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Starlings
Donald is a forty-something aspiring drag queen with a lifetime of bitterness hiding behind his nail polish. He's not been back to his northern home-town since his father kicked him out after catching him wearing his dead mother's clothes. But his past is about to catch up with him, when his strange, beautiful younger brother arrives on his doorstep. Will Owen’s unexpected presence pull him out of his depression? Or is he destined to drag his little brother down with him?
The debut novel by actor Russell Tovey, Starlings features a multi-cast, led by Andrew Scott as Donald and George MacKay as Owen.
Also featuring Jason Patel, Julian Kostov, Michele Austin, and Russell Tovey.
Available in Dolby Atmos.
The debut novel by actor Russell Tovey, Starlings features a multi-cast, led by Andrew Scott as Donald and George MacKay as Owen.
Also featuring Jason Patel, Julian Kostov, Michele Austin, and Russell Tovey.
Available in Dolby Atmos.
Audible Audio
Published July 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 5, 2026
OMG.... ALL the feels with this one. Wonderful story with excellent narration!! Funny, charming, mysterious, gut-wrenching, heartwarming, etcetera, etcetera.... I couldn't stop listening. I really loved it; even though I truly did have to stop a few times to let all the tears just flow. More like this, please!!
July 9, 2026
I relate to this story more than I can say. Not necessarily for the drag queen parts, but all the relationships and connections. To be chosen. Accepted.
Genuinely one of the best audiobook productions I've had the pleasure of listening to. I finished it within a full day.
I wish there were more productions like this one!
Genuinely one of the best audiobook productions I've had the pleasure of listening to. I finished it within a full day.
I wish there were more productions like this one!
July 9, 2026
This was an absolutely wonderful listen - a story of birth families and chosen families and community.
Donald is driven out of the house when his Dad comes home from work early and finds him experimenting with his Mum's clothes. Recently bereaved and carrying prejudice against cross-dressing, his father chases him away, furious, and Donald makes his way, by bus, from Warrington to Clapham.
Years later, Donald opens his door one day to find his little brother Owen (now 28 to Donald's 37) standing on his doorstep. Cue a whole range of mixed emotions, including anger, self-loathing, jealousy, but above all love. He assumes his Dad has died and Owen has nowhere else to go. It's implied that Owen is special in some way - clearly doesn't have a job and is wide-eyed and innocent about a world he takes literally - but we're never told if he has a disability of some kind - just that he is "very vulnerable" (according to Donald's friends Peter and Florrie). Owen is also very talented, with a beautiful voice, and Donald, whose attempts to find fame as a drag queen at Florrie's bar in Clapham have stalled, concocts a plan to get Owen on stage with him, Northern brothers appearing as Northern sisters.
Meanwhile, Donald's flatmate and best friend Peter is a successful drag act, but keeps this completely separate from his work on a building site. Originally from Poland, he experienced terrible things there as a young man and lives with Aids. He feels his performances commemorate friends lost to this illness and always starts his act with a song from home. Something happened to make him feel unsafe in his hometown after his mother died, and he lives in fear that people at work will discover his sexuality and his drag persona and he will be in danger again.
The other highly successful act at Florrie's bar is Ravi, and he and his Mum are living a normal life on the surface, with Ravi's daytime job in a supermarket paying the bills on their two-bedroom flat. His Mum is an amazing seamstress so Ravi's outfits are always on point. Donald is jealous of Ravi that his Mum is still alive and is so supportive of his act, and has no idea that they are in hiding from Ravi's Dad, who treated her abysmally until Ravi was old enough to sort out a place in London for them both.
In short, this is a novel about the LGBTQ+ community, and specifically about a creative community of South London drag artists, their friends, lovers and allies. It's about identity, authenticity, pride and Pride, and the reasons why all these things - and especially Pride - are still needed in the 21st century. And like all works of art that deal with big issues, it creates its magic by giving us a wonderful cast of characters with whom I think it would be impossible not to fall in love.
We watch them support each other through highs and lows, and in particular we see Donald transform himself from a bitter (though hilarious) Queen with rock-bottom self-esteem and major abandonment issues into a family man who takes his responsibilities seriously (while remaining hilarious).
A really uplifting listen.
Donald is driven out of the house when his Dad comes home from work early and finds him experimenting with his Mum's clothes. Recently bereaved and carrying prejudice against cross-dressing, his father chases him away, furious, and Donald makes his way, by bus, from Warrington to Clapham.
Years later, Donald opens his door one day to find his little brother Owen (now 28 to Donald's 37) standing on his doorstep. Cue a whole range of mixed emotions, including anger, self-loathing, jealousy, but above all love. He assumes his Dad has died and Owen has nowhere else to go. It's implied that Owen is special in some way - clearly doesn't have a job and is wide-eyed and innocent about a world he takes literally - but we're never told if he has a disability of some kind - just that he is "very vulnerable" (according to Donald's friends Peter and Florrie). Owen is also very talented, with a beautiful voice, and Donald, whose attempts to find fame as a drag queen at Florrie's bar in Clapham have stalled, concocts a plan to get Owen on stage with him, Northern brothers appearing as Northern sisters.
Meanwhile, Donald's flatmate and best friend Peter is a successful drag act, but keeps this completely separate from his work on a building site. Originally from Poland, he experienced terrible things there as a young man and lives with Aids. He feels his performances commemorate friends lost to this illness and always starts his act with a song from home. Something happened to make him feel unsafe in his hometown after his mother died, and he lives in fear that people at work will discover his sexuality and his drag persona and he will be in danger again.
The other highly successful act at Florrie's bar is Ravi, and he and his Mum are living a normal life on the surface, with Ravi's daytime job in a supermarket paying the bills on their two-bedroom flat. His Mum is an amazing seamstress so Ravi's outfits are always on point. Donald is jealous of Ravi that his Mum is still alive and is so supportive of his act, and has no idea that they are in hiding from Ravi's Dad, who treated her abysmally until Ravi was old enough to sort out a place in London for them both.
In short, this is a novel about the LGBTQ+ community, and specifically about a creative community of South London drag artists, their friends, lovers and allies. It's about identity, authenticity, pride and Pride, and the reasons why all these things - and especially Pride - are still needed in the 21st century. And like all works of art that deal with big issues, it creates its magic by giving us a wonderful cast of characters with whom I think it would be impossible not to fall in love.
We watch them support each other through highs and lows, and in particular we see Donald transform himself from a bitter (though hilarious) Queen with rock-bottom self-esteem and major abandonment issues into a family man who takes his responsibilities seriously (while remaining hilarious).
A really uplifting listen.
July 12, 2026
It's a good job I only listen to audiobooks at home... I read war horse recently, which had me blubbing on the bus as I read the saddest and the happiest bits but this......
- this was a joy - it made me laugh, it filled my heart with a rollercoaster of joy, sadness, and heartbreak.
I loved the characters - it's so well done that it doesn't matter that they're all rather extreme in their own ways - I'd love to know them all - having a cast to read each part really bought it to life.
I can imagine it as a movie, a tv show, a stage show, and I can imagine a follow-up / spin off books etc.
- this was a joy - it made me laugh, it filled my heart with a rollercoaster of joy, sadness, and heartbreak.
I loved the characters - it's so well done that it doesn't matter that they're all rather extreme in their own ways - I'd love to know them all - having a cast to read each part really bought it to life.
I can imagine it as a movie, a tv show, a stage show, and I can imagine a follow-up / spin off books etc.
July 11, 2026
Wow. I absolutely loved this book. Raw, relatable characters. Love, rejection, acceptance, humour. I couldn't stop listening. The writing was razor sharp and the narration excellent. Love. Love. Love.
July 12, 2026
Such a heartfelt story about a complicated drag queen and their younger brother, who showed up unexpectedly after years of separation.
Colourful, well-rounded characters, awesome cast and narration! All the feels! 🥹
Do not pass up on a chance to listen to this gem, currently free on audible plus!
Colourful, well-rounded characters, awesome cast and narration! All the feels! 🥹
Do not pass up on a chance to listen to this gem, currently free on audible plus!
July 2, 2026
A beautiful listen!
July 3, 2026
Stunning 😍
July 8, 2026
Lovely listen….very moving and heartfelt — especially the ending.
July 11, 2026
This was wonderful. I really liked all the characters and could feel the emotion x
July 11, 2026
I loved this story of found and blood family.. Unlike a lot of stories of found families it still shows the relationships as flawed but no less important.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews