A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen

by Julie Harthill Turner

Saskia Nash's world is turned upside down when her single-parent father tears her from an idyllic childhood in Germany-leaving behind the memories of her dead mother and the protection of her beloved Opa-for a teaching position at a small Jesuit college on the East Coast. A misfit in a strange land, struggling to learn the language and customs of a good American girl, Saskia struggles with issues of belonging, sexual identity, and faith. She's drawn to the progressive spirituality of the Jesuits at her father's college. When strong-armed into having an abortion, Saskia is sent away to recover at Pippin House, a hospice for men dying of AIDS. It is the early 1990s.

Mourning the loss of personal choice and bodily autonomy, Saskia is assigned as a companion to Ed, a.k.a. Marlena Merlot, a dying drag queen who's losing control over his own mind and body. When Saskia helps Marlena Merlot stage one final performance, she learns that chosen family is the one we can count on most. A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen is a story of platonic queer friendship, regaining autonomy, letting go, and learning what it means to live.

134 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julie Harthill Turner's A Date with a Fairy Drag Queen was an interesting read, but one that felt oddly incomplete. The promo material for the book, led me to believe that the central narrative would be Saskia's time at Pippin House, but really that material is left until very near the end of the book. As a result, while I was reading I was confused about the amount of detail provided regarding Saskia's childhood as I kept waiting for the "central" narrative to emerge—but that narrative just wasn't central at all.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve sat since I finished reading A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen wiping away tears I knew would come, along with that ache in your chest when a story hits you so hard that it alters a little bit of what makes you who you are. I cried for fictional characters and for the people they are based upon who experienced so much in such a short amount of time.

Julie Harthill Turner wrote a story that jumps from the seventies to the nineties, giving us glimpses of Saskia Nash’s life from life with her father and grandfather in Germany to the adjustment of leaving all that has felt familiar and safe behind as she moves to the east coast of America with her father when he moves back to his home country to teach in a Jesuit college. The author has written Saskia’s life in such a manner that it’s like we’ve been given a moment to read her diary, and it helps bring you as the reader into her life as she grows as a person.

I couldn’t put the book down, even though I knew going into the book that the end result would be me crying and wanting a cuddle from my husband because some of what Saskia experiences I have had some similar moments of enduring too. She has had a lot of loss in her life, and she has been the victim of being judged not by who she is but what she is even as a child, for example her Nanny who is of German descent albeit living in America is quick to dismiss the attraction Saskia feels for girls. I appreciated how the author writes about bi-phobia happening in a very real, and open manner and by the timing of it being directed at the young Saskia shows that not only have bisexual people existed for a long time, but so has the abuse or dismissal of the attraction,

I also feel it is relevant although it is mentioned in the synopsis to reiterate that the subjects of pregnancy and the termination of a child does play a significant part in A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen. If the subject matter does cause you pain -please care about yourself first and foremost.

The author covers this incredibly difficult topic with the care it deserves. They once again, however, show it with an air of realism that it deserves, and my heart hurts for Saskia so much, the author takes the time to show how despite it being her body and therefore should have been her choice? The focus is put upon the man in the situation because he has a hypothetical successful life in the church ahead of him and I hated it just as much as I appreciated what the author was doing - I wanted to reach into the pages of the book and scream at the many men involved who put the blame at the feet of Saskia.

This was where the tears started, and they would come and go until the story took my poor little heart and broke it. Saskia’s complicated relationship with her sexuality and the church has already been hard for her to handle, and I valued the care the author took with her handling this but this is her tipping point and you can feel the pain she feels from the page. It’s beautifully written and I wanted to hug this isolated girl and protect her from the pain she is experiencing.

At Pippin House, the author gives us a glimpse of the reality these men experienced at the end of their battles with HIV and AIDs during the epidemic. The characters we meet are, of course, fictional but Julie Harthill Turner has given them so much life, that you can feel their pain as if it were your own. It’s a stark reminder that so many men were abandoned by family, and died either alone or in some of these houses were a found family was established, Marlene our drag queen is a shadow of their former self, and you could see all that Saskia has to witness in such a tragic, yet also wonderfully hopeful manner.

This is an incredible story, filled with love, and moments of sorrow - but to me there’s the overwhelming reminder that you can survive against all the odds that are thrown against you and it will stay with me for a long time. Just remember, get the tissues near you before you begin reading and know you will smile even when you cry.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hard time putting how I felt about this book into words. I don't know how Julie Harthill Turner managed to captivate me in such a short book, but she did. Days after finishing the novel I am still thinking about Saskia's story. One which is filled with love, loss, pain, and eventual healing, and one I think a lot of people will be able to relate to on some level.

I loved this book. I loved reading about Saskia's gentle relationship with her family, her complicated relationship with her sexuality and the church, and her deep, deep love for Marlena and the others at Pippin House. This is a story that will stick with me for quite some time.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: A Date With the Fairy Drag Queen by Julie Turner
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Overview
Julie Turner’s A Date With the Fairy Drag Queen is a whimsical yet poignant coming-of-age novel that blends magical realism with themes of identity, acceptance, and self-discovery. The story follows Saskia Nash, a young woman uprooted from her idyllic childhood in Germany and thrust into a new life where she encounters a fairy drag queen—a fantastical guide who helps her navigate cultural displacement, familial tension, and the complexities of queer identity. Turner’s prose is lyrical and evocative, crafting a narrative that feels both fantastical and deeply human.

Strengths
Innovative Magical Realism: The fairy drag queen serves as a dazzling metaphor for queer resilience and transformation. Their ethereal yet grounded presence bridges the mundane and the magical, offering Saskia (and readers) a lens to explore gender, creativity, and belonging.

Nuanced Characterization: Saskia’s journey is rendered with emotional authenticity, particularly in her struggles with parental expectations and cultural assimilation. The fairy drag queen’s charisma and wisdom balance the novel’s heavier themes with humor and warmth.

Exploration of Queer and Immigrant Identities: Turner deftly intertwines Saskia’s immigrant experience with queer coming-of-age tropes, highlighting intersections often overlooked in mainstream literature. The fairy drag queen’s mentorship underscores the importance of found family and self-acceptance.

Vivid World-Building: From European cobblestone streets to the glittering, otherworldly realms of the fairy drag queen, the settings are richly described, immersing readers in a world where magic feels tangibly possible.

Thematic Depth: Beneath its whimsical surface, the novel tackles weighty topics—xenophobia, homophobia, and the sacrifices of assimilation—without sacrificing hope or playfulness.

Limitations
Pacing Irregularities: The magical elements occasionally overshadow Saskia’s personal growth, particularly in the middle chapters where the plot meanders between reality and fantasy.

Underdeveloped Side Characters: Saskia’s father and peers are often reduced to archetypes (the distant parent, the bully), missing opportunities for deeper conflict or reconciliation.

Ambiguous Audience: The novel’s tone wavers between YA-friendly accessibility and adult literary introspection, which may leave some readers uncertain of its intended demographic.

Theoretical and Cultural Significance
Queer Storytelling: The fairy drag queen challenges traditional fairy-tale tropes, reimagining the “magical guide” as a queer, gender-nonconforming force of empowerment.
Immigrant Narratives: Saskia’s displacement resonates with diasporic experiences, emphasizing how identity is fractured and rebuilt across cultures.
Magical Realism as Resistance: The novel joins contemporary works using fantastical elements to explore marginalized realities (e.g., The House of the Spirits, The Night Circus).
Comparison to Similar Works
While My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen by David Clawson leans into campy humor, Turner’s novel strikes a more lyrical, introspective tone akin to The Starless Sea or The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Its blend of queer themes and magical realism also evokes Carmilla or The Seep, though with a lighter touch.

Conclusion
A Date With the Fairy Drag Queen is a radiant, if imperfect, celebration of queer joy and resilience. Julie Turner’s imaginative premise and lush prose make it a standout for readers seeking stories where magic and marginality collide. Though its pacing and character development could be tighter, the novel’s heart—its unwavering belief in transformation and belonging—shines brightly.

Acknowledgments
Thank you to NetGalley and Julie Turner for providing an advance review copy. This enchanting tale is a testament to the power of stories to heal, challenge, and inspire.

Final Verdict
A glittering gem of queer literature, perfect for fans of magical realism and narratives that dance between reality and wonder.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen is a wonderful story of certainties revealed to be uncertain, goodness revealed to be evil, the accompanying pain and abuse, and the light shining through the very darkest moments of life. Yet, it’s not dualistic. Rather, it’s about life. Grimy, painful, shameful, repressive, violent, seductive, judgmental life, suffused with the scent of VapoRub (a scent by the way that never leaves you if you experience it as Saskia experienced it). Don’t expect resolution at the end of the book but do expect hope even if it is the fantastical hope of imagination and discrete salvations as well as an ultimately fulfilling life with one’s chosen family.

The book is about growing up as a child of the 1970s and a young adult in the materially privileged spaces of travel and academia (not knowing how to balance a checkbook) that characterize the late 1980s-1990s. Thus, it moves rapidly and often by inference through the depths of the Western European and American experience of the Cold War; the often performative love of the exclusively male (at least biologically) and celibate (at least in public) Roman Catholic clergy -- including the most thoughtful of them in the Jesuits -- hiding lust, abuse and misogyny within; and the ugly confluence of AIDS and late-stage (at the time) homophobia of the Reagan administration (and the Jesuit-educated precursors to Project 2025). Parents, priests and professors do not have all the answers in this book. Indeed we often must go with our gut early on and go with our found knowledge (and found families) later in our lives.

The hypocrisy of the male moral leaders is visceral in this book, balanced out in part by the fathers who guided Saskia as best they could. Indeed, at the end, male and female are found as much as they are defined by the theologians of the time. “He” finds herself to be “she” and the realization is in the incomplete journey. She finds herself to love him and her, and her Opa accepts her. This is truly the greatest gift of family (found and blood): acceptance of realities that the “civilized” leaders reject. This still doesn’t resolve the bio-psychological responses: lust; shame; rebellion; submission to abusive, gaslighting authority; fear of doubting that such authorities are who they claim to be. These responses remain.

On first read, the narrative is a bit confusing, going back and forth between lives. The emotional repression that one may feel makes some of the middle portions a bit dry. However on a second read things fit together quite well. One knows the questions to ask as one reads each section, and the embarrassment of the moralists looking over one’s shoulder reduces allowing one to acknowledge more fully how reality works.

[Mary Polzella]

This beautifully written, moving novella follows Saskia who moves to the US with her dad after her mother's death. She struggles with her new world, new language, sexual and spiritual identify and belonging. While undertaking university studies Saskia forms a special connection with a student who is planning on joining the priesthood. When she is confronted with an unplanned pregnancy, she is forced to undergo an abortion and take a leave of absence from her studies. She is sent to Pippin House, a hospice for men dying of AIDS, to recover and work with the residents.

Saskia becomes a support worker and friend to Marlena Merlot, a dying drag queen who's losing control over mind and body. Saskia helps Marlena Merlot stage one final performance, learning that family is sometimes who we choose and who is there for us.

Saskia is an empathetic character who has been through a great deal of loss and pain in her life. While her journey is quite sad, the story is ultimately filled with love and acceptance too. The residents living at Pipin house are a reminder of the many people were abandoned by family at a time when they needed love the most, while Marlene's fabulous character celebrates queer resilience in the face of such terrible adversary. A wonderful book that almost reads like a YA story and one that has stayed with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and @koehlerbookspub for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the core story. Saskia's narrative was interesting, but I struggled with the delivery. We start the novella with a scene that leads to the 'fairy drag queen' setup, but most of the rest of the book is backstory, told in a more or less random order. It jumps around and ends up repeating itself a lot. The actual scenes with Saskia connecting to her fairy dragmother are confined to the last 16% or so of the book, and are quite rushed, especially after the sometimes tedious litany of childhood scenes we get leading up to that point.

This was very well written, with evocative prose and some really fantastic lines of insight about Saskia's treatment in the church. She ends up being very passive, however, and the scenes where she supposedly finds herself are rushed in at the end. This made the whole story feel quite unbalanced for me, but I really liked the earlier parts and found Turner's prose to be emotional and descriptive. I wish the pacing had been a bit smoother, and would personally have enjoyed it more if the timeline wasn't as disjointed. Still glad I read this one, I just felt a bit frustrated at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[James Knode · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant novella with a lot to say about identity, belonging, and the true value of a family, A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen delivers laughs and tears in equal measure as you follow the protagonist's (Saskia) wild ride through childhood into her early 20s.

With a memorable cast of characters (including her heartsick grandfather, her college classmates, a lecherous priest, the titular drag queen, and her late mother's memory which looms over the main events and choices of Saskia's life), the book brings you between the 1970s and the 1990s as Saskia moves from Germany to the USA. Across the decades spanned and the miles traveled, she struggles through a journey of self-discovery but never fails to give as good as she gets, and learns lessons valuable to us all.

The book's themes are timeless, but the subject matter is particularly relevant in today's political climate. From page one through the solemn, satisfying conclusion, A Date with the Fairy Drag Queen delivers a moving experience that leaves the reader anxious for a follow up.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The good: the writing was lovely and very evocative in terms of setting and atmosphere, and it had a very sweet emotional undertone.
The bad: I think both the title and summary sell a story that isn't the one we got. Saskia doesn't even meet Marlena until 75% of the way through the book.
If the story had been marketed by focusing more on Saskia's life and how her childhood built her into the person she became, it would have felt more accurate.
3.5 rounded up to 4.

[Brooke Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Harthill Turner's debut novel is a poignant story of a young bisexual woman coming of age. The narrative of Saskia's experience Asa student at a small Jesuit college is interspersed with flashbacks to her childhood in Germany and peppered themes of magic, found family, and facing difficult truths. I wish more time was spent at Pippin House, where Saskia learns about harsh realities of the AIDS epidemic as she volunteers in their hospice program.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing ! You go from the seventies to the nineties with Saskia , her family and her close knit group of friends. There are no words to describe how emotional this book will make you feel. The topics discussed in the book from bisexual discrimination to caring for men dying from HIV were heart wrenching. This book was impossible to put down! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and love this book Net Galley . You really should send tissues with this book.

[Isaiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

To see a full review check it out here.

Beautiful writing, but not what was promised by the title or the book description. Instead of a shining queen, there is less than thirty pages of queen content.

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh my heart
why so saddddd??