previous school after he was relentlessly bullied. He carries great shame about what happened, thinking he was at fault and he is also struggling with figuring out and coming to terms with his sexuality, as well as being half Asian and white-passing.
Daniel is a black student jock whose family is "new money" in a school of mainly white kids who think "old money" is the only acceptable way of being rich. His father especially has always put a lot of pressure on Daniel to remember that average or decent isn't ever good enough, and Daniel fears he can never tell his family he's secretly in love with his roommate.
Leo, Daniel's roommate and boyfriend, is too flamboyant to be able to hide from the school bullies. Leo only got into Blackfriars because his father was a legacy as his family isn't rich or influential. He was raised by a single mother, his father having passed away before Leo was born, and while not growing up with wealth, Leo did grow up with a loving and supporting mother. He's generally confident in his skin but when the verbal taunts turn to physical beatings, he knows something needs to change.
This is where the paranormal comes in. They find a book that's supposedly magic and try a spell that makes Leo "invisible" and thus stops the bullying and harassment he's been facing. The boys quickly learn that doing magic has consequences but when Leo's past is discovered by the school bullies, they have to figure out if the risks that come with using the book are maybe worth dealing with one more time.
From here the plot unravels a little but it also gets even harder to put the book down (or in my case, turn off the audiobook) and I found Fraternity a really intriguing read.
The audiobook is great, different narrators are used for each boy so the dual POV works really well.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book basically has two storylines/narratives that run concurrently and are linked: a search for and struggle with identity and the paranormal. The POV shifts between Zooey, Daniel, and Leo throughout the book as they tell the story of what happened at Blackfriars.
Heads up: Make sure you read the author's note and content/trigger warnings as this is set in the early 1990s and the vocabulary and setting reflect this.
All three boys are members of the Blackfriar secret gay society The Viscious Circle, and they're all trying to keep their sexuality hidden from most of their peers as being out isn't a feasible option in a school in the 90s where most students appear homophobic and/or racist. They all are attempting, with various levels of success, to fly below the radar and just get through school unscathed and mostly unnoticed.
Zooey is a recent transfer student who had to leave his previous school after he was relentlessly bullied. He carries great shame about what happened, thinking he was at fault and he is also struggling with figuring out and coming to terms with his sexuality, as well as being half Asian and white-passing.
Daniel is a black student jock whose family is "new money" in a school of mainly white kids who think "old money" is the only acceptable way of being rich. His father especially has always put a lot of pressure on Daniel to remember that average or decent isn't ever good enough, and Daniel fears he can never tell his family he's secretly in love with his roommate.
Leo, Daniel's roommate and boyfriend, is too flamboyant to be able to hide from the school bullies. Leo only got into Blackfriars because his father was a legacy as his family isn't rich or influential. He was raised by a single mother, his father having passed away before Leo was born, and while not growing up with wealth, Leo did grow up with a loving and supporting mother. He's generally confident in his skin but when the verbal taunts turn to physical beatings, he knows something needs to change.
This is where the paranormal comes in. They find a book that's supposedly magic and try a spell that makes Leo "invisible" and thus stops the bullying and harassment he's been facing. The boys quickly learn that doing magic has consequences but when Leo's past is discovered by the school bullies, they have to figure out if the risks that come with using the book are maybe worth dealing with one more time.
From here the plot unravels a little but it also gets even harder to put the book down (or in my case, turn off the audiobook) and I found Fraternity a really intriguing read.
The audiobook is great, different narrators are used for each boy so the dual POV works really well.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
August 30, 2022someone said queer dark academia? 😏
September 20, 2022
Once I started listening to this audiobook I found it very hard to stop! It was extremely compelling and I really enjoyed it. It's a thrilling ride filled with mystery and some fantastical elements and it's just a great fun read. The writing was excellent - switching between POVs of the main characters, but their voices were so distinct. This applies to both the writing and the audio narrators. I also loved the representation in the book, with interesting and relevant discussions of both sexuality, identity and race. I identified with more than one of the characters, which really added to my enjoyment.
I was provided with an ALC from the Publisher via Netgalley. As mentioned, the audiobook narration was excellent and I loved the use of multiple narrators, because it was so easy to follow who was speaking. There were a few moments in the book where the volume seemed to be inconsistent and others where lines had obviously been rerecorded, but this didn't really take away from my overall enjoyment.
Overall it's a great book that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for fast paced thrilling read, that while it is dark academia, it doesn't get too bogged down in the fantastical elements. It still managed to feel pretty contemporary in it's writing style even though it is technically historical fiction (set in the early 90s). The reason it's not a five star for me is that I wanted more about the interpersonal relationships of the characters that would have resulted in me having more emotional involvement in the story.
I was provided with an ALC from the Publisher via Netgalley. As mentioned, the audiobook narration was excellent and I loved the use of multiple narrators, because it was so easy to follow who was speaking. There were a few moments in the book where the volume seemed to be inconsistent and others where lines had obviously been rerecorded, but this didn't really take away from my overall enjoyment.
Overall it's a great book that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for fast paced thrilling read, that while it is dark academia, it doesn't get too bogged down in the fantastical elements. It still managed to feel pretty contemporary in it's writing style even though it is technically historical fiction (set in the early 90s). The reason it's not a five star for me is that I wanted more about the interpersonal relationships of the characters that would have resulted in me having more emotional involvement in the story.
October 9, 2022
I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating.
CWs: homophobia, racism, bullying, death, adult/minor relationship (prior to story), deadnaming/misgendering
After a scandal at his old school, Zooey Orson starts a new boarding school his sophomore year hoping for a second chance. But he quickly finds out he’s not the only student with a secret—he’s initiated into the Vicious Circle, a secret society for gay students. But his close friends within the group are involved in something wicked—something that will definitely prove problematic for them.
This was a really interesting book! It did get a bit confusing at times, especially with what happened toward the end, but the plot was still really intriguing, as were the characters. I loved Zooey, Daniel, Leo, and even Steven, though we didn’t see him much since he didn’t have a POV. Also, seeing how their identities impacted each of them differently was so cool and it was nice that you could tell who was narrating a chapter based off of narration style.
CWs: homophobia, racism, bullying, death, adult/minor relationship (prior to story), deadnaming/misgendering
After a scandal at his old school, Zooey Orson starts a new boarding school his sophomore year hoping for a second chance. But he quickly finds out he’s not the only student with a secret—he’s initiated into the Vicious Circle, a secret society for gay students. But his close friends within the group are involved in something wicked—something that will definitely prove problematic for them.
This was a really interesting book! It did get a bit confusing at times, especially with what happened toward the end, but the plot was still really intriguing, as were the characters. I loved Zooey, Daniel, Leo, and even Steven, though we didn’t see him much since he didn’t have a POV. Also, seeing how their identities impacted each of them differently was so cool and it was nice that you could tell who was narrating a chapter based off of narration style.
September 21, 2022
Fraternity is an amazing dark academia book, set in the early nineties and full of queerness, current affairs (which for the nineties meant the AIDS crisis for the queer community), and dark magic - and it instantly became a favourite of mine!
In this story we follow Zooey, a new student at the Blackfriars School for Boys, who quickly finds his people in a Vicious Circle club - club for queer boys. There he meets the other two protagonists, Daniel, a black boy fitting in perfectly fine by being a jock and straight passing, and Leo his very loud and very outwardly queer roomate (and boyfriend). The three become fast friends (I am forgetting Steven, their fourth, silent friend without a POV) and spend time together in the Circle meetings and behind closed doors.
But this is still an all-boys school in the 90s and when rumors of Zooey's past start trickling in, he becomes a victim of horrific hazing and bullying. Daniel, Leo and Steven, despite being hesitant at first, reveal their helper after Zooey gets brutally beaten - a little book of dark spells that work wonders. They perform a ritual with dire consequences for them all - and as truths start spilling out, the four boys are faced with realities of their situations.
This book starts off slow and easy, with whimsical and sassy narration before moving towards harder topics and realities seamlessly. I adored the three audiobook narrators and they encapsulated the characters perfectly - from how their perspectives shifted to the actual changes to their personalities and lives. It was at times hard to listen to, but I fell completely in love with Mientus's writing and at times lyrical and at times very hard-hitting narration.
Fraternity deals with the realities of growing up queer in the early 90s, when the world was an even more unaccepting place than it is today, when being gay or bi or trans meant being shunned, treated as something was deeply wrong with you. Add to that the height of the AIDS crisis (that comes into play pretty heavily in the second part of the story), dark and destructive magic, and truly evil men in power for a compelling story that won't hold its punches but will also fill you with hope (after you are done drying your tears, that is).
I absolutely adored our main trio, from Zooey who went through different stages of understanding his sexuality (the way Mientus described being bisexual in the 90s absolutely hit hard and I need to write that quote down) and who, despite second thoughts, would never leave his friends stranded. Daniel was faced with completely different set of obstacles by being Black and gay and I loved how the author approached the subject of his fitting in as the only form of survival there was for him. You might feel for Leo and him being a secret, but you also understand and 100% empathize with Daniel - sometimes there simply are no better answers. Leo was possibly my favourite with his sunshine, dramatic exterior, but also a heart-shattering story - he was the most "noticibly" gay of the three which led him to having to find different measures to defend himself, which steered a big part of the story. I loved how dedicated he was to his friends, how he always tried harder and never stayed mad or distant just for the sake of appeasing his ego.
Fraternity instantly became one of my new favourites and a DA book I will gladly recommend. You need to pick this one up if you are looking for a great queer dark academia/historical fiction read that also deals with heavier topics (AIDS crisis, conversion therapy, homophobia, bullying, sexual and physical abuse)!
Trigger Warnings: Bullying, physical abuse, sexual abuse, death of a teenager, blood and detailed depictions of violence, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, homophobia, transphobia, deadnaming (off-page), biphobia, conversion therapy, queerphobic slurs
In this story we follow Zooey, a new student at the Blackfriars School for Boys, who quickly finds his people in a Vicious Circle club - club for queer boys. There he meets the other two protagonists, Daniel, a black boy fitting in perfectly fine by being a jock and straight passing, and Leo his very loud and very outwardly queer roomate (and boyfriend). The three become fast friends (I am forgetting Steven, their fourth, silent friend without a POV) and spend time together in the Circle meetings and behind closed doors.
But this is still an all-boys school in the 90s and when rumors of Zooey's past start trickling in, he becomes a victim of horrific hazing and bullying. Daniel, Leo and Steven, despite being hesitant at first, reveal their helper after Zooey gets brutally beaten - a little book of dark spells that work wonders. They perform a ritual with dire consequences for them all - and as truths start spilling out, the four boys are faced with realities of their situations.
This book starts off slow and easy, with whimsical and sassy narration before moving towards harder topics and realities seamlessly. I adored the three audiobook narrators and they encapsulated the characters perfectly - from how their perspectives shifted to the actual changes to their personalities and lives. It was at times hard to listen to, but I fell completely in love with Mientus's writing and at times lyrical and at times very hard-hitting narration.
Fraternity deals with the realities of growing up queer in the early 90s, when the world was an even more unaccepting place than it is today, when being gay or bi or trans meant being shunned, treated as something was deeply wrong with you. Add to that the height of the AIDS crisis (that comes into play pretty heavily in the second part of the story), dark and destructive magic, and truly evil men in power for a compelling story that won't hold its punches but will also fill you with hope (after you are done drying your tears, that is).
I absolutely adored our main trio, from Zooey who went through different stages of understanding his sexuality (the way Mientus described being bisexual in the 90s absolutely hit hard and I need to write that quote down) and who, despite second thoughts, would never leave his friends stranded. Daniel was faced with completely different set of obstacles by being Black and gay and I loved how the author approached the subject of his fitting in as the only form of survival there was for him. You might feel for Leo and him being a secret, but you also understand and 100% empathize with Daniel - sometimes there simply are no better answers. Leo was possibly my favourite with his sunshine, dramatic exterior, but also a heart-shattering story - he was the most "noticibly" gay of the three which led him to having to find different measures to defend himself, which steered a big part of the story. I loved how dedicated he was to his friends, how he always tried harder and never stayed mad or distant just for the sake of appeasing his ego.
Fraternity instantly became one of my new favourites and a DA book I will gladly recommend. You need to pick this one up if you are looking for a great queer dark academia/historical fiction read that also deals with heavier topics (AIDS crisis, conversion therapy, homophobia, bullying, sexual and physical abuse)!
Trigger Warnings: Bullying, physical abuse, sexual abuse, death of a teenager, blood and detailed depictions of violence, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, homophobia, transphobia, deadnaming (off-page), biphobia, conversion therapy, queerphobic slurs
September 18, 2022
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: cultural homophobia and hate speech, internalized homophobia, fatphobia, violent bullying, sexual predator & statutory rape, tongue trauma, decapitation (off-page), conversion therapy, biphobia
3.5
This book seemed like it was going to be exactly what a wanted- a queer horror involving secret academic societies. And while it is somewhat that, it didn't quite deliver it the way I wanted.
I did like the dark magic elements. The demon summoning was interesting and compelling, and the whole "tampering via dark magic" plot line was as well. Neither were very unique to the horror genre, but they were still fun.
In fact, I'll say that queer-centric horror is always fun to me, and I always appreciate different lenses to see queer history through. I know I'm not the only one, so I'm sure those people will similarly find something of interest in this story.
And, lastly, I really enjoyed Oona, a character who isn't as big of a role as the main characters, but was by far the most interesting and most likeable. Oona was a doubleside blade- on one hand she made me enjoy the story more and had me feel this author could write good characters, on the other it made it that much more obvious how little I liked the actual main characters.
Characters are important, and when you can't get invested in them or ally with them your whole experience is usually sunk. It didn't entirely ruin my experience, but I was definitely let down by how overly stylized and flat these characters felt. Maybe it was a desire to emulate the time period as much as possible but these characters just didn't feel fleshed out or realistic, more like stereotypes and vehicles for references.
That's a problem throughout for me. The desire for this certain style may work for some, but it negatively effected the atmosphere for me. It never quite hit dark academia or horror, which was disappointing. Some of that may come from mismarketing, as this isn't really dark academia and the "secret society" the characters are in has little to do with the horror element, but it's also because the writing undercuts its own tension, sometimes by going over the top so it's hard to take it seriously and sometimes by bloating the text with 4th wall breaks and unnecessary education.
It also took a long time to actually break into the supernatural elements. While I did praise the author during reading on his skill at stringing me along with the ominous hints of cultism & magic, and I do still think that was well done, it would have been easy to set this book down halfway through and never encounter the hook.
This was an interesting take on a basic idea, and while I was excited for it it wound up taken in a direction I personally wasn't as interested in.
TW: cultural homophobia and hate speech, internalized homophobia, fatphobia, violent bullying, sexual predator & statutory rape, tongue trauma, decapitation (off-page), conversion therapy, biphobia
3.5
This book seemed like it was going to be exactly what a wanted- a queer horror involving secret academic societies. And while it is somewhat that, it didn't quite deliver it the way I wanted.
I did like the dark magic elements. The demon summoning was interesting and compelling, and the whole "tampering via dark magic" plot line was as well. Neither were very unique to the horror genre, but they were still fun.
In fact, I'll say that queer-centric horror is always fun to me, and I always appreciate different lenses to see queer history through. I know I'm not the only one, so I'm sure those people will similarly find something of interest in this story.
And, lastly, I really enjoyed Oona, a character who isn't as big of a role as the main characters, but was by far the most interesting and most likeable. Oona was a doubleside blade- on one hand she made me enjoy the story more and had me feel this author could write good characters, on the other it made it that much more obvious how little I liked the actual main characters.
Characters are important, and when you can't get invested in them or ally with them your whole experience is usually sunk. It didn't entirely ruin my experience, but I was definitely let down by how overly stylized and flat these characters felt. Maybe it was a desire to emulate the time period as much as possible but these characters just didn't feel fleshed out or realistic, more like stereotypes and vehicles for references.
That's a problem throughout for me. The desire for this certain style may work for some, but it negatively effected the atmosphere for me. It never quite hit dark academia or horror, which was disappointing. Some of that may come from mismarketing, as this isn't really dark academia and the "secret society" the characters are in has little to do with the horror element, but it's also because the writing undercuts its own tension, sometimes by going over the top so it's hard to take it seriously and sometimes by bloating the text with 4th wall breaks and unnecessary education.
It also took a long time to actually break into the supernatural elements. While I did praise the author during reading on his skill at stringing me along with the ominous hints of cultism & magic, and I do still think that was well done, it would have been easy to set this book down halfway through and never encounter the hook.
This was an interesting take on a basic idea, and while I was excited for it it wound up taken in a direction I personally wasn't as interested in.
September 21, 2022
MY RATING 4,25/5 STARS
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an audio arc of this book in exchange of an honest review.
As the book is set in the 90’s during the AIDS crisis the language and the views from some of the characters also reflect that. This is also clearly stated in the author’s note at the beginning of the book as these things might be triggering.
I really love when an audiobook has multiple narrators and this one had three (one for each main character), and I really loved that! I enjoyed all the individual narrators, and how it made it easier to always know which POV you were reading about.
At first the writing of the book took some getting used to, but I quickly started to love how the story was written and how we got to see more of the characters own thoughts as they were going through all the different events.
The book was super interesting, and I kept wanting to read on to know what was going to happen next! I loved the dark academia setting and everything it added to the story.
The story clearly deals with queer identity and figuring out who you are in an environment where people mostly have negative views on queer people. However, we slowly get introduced to one of the secret clubs, the Vicious Circle, which is the hidden club for the gay students at the school. Here we get to see the characters being able to be more open about their identities without having to fear.
As the story progresses, we are able to see glimpses of the magic and the hidden secrets about what is going on at the school. The more the characters get involved with the magic, the harder it becomes to put the book down. You just *know* that shit is about to go down, which made me even more invested in the story and made me want to know what was going to happen next!
If you like or would want to try reading a queer dark academia book I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for an audio arc of this book in exchange of an honest review.
As the book is set in the 90’s during the AIDS crisis the language and the views from some of the characters also reflect that. This is also clearly stated in the author’s note at the beginning of the book as these things might be triggering.
I really love when an audiobook has multiple narrators and this one had three (one for each main character), and I really loved that! I enjoyed all the individual narrators, and how it made it easier to always know which POV you were reading about.
At first the writing of the book took some getting used to, but I quickly started to love how the story was written and how we got to see more of the characters own thoughts as they were going through all the different events.
The book was super interesting, and I kept wanting to read on to know what was going to happen next! I loved the dark academia setting and everything it added to the story.
The story clearly deals with queer identity and figuring out who you are in an environment where people mostly have negative views on queer people. However, we slowly get introduced to one of the secret clubs, the Vicious Circle, which is the hidden club for the gay students at the school. Here we get to see the characters being able to be more open about their identities without having to fear.
As the story progresses, we are able to see glimpses of the magic and the hidden secrets about what is going on at the school. The more the characters get involved with the magic, the harder it becomes to put the book down. You just *know* that shit is about to go down, which made me even more invested in the story and made me want to know what was going to happen next!
If you like or would want to try reading a queer dark academia book I definitely recommend checking this one out!
July 4, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Amulet Books for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This was definitely a different read then I’ve been reading lately! Zooey starts at an all boys private school but he has a secret, he’s gay. Hoping for a fresh start that’s quickly dashed when he has a run in with another boy and the rumors start. Luckily he meets Daniel who introduces him to Leo and the rest of their secret society!. This society is particularly for closeted gay guys. Has Zooey finally found a community? Or are they perhaps into darker stuff? I thought this was a great premise to a book and I definitely could relate to some of the difficulties having grown up in the 90’s! I also like that Andy Mientus had different types of gay characters and that we aren’t all the same, I feel like the 90’s were full of stereotypes of people in the LGBTQ+ communities! I felt the story was intriguing and Zooey, Daniel, and Leo were all interesting to read from! The writing is different and takes a bit to get used to But after a few chapters it hits its stride! Definitely one to check out if you like paranormaly thrillery books! Highly recommend!
February 6, 2024
A sometimes cute, sometimes wild YA novel with fantasy elements. The plot was somewhat too 'over the place' to really work as a coherent novel, but overall it's still a worthwhile read.
December 19, 2024
Boarding school, dark academia, secret societies, queer students, 1990s, dark magic!! This book was a blast to read. I was interested to pick this up since I’ve enjoyed Andy Mientus as an actor and was curious to see what his writing would be like. And it was great! This book is such a wonderful mix of queer friendship, exploring the impacts of bullying and other sorts of trauma, queer history, boarding school antics, and dark occult horrors.
I think the thing that impressed me the most about this book was how clear the different characters’ voices were. There are three POV characters and there was never an instance where I would get confused about which perspective I was reading from. I thought Andy Mientus did an excellent job at having their internal monologues all feel unique. Having the three different main characters also allowed for deep explorations into their individual experiences with being out, other aspects of their identities, and how they’re treated by the other boys at school.
There is a pretty slow buildup until the dark paranormal aspects of the story are really brought to the forefront. I didn’t mind that at all because I was so engrossed in the life of the boys and their exploits at boarding school. Once the occult plotline gets going, it packs a powerful punch. Situations get really dark and also provide interesting commentary that can be applied to present day.
I would love to get to read another YA book by Andy Mientus. He portrayed his characters as such wonderfully messy people. They felt so incredibly real and the plot they were thrown into was exciting, suspenseful, and full of heart. Definitely check this one out if you’re a fan of dark academia, queer friendship, and spooky magic.
I think the thing that impressed me the most about this book was how clear the different characters’ voices were. There are three POV characters and there was never an instance where I would get confused about which perspective I was reading from. I thought Andy Mientus did an excellent job at having their internal monologues all feel unique. Having the three different main characters also allowed for deep explorations into their individual experiences with being out, other aspects of their identities, and how they’re treated by the other boys at school.
There is a pretty slow buildup until the dark paranormal aspects of the story are really brought to the forefront. I didn’t mind that at all because I was so engrossed in the life of the boys and their exploits at boarding school. Once the occult plotline gets going, it packs a powerful punch. Situations get really dark and also provide interesting commentary that can be applied to present day.
I would love to get to read another YA book by Andy Mientus. He portrayed his characters as such wonderfully messy people. They felt so incredibly real and the plot they were thrown into was exciting, suspenseful, and full of heart. Definitely check this one out if you’re a fan of dark academia, queer friendship, and spooky magic.
October 14, 2024
¡Menudo regusto más bueno y menuda vorágine de sentimientos que se han posado bajo mi piel el leer este libro!
Escrito a tres voces, representa de maravilla la realidad queer en los noventa, distinta en parte para cada uno de los protagonistas. Hacía mucho que no leía una representación tan buena. Cada personaje tiene alma, parece de verdad.
Es verdad que la trama es menos oscura de lo que parece vender la sinopsis, al menos en lo que a oscuridad mágica y siniestra se refiere, porque sí que es cruda y muestra la oscuridad de la sociedad.
Pero está tan, pero tan bien escrito (y localizado al español) que más que leer he sentido que las páginas me absorvían a los pasillos del internado. Si empezáis sabed que no podréis parar.
Y diría, sin lugar a duda, que esta historia de amistad y verdadera familia, de encontrar tu sitio, ahora también forma parte de mí.
Escrito a tres voces, representa de maravilla la realidad queer en los noventa, distinta en parte para cada uno de los protagonistas. Hacía mucho que no leía una representación tan buena. Cada personaje tiene alma, parece de verdad.
Es verdad que la trama es menos oscura de lo que parece vender la sinopsis, al menos en lo que a oscuridad mágica y siniestra se refiere, porque sí que es cruda y muestra la oscuridad de la sociedad.
Pero está tan, pero tan bien escrito (y localizado al español) que más que leer he sentido que las páginas me absorvían a los pasillos del internado. Si empezáis sabed que no podréis parar.
Y diría, sin lugar a duda, que esta historia de amistad y verdadera familia, de encontrar tu sitio, ahora también forma parte de mí.
May 17, 2025
Más gente debería hablar de este libro. Leedlo. Ha curado un poco a este mariquita que creció en los noventa.
July 1, 2024
3.75
tw: abuso sexual infantil, homofobia, terapia de conversión, transfobia, violencia, acoso sexual infantil, sida.
En general, trata de una fraternidad en la que un grupo de estudiantes queer de un instituto de hombres se reúne para hacer diferentes fiestas. Eso hasta la primera mitad, después toma un giro que aunque se explica, se siente forzado.
Creo que el punto fuerte de este libro es el mensaje de resistencia de las personas queer en los noventa, luchando contra los diferentes crímenes de odio y estereotipos que giran alrededor de la comunidad. Habla sobre sida, sobre terapia de conversión y violencia física, abordada desde un mundo que resultó tener magia???. Tiene representación bisexual y un personaje trans, lo que le dió un punto extra porque hay muy poca representación sobre todo en libros que se ambientan en los noventa.
Sobre la trama en sí, debo decir que no tiene sentido. De repente hay magia y tienen a estas personas que "controlan todo", pero se habla de ello durante un 30% (?) del libro porque todo lo demás es de ellos viviendo sus propios conflictos. Los únicos puntos fuertes de la trama se trataron muy a la ligera y no me daban tiempo para reaccionar antes de que lo solucionaran, y a otras cosas simplemente no le daban el peso suficiente.
Si tuviera que calificar la forma en la que se desarrolló, le daría dos estrellas, pero la narración es buena y los personajes sobresalen, así que salva. En conclusión: vale la pena si quieren un libro de lucha queer, no por la trama en sí.
Mi personaje favorito es Leo. Creo que tiene muchos matices y me habría gustado haber sabido más de él; que la relación que tuvo con (ese personaje) se desarrollara; y que todo el asunto de Lucas se hubiera extendido. Pero son detalles.
Fuera de eso, se nota que muchas de las anécdotas están basadas en vivencias del autor. Soy partidaria de visibilizar todo lo que hable del sida en los noventa, y este libro lo hace muy bien. Me gustó la relación que se desarrolló entre los tres protagonistas (uno de ellos sobró, así que no lo contamos), se sintió muy realista a pesar de todo.
y yaa, ¿se los recomiendo? depende, queda en sus manos.
trama: 2/10
romance: 2/10
personajes: 9/10
final: 8/10
plot twist: 7/10
tw: abuso sexual infantil, homofobia, terapia de conversión, transfobia, violencia, acoso sexual infantil, sida.
En general, trata de una fraternidad en la que un grupo de estudiantes queer de un instituto de hombres se reúne para hacer diferentes fiestas. Eso hasta la primera mitad, después toma un giro que aunque se explica, se siente forzado.
Creo que el punto fuerte de este libro es el mensaje de resistencia de las personas queer en los noventa, luchando contra los diferentes crímenes de odio y estereotipos que giran alrededor de la comunidad. Habla sobre sida, sobre terapia de conversión y violencia física, abordada desde un mundo que resultó tener magia???. Tiene representación bisexual y un personaje trans, lo que le dió un punto extra porque hay muy poca representación sobre todo en libros que se ambientan en los noventa.
Sobre la trama en sí, debo decir que no tiene sentido. De repente hay magia y tienen a estas personas que "controlan todo", pero se habla de ello durante un 30% (?) del libro porque todo lo demás es de ellos viviendo sus propios conflictos. Los únicos puntos fuertes de la trama se trataron muy a la ligera y no me daban tiempo para reaccionar antes de que lo solucionaran, y a otras cosas simplemente no le daban el peso suficiente.
Si tuviera que calificar la forma en la que se desarrolló, le daría dos estrellas, pero la narración es buena y los personajes sobresalen, así que salva. En conclusión: vale la pena si quieren un libro de lucha queer, no por la trama en sí.
Mi personaje favorito es Leo. Creo que tiene muchos matices y me habría gustado haber sabido más de él; que la relación que tuvo con (ese personaje) se desarrollara; y que todo el asunto de Lucas se hubiera extendido. Pero son detalles.
Fuera de eso, se nota que muchas de las anécdotas están basadas en vivencias del autor. Soy partidaria de visibilizar todo lo que hable del sida en los noventa, y este libro lo hace muy bien. Me gustó la relación que se desarrolló entre los tres protagonistas (uno de ellos sobró, así que no lo contamos), se sintió muy realista a pesar de todo.
y yaa, ¿se los recomiendo? depende, queda en sus manos.
trama: 2/10
romance: 2/10
personajes: 9/10
final: 8/10
plot twist: 7/10
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