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Proud Pink Sky
Berlin: a megacity of 24 million people, is the world’s first gay state. Its distant radio broadcasts are a lifeline for teenager William, so when his love affair with Gareth is discovered the two flee toward sanctuary. But is there a place for them in a city divided into districts for young twinks, trendy bears, and rich alpha gays?
Meanwhile, young mother Cissie loves Berlin’s towering highrises and chaotic multiculturalism, yet she’s never left her heterosexual district – not until she and her family are trapped in a queer riot. With her husband Howard plunging into religious paranoia, she discovers a walled-off slum of perpetual twilight, home to the city’s forbidden trans residents.
As William and Cissie dive deeper into a bustling world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and even an official gay language, they discover that all is not well in the gay state – each playing their part in a looming civil war...
Meanwhile, young mother Cissie loves Berlin’s towering highrises and chaotic multiculturalism, yet she’s never left her heterosexual district – not until she and her family are trapped in a queer riot. With her husband Howard plunging into religious paranoia, she discovers a walled-off slum of perpetual twilight, home to the city’s forbidden trans residents.
As William and Cissie dive deeper into a bustling world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and even an official gay language, they discover that all is not well in the gay state – each playing their part in a looming civil war...
323 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2023
12 people are currently reading
3848 people want to read
About the author
Redfern Jon Barrett
12 books166 followersRedfern Jon Barrett is author to the novels Proud Pink Sky (Bywater, 2023), an alternate history set in the world’s first gay state, and The Giddy Death of the Gays & the Strange Demise of Straights, a touching comedy of polyamory and nonbinary life which was also a finalist for the Bisexual Book Awards.
Their short stories have appeared in The Sun Magazine, Passages North, Booth, Flash Fiction Online, ParSec, The Future Fire, Andromeda Spaceways, Orca, and Nature Futures. Their nonfiction has featured in Guernica, Strange Horizons, PinkNews, and Vector, as well as at the National Museum of Denmark.
Born in Sheffield, Redfern moved to Wales and gained a PhD in Literature from Swansea University (Prifysgol Abertawe). They are nonbinary queer and have campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights since they were a teenager, receiving national attention when they called for rights for polyamorous families. They have served as a judge for the 2017 Bi Book Awards, a memoir reader for the for PEN America/Fusion Award, and a first reader for Guernica. Redfern currently lives in Berlin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 20, 2023
An entertaining alternate history focussing on 2 characters who move to The Gay Republic of Berlin, 50 years after the lesbian and gay (sic) enclave founded by UN resolution in 1948 at the end of a slightly different World War 2.
We follow queer teens William and Gareth as they flee a UK even more homophobic than ours was — whereas in their reality, there was no Wolfenden Report leading to (partial) decriminalisation of sex between men in 1967 and all the queer big names fled to Berlin, in ours my first Pride was in 1994, the era of New Queer Cinema and the year Priscilla was released; in our reality the 1998 setting saw the launch of Will & Grace and plenty of queer films, even if they were indies we had to seek out in the specialist sections of large film and music stores, like Bishonen (美少年之恋), Fucking Åmål , Head On , The Opposite of Sex , Sitcom , Velvet Goldmine . (Yes, those are all recommendations.)
We also see a straight family with 2 sons: father Howard is a Gastarbeiter builder and Cissie is a housewife; they both grew up in conservative small-town Ohio with the definite implication that the sexual revolution didn’t happen and Middle America is still stuck in the rose-tinted 1950s that some Republicans think was idyllic for everyone, rather than just middle-class WASPs. In both cases we only really focus on 1 of the pair, with less attention given to their partners, which I found a little disappointing — I really enjoyed how William and Gareth settled into their own kinds of queerness in Berlin and would have liked to have seen more from Gareth’s perspective and more of Howard’s journey (and maybe more of Rob?), but I certainly wouldn’t’ve wanted to lose any of the time we spend with William and Cissie. (And I can’t believe it took me half the book to notice that the woman exploring the hidden community of trans outlaws is literally called Cis sie!)
It took me a while for my pedantic arse to get into the excellent worldbuilding, which was definitely more about me than Barrett’s work — while I have a kneejerk dislike for “these kinds of people live over here and those live over there”, the rationale for doing so in Gay Berlin (with districts like Twinkstadt, Paw and Diesel) certainly makes sense in-world. After a moment to get used it, I also really enjoyed the increasing use of Polari, which also benefits from a very detailed glossary at the end (less obvious in an ebook until you get to it, frustratingly) and Barrett adds some interesting and well-thought-through expansions for a language still extant in their world.
As with all science fiction, the novel is a vehicle for exploring a contemporary problem through the lens of analogy; the analogy is pretty direct here and there are 2 related themes being reviewed in this regard. Despite the setting being the literal opposite of assimilationist gays, the Gay Republic polices a socially-conservative view of sexual orientation and gender, with the same kind of “respectability politics” that has plagued queer discourse for several years. In our world that has looked like a focus on blending in with the cis-hetero-patriarchy, such as equal marriage and adoption rights, and increased policing of deviance, such as “no kink at Pride”, “drag shows are indecent” and the increasingly fascist-connected transphobia so ubiquitous in British discourse. That policing of deviance is overt and explicit in Gay Berlin, with citizenship only available to same-sex-married couples; bisexuality and polyamory are both forbidden. Even the spartan accommodation offered to straight Gastarbeiter are nicer than the slums to which trans and non-binary residents are banished. I really liked that polyamory, transness and the queering of gender expression being favourably portrayed against the cryptofascist “respectability politics”.
The main story background, beyond the specifics of William and Cissie’s own arcs, was relatively straightforward but well-composed and all-in-all this was an entertaining read — and, having spent a lot of time reading alternate histories a little while back, it was great to read one that was not just queer-inclusive (as SM Stirling’s Emberverse was) but queer-centred. I’ll have to keep an eye out for more of Barrett’s work.
We follow queer teens William and Gareth as they flee a UK even more homophobic than ours was — whereas in their reality, there was no Wolfenden Report leading to (partial) decriminalisation of sex between men in 1967 and all the queer big names fled to Berlin, in ours my first Pride was in 1994, the era of New Queer Cinema and the year Priscilla was released; in our reality the 1998 setting saw the launch of Will & Grace and plenty of queer films, even if they were indies we had to seek out in the specialist sections of large film and music stores, like Bishonen (美少年之恋), Fucking Åmål , Head On , The Opposite of Sex , Sitcom , Velvet Goldmine . (Yes, those are all recommendations.)
We also see a straight family with 2 sons: father Howard is a Gastarbeiter builder and Cissie is a housewife; they both grew up in conservative small-town Ohio with the definite implication that the sexual revolution didn’t happen and Middle America is still stuck in the rose-tinted 1950s that some Republicans think was idyllic for everyone, rather than just middle-class WASPs. In both cases we only really focus on 1 of the pair, with less attention given to their partners, which I found a little disappointing — I really enjoyed how William and Gareth settled into their own kinds of queerness in Berlin and would have liked to have seen more from Gareth’s perspective and more of Howard’s journey (and maybe more of Rob?), but I certainly wouldn’t’ve wanted to lose any of the time we spend with William and Cissie. (And I can’t believe it took me half the book to notice that the woman exploring the hidden community of trans outlaws is literally called Cis sie!)
It took me a while for my pedantic arse to get into the excellent worldbuilding, which was definitely more about me than Barrett’s work — while I have a kneejerk dislike for “these kinds of people live over here and those live over there”, the rationale for doing so in Gay Berlin (with districts like Twinkstadt, Paw and Diesel) certainly makes sense in-world. After a moment to get used it, I also really enjoyed the increasing use of Polari, which also benefits from a very detailed glossary at the end (less obvious in an ebook until you get to it, frustratingly) and Barrett adds some interesting and well-thought-through expansions for a language still extant in their world.
As with all science fiction, the novel is a vehicle for exploring a contemporary problem through the lens of analogy; the analogy is pretty direct here and there are 2 related themes being reviewed in this regard. Despite the setting being the literal opposite of assimilationist gays, the Gay Republic polices a socially-conservative view of sexual orientation and gender, with the same kind of “respectability politics” that has plagued queer discourse for several years. In our world that has looked like a focus on blending in with the cis-hetero-patriarchy, such as equal marriage and adoption rights, and increased policing of deviance, such as “no kink at Pride”, “drag shows are indecent” and the increasingly fascist-connected transphobia so ubiquitous in British discourse. That policing of deviance is overt and explicit in Gay Berlin, with citizenship only available to same-sex-married couples; bisexuality and polyamory are both forbidden. Even the spartan accommodation offered to straight Gastarbeiter are nicer than the slums to which trans and non-binary residents are banished. I really liked that polyamory, transness and the queering of gender expression being favourably portrayed against the cryptofascist “respectability politics”.
The main story background, beyond the specifics of William and Cissie’s own arcs, was relatively straightforward but well-composed and all-in-all this was an entertaining read — and, having spent a lot of time reading alternate histories a little while back, it was great to read one that was not just queer-inclusive (as SM Stirling’s Emberverse was) but queer-centred. I’ll have to keep an eye out for more of Barrett’s work.
February 20, 2023
"Proud Pink Sky" by Redfern Jon Barrett is a thought-provoking and engaging novel that explores an alternate history of Berlin, where the city becomes the world's first gay state. The story is set in 1990s, but instead of the hollow, only-partially-rebuilt version of Berlin that we’re familiar with in our history, it instead presents Berlin as a sprawling megacity with different city districts for different sexual identities and subgroups. The story follows the lives of several characters — primarily William, Gareth, and Cissie — as they navigate the complexities of politics, relationships, and personal identity in the city. The characters in "Proud Pink Sky" are complex, flawed, and compelling, making it easy to connect with their struggles and successes, even if their particular self discoveries are different from our own. With rich world building and a down-to-earth writing style, Barrett creates a captivating and immersive reading experience.
The novel provides an extremely nuanced portrayal of an LGBTQ+ community that is very similar to the one(s) we know, even though the details of their history and their world are radically different. Overall, "Proud Pink Sky" is a beautifully crafted novel that delivers both on its world-building and its exploration of important social and political issues. It is a must-read for anyone interested in alternate histories, LGBTQ+ literature, or character-driven stories.
The novel provides an extremely nuanced portrayal of an LGBTQ+ community that is very similar to the one(s) we know, even though the details of their history and their world are radically different. Overall, "Proud Pink Sky" is a beautifully crafted novel that delivers both on its world-building and its exploration of important social and political issues. It is a must-read for anyone interested in alternate histories, LGBTQ+ literature, or character-driven stories.
March 14, 2023
I found this a really entertaining alternate history, weaving together the stories of characters that move (or flee) to the world’s first gay state in Berlin. There’s a great cast of queer characters of various flavours, but the narrative arc of the novel focuses on one gay male pair and a straight couple as we see them discover and create new lives for themselves.
The world building is excellent, with the events and characters together bringing a lot of depth and realism to the setting of Berlin. There are many allegories to be seen here, not least the prejudice and hate that can be perpetrated on others or each other by already persecuted minorities. That darker side is mixed into events and characters at such a pace that I found this such a fun read, so although it’s pretty direct I found it exciting rather than dark. The reflections Barrett presents on our own world stuck with me as much as the characters have.
The world building is excellent, with the events and characters together bringing a lot of depth and realism to the setting of Berlin. There are many allegories to be seen here, not least the prejudice and hate that can be perpetrated on others or each other by already persecuted minorities. That darker side is mixed into events and characters at such a pace that I found this such a fun read, so although it’s pretty direct I found it exciting rather than dark. The reflections Barrett presents on our own world stuck with me as much as the characters have.
April 10, 2023
Goodreads Giveaway
I received a copy of Proud Pink Sky through a Goodreads giveaway entry.
I am so glad that I won this novel. I probably would never have been presented with the knowledge or chance to read Proud Pink Sky without the giveaway opportunity.
I went into the novel without much prior info (I often times prefer to not read summaries), all I knew was that it was an alternate reality where Berlin is the first official gay republic. The world that Barrett created was well developed and intriguing. It felt believable and very human, populated with relatable characters. Also, there was even a gay language/slang (Polari), along with a timeline of Berlin's gay republic. These elements added depth to the story and character development.
Proud Pink Sky dealt with some important topics (e.g., gender identity, sexuality, autonomy, fear) that are pertinent to our current society. I appreciated how Berlin, a safe haven for gays and lesbians, had it's own political/sociological issues and shortcomings. Just because Berlin was now a gay state, did not mean that is was inclusive of all gender and sexuality types. There was still a level of exclusion and repression to maintain the "homosexual ideal."
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Proud Pink Sky and would read further novels that are written by Barrett.
P.S. I am sad that I did not receive a signed copy of Proud Pink Sky as was advertised in the Goodreads Giveaway. But, that is a minor thing.
I received a copy of Proud Pink Sky through a Goodreads giveaway entry.
I am so glad that I won this novel. I probably would never have been presented with the knowledge or chance to read Proud Pink Sky without the giveaway opportunity.
I went into the novel without much prior info (I often times prefer to not read summaries), all I knew was that it was an alternate reality where Berlin is the first official gay republic. The world that Barrett created was well developed and intriguing. It felt believable and very human, populated with relatable characters. Also, there was even a gay language/slang (Polari), along with a timeline of Berlin's gay republic. These elements added depth to the story and character development.
Proud Pink Sky dealt with some important topics (e.g., gender identity, sexuality, autonomy, fear) that are pertinent to our current society. I appreciated how Berlin, a safe haven for gays and lesbians, had it's own political/sociological issues and shortcomings. Just because Berlin was now a gay state, did not mean that is was inclusive of all gender and sexuality types. There was still a level of exclusion and repression to maintain the "homosexual ideal."
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Proud Pink Sky and would read further novels that are written by Barrett.
P.S. I am sad that I did not receive a signed copy of Proud Pink Sky as was advertised in the Goodreads Giveaway. But, that is a minor thing.
February 21, 2023
HIGHLIGHTS
~twinks have their own city district
~so do Daddies
~Cissie is not a sissy but is she cis???
I’m not sure what I think of Proud Pink Sky. I was so excited by the premise – especially when the author assured me that trans and nonbinary people played a central role! – that it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023.
Now I’ve finished it, I feel a little…underwhelmed?
Proud Pink Sky is an alternate-history novel where Berlin became the world’s first ‘gay state’ in the aftermath of WW2, due in large part to the role the queer community played in resisting the Nazis. (In fact, in this timeline, the Nazis were kicked out of Berlin before the start of the war by the ‘gay brigades’ who had zero time for fascists.) This has in no way endeared or even normalised queerness to the rest of the world, unfortunately, and Berlin sees a huge number of gay and lesbian refugees and immigrants for this reason.
The story takes place over about a year – starting in 1998 and wrapping up in 1999 – and follows three main characters: William and Gareth, teenagers who escape to Berlin from England after their relationship is discovered; and Cissie, a homemaker who moves to Berlin from Ohio with her husband and children because the ‘gay city’ has plenty of great job opportunities, even for ‘breeders’ – although they’re expected to keep themselves to themselves in the hetero district of the city.
(And yes, I laughed at Cissie’s very on-the-nose name. I AM IMMATURE AND EASILY AMUSED.)
Barrett has done an enormous amount of worldbuilding, with this alternate-Berlin’s history mirroring or echoing our real world in some very interesting ways. Despite what you might expect, Berlin is not a glorious, free-for-all queer utopia (alas); instead it’s an incredibly rigid, unforgiving culture obsessed with sticking its citizens in the ‘right’ categories, categories which are even reflected in the city’s geography (as each approved subculture or label is given their own district). Bisexuality is legal, but viewed with immense suspicion, and it’s not safe for m/f couples to be in public as couples (we see one such couple assaulted, harassed, and eventually driven from the bar where Gareth works). Monogamy is mandatory; refugees and immigrants don’t receive full citizenship unless they’re married to someone of their own sex, lest ‘secret straights’ flood Berlin by lying about their sexual orientation. (Why anyone thinks this is a thing, when the rest of the world is still homophobic as fuck, is…well, once upon a time I would have called it poor worldbuilding, but being a bit older and wiser and more cynical, I now don’t find it hard to believe. It makes no sense, but then, bigots panicking about immigration never do.)
The list goes on, but a clear focus of Proud Pink Sky is the trans and nonbinary community. Despite acknowledging that it was trans people who kickstarted the riots that drove out the Nazis (echoing our world’s Stonewall) and the fact that, pre-Nazis, Berlin was the site of the first sex-change operation in the world, in this alt-Berlin it is illegal to be anything but cis. Anyone who doesn’t fit inside the binary is cast out to the slums, which are enclosed in an 8km wall (significantly shorter than our world’s Berlin Wall, but an obvious nod to it). To be trans and/or nonbinary is to be considered a pervert at best and a member of a queer terrorist group at worst.
And what little plot exists here revolves around Remould, the aforementioned walled-in neighbourhood. Cissie makes her way there by accident, and gradually begins to form relationships with the people there and find meaningful work for herself (not that taking care of a home and children aren’t meaningful, but at least to Cissie they seem meaningful in a different way). William, uneasily aware that he doesn’t fit neatly into Berlin any more than he did back in England, grows increasingly sympathetic towards and drawn to everyone who doesn’t fit neatly into their assigned boxes. Gareth, eager to embrace all that Berlin is, doesn’t understand William’s reticence, and friction ensues.
That’s…kind of it.
Proud Pink Sky is, honestly, mortally dull. Nothing really happens. Until the very sudden, massively confusing ending, which I think was an attempt to give the book a hopeful ending, but, uh…no. No. That’s not how human beings work. That’s not how people respond to That. That’s not how communities react to That. That? Is not any kind of magic wand that suddenly makes people less bigoted or less afraid. What even.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
~twinks have their own city district
~so do Daddies
~Cissie is not a sissy but is she cis???
I’m not sure what I think of Proud Pink Sky. I was so excited by the premise – especially when the author assured me that trans and nonbinary people played a central role! – that it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023.
Now I’ve finished it, I feel a little…underwhelmed?
Proud Pink Sky is an alternate-history novel where Berlin became the world’s first ‘gay state’ in the aftermath of WW2, due in large part to the role the queer community played in resisting the Nazis. (In fact, in this timeline, the Nazis were kicked out of Berlin before the start of the war by the ‘gay brigades’ who had zero time for fascists.) This has in no way endeared or even normalised queerness to the rest of the world, unfortunately, and Berlin sees a huge number of gay and lesbian refugees and immigrants for this reason.
The story takes place over about a year – starting in 1998 and wrapping up in 1999 – and follows three main characters: William and Gareth, teenagers who escape to Berlin from England after their relationship is discovered; and Cissie, a homemaker who moves to Berlin from Ohio with her husband and children because the ‘gay city’ has plenty of great job opportunities, even for ‘breeders’ – although they’re expected to keep themselves to themselves in the hetero district of the city.
(And yes, I laughed at Cissie’s very on-the-nose name. I AM IMMATURE AND EASILY AMUSED.)
Barrett has done an enormous amount of worldbuilding, with this alternate-Berlin’s history mirroring or echoing our real world in some very interesting ways. Despite what you might expect, Berlin is not a glorious, free-for-all queer utopia (alas); instead it’s an incredibly rigid, unforgiving culture obsessed with sticking its citizens in the ‘right’ categories, categories which are even reflected in the city’s geography (as each approved subculture or label is given their own district). Bisexuality is legal, but viewed with immense suspicion, and it’s not safe for m/f couples to be in public as couples (we see one such couple assaulted, harassed, and eventually driven from the bar where Gareth works). Monogamy is mandatory; refugees and immigrants don’t receive full citizenship unless they’re married to someone of their own sex, lest ‘secret straights’ flood Berlin by lying about their sexual orientation. (Why anyone thinks this is a thing, when the rest of the world is still homophobic as fuck, is…well, once upon a time I would have called it poor worldbuilding, but being a bit older and wiser and more cynical, I now don’t find it hard to believe. It makes no sense, but then, bigots panicking about immigration never do.)
The list goes on, but a clear focus of Proud Pink Sky is the trans and nonbinary community. Despite acknowledging that it was trans people who kickstarted the riots that drove out the Nazis (echoing our world’s Stonewall) and the fact that, pre-Nazis, Berlin was the site of the first sex-change operation in the world, in this alt-Berlin it is illegal to be anything but cis. Anyone who doesn’t fit inside the binary is cast out to the slums, which are enclosed in an 8km wall (significantly shorter than our world’s Berlin Wall, but an obvious nod to it). To be trans and/or nonbinary is to be considered a pervert at best and a member of a queer terrorist group at worst.
And what little plot exists here revolves around Remould, the aforementioned walled-in neighbourhood. Cissie makes her way there by accident, and gradually begins to form relationships with the people there and find meaningful work for herself (not that taking care of a home and children aren’t meaningful, but at least to Cissie they seem meaningful in a different way). William, uneasily aware that he doesn’t fit neatly into Berlin any more than he did back in England, grows increasingly sympathetic towards and drawn to everyone who doesn’t fit neatly into their assigned boxes. Gareth, eager to embrace all that Berlin is, doesn’t understand William’s reticence, and friction ensues.
That’s…kind of it.
Proud Pink Sky is, honestly, mortally dull. Nothing really happens. Until the very sudden, massively confusing ending, which I think was an attempt to give the book a hopeful ending, but, uh…no. No. That’s not how human beings work. That’s not how people respond to That. That’s not how communities react to That. That? Is not any kind of magic wand that suddenly makes people less bigoted or less afraid. What even.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
March 6, 2023
Such a delicious novel! The world-building has to be mentioned, it's richly woven and surrounds the protagonists like a blanket. There is a history, provided via excerpts from a guidebook, that grounds the story in a reality just slightly to one side of our reality. The real story though (as it should be in any book worth reading) takes place within the hearts of the main characters and how they grow and evolve in reaction to the unfolding events of the plot. As much as I like William's wide-eyed youthful perspective as an entry point to the city and the story, Cissie is my favourite. She is rendered so tenderly. This is a story with a huge amount of empathy and I love it for that.
November 1, 2023
PROUD PINK SKY LAUNCHES TODAY! Set in the world's first gay state and described as 'gripping' by Publisher's Weekly, you can find a copy at all major book retailers, and a whole host of independent stores. Here are some links!
AMAZON: https://a.co/d/c5ivSNy
BYWATER: https://www.bywaterbooks.com/product/...
BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prou...
BOOK DESPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Proud-...
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR PROUD PINK SKY:
‘As astute and frightening as Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, yet reads with the pace and energy of a modern action thriller.’
– Drew Rowsome for MyGayToronto.com
‘Tender and heart-breaking, Proud Pink Sky is centred on a Berlin that could have been – a paradisal Gay Republic that is not all it seems – and it's absolutely captivating, a perfect blend of reality and fiction, disquiet and hope, caution and celebration. Beautifully conceived and deeply affecting, Proud Pink Sky is a book you'll want to return to again and again.’
– Calder Szewczak, author(s) of The Offset
‘The conflicts and conversations - both micro and macro - will be achingly familiar to anyone who has been engaged with queer or trans movements in recent years, helping us to remember the vital need for coalition and solidarity right now. Please read this book!'
– MJ Barker, author of Queer: A Graphic History
‘Drawing on an in-depth knowledge of queer history, Proud Pink Sky richly imagines an alternative world that is neither utopia nor dystopia. Barrett’s vertical Berlin is a setting built on dreams, yet pocked with flaws, nuances, and squabbles that make it feel credible and strangely universal. Intriguing and occasionally shattering, Proud Pink Sky defies binaries in more ways than one, making it a compelling and welcome addition to the speculative Queer canon.’
– Christian Baines, author of The Beast Without
‘Redfern’s fabulous “what if?” envisions the queerest of timelines – a post-war Berlin that refashions itself as the world’s only gay city-state. This electrifying tour through a would-be utopia riven by its own contradictory laws, traditions, and prejudices is at once deeply celebratory and critical. Like Nineteen Eight-Four, its distant ancestor, the novel questions and probes but dares to hope for a happier, freer future.’
– Brett Josef Grubisic, author of The Age of Cities and My Two-Faced Luck
‘To enter the pages of Proud Pink Sky is to be engulfed by a tidal power of masterful storytelling, morphing histories, and utopian imaginings. Boundaries of families and colonies, maps and guidebooks, words and sounds, dissolve into delicious, heady outcomes in this vital inhabitation of queer homelands. The crisp narrative pace combines with sensuous contours of language to remind one that to belong to an electrifying urban milieu is to also belong to its many troubled, unspoken intimacies and exiles. Redfern Jon Barrett has composed a virtuosic novel of fearless incantations.’
– Gayathri Prabhu, author of If I Had to Tell It Again
In Proud Pink Sky, Redfern Jon Barrett demonstrates that utopias and dystopias are not the opposites of each other – they coexist in the exact same space. With Barett's eye for both history and prophecy, the Gay Republic of Berlin feels as lived in as a real nation. Though they've built an imaginative and thought-through alternative universe, they don't stop there; the yearnings and struggles of their characters are also true and engrossing. Barrett's novel is a compelling page-turning read and an important warning.
– Paul Gallant, Author of Still More Stubborn Stars
AMAZON: https://a.co/d/c5ivSNy
BYWATER: https://www.bywaterbooks.com/product/...
BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prou...
BOOK DESPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Proud-...
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR PROUD PINK SKY:
‘As astute and frightening as Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, yet reads with the pace and energy of a modern action thriller.’
– Drew Rowsome for MyGayToronto.com
‘Tender and heart-breaking, Proud Pink Sky is centred on a Berlin that could have been – a paradisal Gay Republic that is not all it seems – and it's absolutely captivating, a perfect blend of reality and fiction, disquiet and hope, caution and celebration. Beautifully conceived and deeply affecting, Proud Pink Sky is a book you'll want to return to again and again.’
– Calder Szewczak, author(s) of The Offset
‘The conflicts and conversations - both micro and macro - will be achingly familiar to anyone who has been engaged with queer or trans movements in recent years, helping us to remember the vital need for coalition and solidarity right now. Please read this book!'
– MJ Barker, author of Queer: A Graphic History
‘Drawing on an in-depth knowledge of queer history, Proud Pink Sky richly imagines an alternative world that is neither utopia nor dystopia. Barrett’s vertical Berlin is a setting built on dreams, yet pocked with flaws, nuances, and squabbles that make it feel credible and strangely universal. Intriguing and occasionally shattering, Proud Pink Sky defies binaries in more ways than one, making it a compelling and welcome addition to the speculative Queer canon.’
– Christian Baines, author of The Beast Without
‘Redfern’s fabulous “what if?” envisions the queerest of timelines – a post-war Berlin that refashions itself as the world’s only gay city-state. This electrifying tour through a would-be utopia riven by its own contradictory laws, traditions, and prejudices is at once deeply celebratory and critical. Like Nineteen Eight-Four, its distant ancestor, the novel questions and probes but dares to hope for a happier, freer future.’
– Brett Josef Grubisic, author of The Age of Cities and My Two-Faced Luck
‘To enter the pages of Proud Pink Sky is to be engulfed by a tidal power of masterful storytelling, morphing histories, and utopian imaginings. Boundaries of families and colonies, maps and guidebooks, words and sounds, dissolve into delicious, heady outcomes in this vital inhabitation of queer homelands. The crisp narrative pace combines with sensuous contours of language to remind one that to belong to an electrifying urban milieu is to also belong to its many troubled, unspoken intimacies and exiles. Redfern Jon Barrett has composed a virtuosic novel of fearless incantations.’
– Gayathri Prabhu, author of If I Had to Tell It Again
In Proud Pink Sky, Redfern Jon Barrett demonstrates that utopias and dystopias are not the opposites of each other – they coexist in the exact same space. With Barett's eye for both history and prophecy, the Gay Republic of Berlin feels as lived in as a real nation. Though they've built an imaginative and thought-through alternative universe, they don't stop there; the yearnings and struggles of their characters are also true and engrossing. Barrett's novel is a compelling page-turning read and an important warning.
– Paul Gallant, Author of Still More Stubborn Stars
February 3, 2024
Berlin in the 90s, but not as we knew it.
This is one of those alternative history tales. In this story, gays and lesbians flock from all over the world to the safety of Berlin because they are accepted and celebrated. Several new residents include young couple, William and Gareth, who have escaped their homophobic town in England, and Cissie, Howard, and their kids, who’ve moved from America.
Cissie and Howard live in the straight community and soon Cissie explores her new city. She stumbles upon someone being bullied and ends up following the victim into a run-down part of town known as Remould. This person is trans, leading Cissie into a world of alternate sexuality and gender she’s not accustomed to.
Redfern Jon Barrett with a poster of their book cover.
William and Gareth set up home in Q.
This district is also run-down but it’s where they are given a shabby house to move in to as new migrants. Gareth soon gets a job at a bar in the Twinkstadt district, while William finds office work. They set up house. William learns to cook. It seems like the start of a happy relationship.
It took me a while to get through this book.
Not because I was bored with it, but because I began reading it after a major operation and often didn’t sleep well, so reading made me doze off before completing a chapter. But this gave me time to reflect on this story’s messages, and on Redfern’s prose and structure.
For most of the first half of the book, this alternate version of Berlin is the main character as the family and the gay couple are simply represented as archetypes. Yet they are never two dimensional because Redfern carefully takes us through their emotional journey as they come to terms with their new city.
Then we hear them.
More dialogue is introduced and we get a better sense of who these people are. This coincides with them learning about the restrictions of what initially seemed like a queer Mecca. There is prejudice in Berlin, but I won’t spoil this important twist in the story.
In this novel, important plot points are introduced slowly, skilfully, drip fed into scenes so the reader knows there is a more menacing side to this city. This, and the points I made in the previous paragraph, is why I admired Redfern’s storytelling style.
A great dystopian tale.
This is one of those alternative history tales. In this story, gays and lesbians flock from all over the world to the safety of Berlin because they are accepted and celebrated. Several new residents include young couple, William and Gareth, who have escaped their homophobic town in England, and Cissie, Howard, and their kids, who’ve moved from America.
Cissie and Howard live in the straight community and soon Cissie explores her new city. She stumbles upon someone being bullied and ends up following the victim into a run-down part of town known as Remould. This person is trans, leading Cissie into a world of alternate sexuality and gender she’s not accustomed to.
Redfern Jon Barrett with a poster of their book cover.
William and Gareth set up home in Q.
This district is also run-down but it’s where they are given a shabby house to move in to as new migrants. Gareth soon gets a job at a bar in the Twinkstadt district, while William finds office work. They set up house. William learns to cook. It seems like the start of a happy relationship.
It took me a while to get through this book.
Not because I was bored with it, but because I began reading it after a major operation and often didn’t sleep well, so reading made me doze off before completing a chapter. But this gave me time to reflect on this story’s messages, and on Redfern’s prose and structure.
For most of the first half of the book, this alternate version of Berlin is the main character as the family and the gay couple are simply represented as archetypes. Yet they are never two dimensional because Redfern carefully takes us through their emotional journey as they come to terms with their new city.
Then we hear them.
More dialogue is introduced and we get a better sense of who these people are. This coincides with them learning about the restrictions of what initially seemed like a queer Mecca. There is prejudice in Berlin, but I won’t spoil this important twist in the story.
In this novel, important plot points are introduced slowly, skilfully, drip fed into scenes so the reader knows there is a more menacing side to this city. This, and the points I made in the previous paragraph, is why I admired Redfern’s storytelling style.
A great dystopian tale.
June 12, 2023
This was a fantastic, engrossing read. I would've been happy if this book were twice its length!
First and foremost, the worldbuilding in this is incredible. The gay citystate and its districts are fleshed out really well. And I loved that we're at a certain point in time in the Gay Republic where things are becoming fractious.
I had a couple of minor quibbles. I would've loved a little more explanation of the journey of Howard from his arrest to [EDIT: although, having thought about it, it makes perfect sense why we don't, something people change out of our view and it's alarming], and of course I was rooting for Cissie (we need to talk about that name, lol!) to but again these were minor.
But apart from that, these characters are expertly fleshed out in an incredibly engrossing world - I could picture all the districts quite clearly, and I could certainly see more narratives set in this world (fingers crossed! although probably not, but still, one can hope! perhaps on the lesser-foccused districts maybe?). I particularly loved William and Gareth and their journey. I loved this book wholly and truly and the whole way through - if someone were brave enough! - I kept thinking that this would make a *wonderful* tv series.
Redfern's best book. Highly, highly recommended. The perfect read for Pride Month, particularly in a time where trans and gender nonconforming people are being targeted in the real world also.
First and foremost, the worldbuilding in this is incredible. The gay citystate and its districts are fleshed out really well. And I loved that we're at a certain point in time in the Gay Republic where things are becoming fractious.
I had a couple of minor quibbles. I would've loved a little more explanation of the journey of Howard from his arrest to [EDIT: although, having thought about it, it makes perfect sense why we don't, something people change out of our view and it's alarming], and of course I was rooting for Cissie (we need to talk about that name, lol!) to but again these were minor.
But apart from that, these characters are expertly fleshed out in an incredibly engrossing world - I could picture all the districts quite clearly, and I could certainly see more narratives set in this world (fingers crossed! although probably not, but still, one can hope! perhaps on the lesser-foccused districts maybe?). I particularly loved William and Gareth and their journey. I loved this book wholly and truly and the whole way through - if someone were brave enough! - I kept thinking that this would make a *wonderful* tv series.
Redfern's best book. Highly, highly recommended. The perfect read for Pride Month, particularly in a time where trans and gender nonconforming people are being targeted in the real world also.
June 6, 2025
this story is an alternate history mixed with urban fiction and a dystopian story thinly veiled as a utopian one.
in this story Berlin is an independent republic that is a sanctuary for gays and lesbians. but while the land seems like an oasis for gay people who live in a world that persecutes them, it becomes clear that this is still a land full of politics, inner community bias, socio economic and gender division, and so much more.
the story is told from two perspectives. one a 17 year old runaway who flees to Berlin in hopes of finding refuge and acceptance. the other from a married cis gendered woman who also resides in land. their stories eventually collide. the author does an excellent job of creating interesting and compelling stories
this was a really good read, especially if you're looking for something by an alphabet author this PRIDE.
in this story Berlin is an independent republic that is a sanctuary for gays and lesbians. but while the land seems like an oasis for gay people who live in a world that persecutes them, it becomes clear that this is still a land full of politics, inner community bias, socio economic and gender division, and so much more.
the story is told from two perspectives. one a 17 year old runaway who flees to Berlin in hopes of finding refuge and acceptance. the other from a married cis gendered woman who also resides in land. their stories eventually collide. the author does an excellent job of creating interesting and compelling stories
this was a really good read, especially if you're looking for something by an alphabet author this PRIDE.
July 9, 2024
This came in my TBR and I couldn’t dig into it fast enough! Loved the development of the characters, they were both brave and flawed in their own ways. A rollercoaster of emotions!
October 12, 2023
oh this was good alternative gay lit!!
August 12, 2024
With some vivid (and strange) world, along with excellent characterizationProud Pink Sky is a great novel that largely surpassed my expectations. The part of this novel that stands out the most to those who have just begun looking into it, is the unique world that Barrett has built which acts as the main centerpiece throughout the novel. The idea of a sort of gay ethno-state being established within Berlin after WW2, is just so fascinating that it simply demanded to be read as soon as I watched a Youtube video recommending it (shout out CloudCuckooCountry). The novel delivers upon its premise, and dedicates a large portion of its page count to introducing us to this flamboyant, yet overall conservative city state. Even though Berlin offers itself as a safe haven for all gay and lesbian refugees to flock to from around the world, it remains strictly conservative in what its definition of “gay” is heavily persecuting other queer people who do not abide by this definition (I can think of another ethno-state that acts like this *cough* *cough*) which is the central theme of the novel. Even though the world building is great, I think the book could have been a little bit longer, especially in the ending as I think it was a bit rushed overall. The other great part of this novel is the characterization, which is very well done for a story that is largely about the world building of Berlin. Even though Barrett writes about some pretty evil people, they never present them as one dimensional, and there is always a motive for what people do, no matter how flimsy it is. The characters are what truly make this novel special, and will cause it to stick with me for a long time. Overall Proud Pink Sky is an amazing novel about queer culture and a great edition to your read list if you're looking for something from an author out of the mainstream.
July 16, 2023
Fantastic alt-history queer speculative fiction by a nobinary author. The alternate history here is that Berlin became the world's first (and so far only) gay state near the end of World War II. Barrett digs into the utopia/dystopia it's become. Berlin is only a paradise if you're the right kind of queer, though those who don't fit find ways to create community and also to resist the government - which is basically respectability politics incarnated into a bureaucracy. Really loved this and I look forward to Barret's next book.
September 5, 2023
ambitopia is accurate. I'd almost wanna live there if it weren't for the heteronormativity once again ruining everything
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2024
An interesting utiopian/distopian take. I loved the ending!
April 1, 2025
The last 20 chapters was a joyride for which I was not mentally prepared. I'm in a state of shock truly. The book is well written, and it's an enjoyable read. I think it's take on a queer authoritarian state is really interesting and it really serves the larger commentary about the flattening of identity that occurs when you treat identity as a binary. Even a system of binaries is reductive and avoids the nuance of humanity. This book gets at that well.
I also love the use of polari. Some explanations are given to our characters who are just as new as the readers, but it's not all written out for us. I did check the glossary sometimes, but the book is written such that if you really pay attention, you pick up on the meaning without having to do so.
In terms of the characters, I connect with William so much, and my heart aches for them. That realization and comfort that comes from realizing that something didn't fit becuase it just wasn't made for you, it's palpable here. I really appreciate William's journey. Cissie is an icon and I love her. I
want another book just because of her, but I'm happy with the ending we get.
I could never live in a gay city that isn't for all of us; it just wouldn't be anything like what I love about queer people, but I'm thankful to have read this.
I also love the use of polari. Some explanations are given to our characters who are just as new as the readers, but it's not all written out for us. I did check the glossary sometimes, but the book is written such that if you really pay attention, you pick up on the meaning without having to do so.
In terms of the characters, I connect with William so much, and my heart aches for them. That realization and comfort that comes from realizing that something didn't fit becuase it just wasn't made for you, it's palpable here. I really appreciate William's journey. Cissie is an icon and I love her. I
want another book just because of her, but I'm happy with the ending we get.
I could never live in a gay city that isn't for all of us; it just wouldn't be anything like what I love about queer people, but I'm thankful to have read this.
June 23, 2023
A fantastically researched story with a lot of heart. Chocked full of queer history, some known, some obscure. Highly recommend reading, and annotating. (Hope the publisher decides to do an audiobook!)
As far as queer rights have progressed, we still have far to go.
As far as queer rights have progressed, we still have far to go.
September 27, 2024
Showed the current queer hierarchy in a really accessible manner. Showed the hardships of revolution. I, too, desired the Berlin that was written about, but as I explored the city, I realized that it was just as riddled with problems as our current societies are.
Cissy needs to be a queer woman. I hope that for her desperately.
Cissy needs to be a queer woman. I hope that for her desperately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2024
This was an awesome book! It definitely didn't hurt that it was set in Berlin. But it's such a fascinating idea, of a gay haven. Then complicated issues of who gets included, etc.
December 1, 2023
"Proud Pink Sky" is an extraordinary novel that pushes the boundaries of speculative urban fiction. Redfern Jon Barrett masterfully crafts a narrative that defies the traditional notions of utopia and dystopia, presenting readers with an ambitopian vision of the world's first gay state.
Set in the vibrant and bustling city of Berlin, this glittering gay metropolis becomes a captivating backdrop for a story that explores themes of identity, community, and the complexities of human relationships. Barrett's vivid descriptions bring the city to life, immersing readers in a world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and an official gay language.
The novel follows the intertwining stories of William, Gareth, and Cissie, each grappling with their own personal struggles in a deeply divided city. As teenagers William and Gareth seek sanctuary, their only connection to the outside world is through distant radio broadcasts, which serve as a lifeline in their journey. Meanwhile, Cissie, a young mother, finds herself trapped in a queer riot with her family, leading her to discover a hidden slum inhabited by the city's forbidden trans residents.
One of the most remarkable aspects of "Proud Pink Sky" is its ability to challenge assumptions of sex and gender. Barrett delves deep into the complexities of these topics, forcing readers to question societal norms and the sacrifices individuals make in order to find their true identity and sense of belonging. The author's thought-provoking exploration of these themes adds a layer of depth and richness to the narrative, making it a truly compelling read.
Barrett's writing is both evocative and engaging, capturing the essence of Berlin's towering high rises, chaotic multiculturalism, and the palpable energy of the city. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own unique struggles and desires. Their journeys intertwine seamlessly, creating a narrative tapestry that keeps readers captivated from beginning to end.
"Proud Pink Sky" is a groundbreaking novel that challenges societal norms and offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of identity and community. Redfern Jon Barrett's masterful storytelling and thought-provoking exploration of sex and gender make this book a must-read for anyone seeking a captivating and enlightening literary experience. My only wish is that there would have been more of it!
Set in the vibrant and bustling city of Berlin, this glittering gay metropolis becomes a captivating backdrop for a story that explores themes of identity, community, and the complexities of human relationships. Barrett's vivid descriptions bring the city to life, immersing readers in a world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and an official gay language.
The novel follows the intertwining stories of William, Gareth, and Cissie, each grappling with their own personal struggles in a deeply divided city. As teenagers William and Gareth seek sanctuary, their only connection to the outside world is through distant radio broadcasts, which serve as a lifeline in their journey. Meanwhile, Cissie, a young mother, finds herself trapped in a queer riot with her family, leading her to discover a hidden slum inhabited by the city's forbidden trans residents.
One of the most remarkable aspects of "Proud Pink Sky" is its ability to challenge assumptions of sex and gender. Barrett delves deep into the complexities of these topics, forcing readers to question societal norms and the sacrifices individuals make in order to find their true identity and sense of belonging. The author's thought-provoking exploration of these themes adds a layer of depth and richness to the narrative, making it a truly compelling read.
Barrett's writing is both evocative and engaging, capturing the essence of Berlin's towering high rises, chaotic multiculturalism, and the palpable energy of the city. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own unique struggles and desires. Their journeys intertwine seamlessly, creating a narrative tapestry that keeps readers captivated from beginning to end.
"Proud Pink Sky" is a groundbreaking novel that challenges societal norms and offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of identity and community. Redfern Jon Barrett's masterful storytelling and thought-provoking exploration of sex and gender make this book a must-read for anyone seeking a captivating and enlightening literary experience. My only wish is that there would have been more of it!
April 21, 2024
[3.5 stars]
I really enjoyed the overlapping stories, most of the characters, and the way the book was broken up via the use of traditional chapters and additional excerpts. William wasn't my favorite and I felt he was kind of weak in comparison to Gareth, Rob, or even Howard. William just didn't stand out in any magnificent way. I actually liked him more before he ran away from his parents house. Once he got to Berlin he just kind of felt like a vessel being used to progress other's storylines without having much going on for himself aside from some flimsy gender experimentation. Regardless, the world felt fairly fleshed out and I felt compelled to continue reading because William being a weak link doesn't take away from the rest of the good. The overall concept was interesting and although I found some of the inclusions of "gay slang" to be confusing and/or cheesy it was an added layer that made this world feel more real when I was able to lose myself in the story. The ending came up fast and I found myself unable to put the book down once everything came together. I loved dystopian young adult novels in my youth and this hit me in a very similar way.
I really enjoyed the overlapping stories, most of the characters, and the way the book was broken up via the use of traditional chapters and additional excerpts. William wasn't my favorite and I felt he was kind of weak in comparison to Gareth, Rob, or even Howard. William just didn't stand out in any magnificent way. I actually liked him more before he ran away from his parents house. Once he got to Berlin he just kind of felt like a vessel being used to progress other's storylines without having much going on for himself aside from some flimsy gender experimentation. Regardless, the world felt fairly fleshed out and I felt compelled to continue reading because William being a weak link doesn't take away from the rest of the good. The overall concept was interesting and although I found some of the inclusions of "gay slang" to be confusing and/or cheesy it was an added layer that made this world feel more real when I was able to lose myself in the story. The ending came up fast and I found myself unable to put the book down once everything came together. I loved dystopian young adult novels in my youth and this hit me in a very similar way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2023
I read the last two-third of Proud Pink Sky à la Margo Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums: deep in a bubble bath, feet up, smoking an illicit cigarette. My (husband’s) Kindle accumulated some bubbles, but this book deserved that ridiculous indulgence. Proud Pink Sky left me with so many feelz I had to spill them at author Redfern John Barrett or tag this with a spoiler alert.
Proud Pink Sky posits that post-WWII, Berlin became not a city split between East and West Germany, but a free state all its own—a safe haven for gays and lesbians worldwide (sucker for alternative history, here). Set in the grand old year of 1998, the novel follows the dual storylines of William and Gareth, teenage gay English runaways, and Cissy, a het mom of two (also sucker for dual storylines). Divided into different districts for young twinks, hairy bears, career-driven lesbians, lipstick lesbians, and every other take-it-back, LG stereotype you can imagine, Berlin has a gay language (total sucker for made-up, alt-world slang), a formal history, and . . . notice that’s “LG,” not LGBTQIAP+?
But Berlin’s real unrest comes from those excluded from gay society: the BTQIAP+ people, who are relegated to their own slum, denied rights, and J. K. Rowlinged as “not real women/men.” Bisexuality and polyamory’s illegal. William, Gareth, and Cissy, swept up in Berlin’s identity politics, have to decide who they are, and what sacrifices they’ll make to find and keep those identities.
One of this book’s strengths lies in its amazing world-building. I’ll admit it: hand me a well-done, not-really-a-dystopia but not-really-a-utopia and I’ll give it extra brownie points. But Proud Pink Sky’s especially well done, with a believable history and a glossary. Oh yeah, I believe in Berlin. I want to go to Berlin. The bridge sections written as travel guides are *chef’s kiss*, and details as simple as pedestrian reactions sew up as real.
Proud Pink Sky’s other strength lies in its characters, who leap off the page. Gareth and Williams begin as adorbs little gay runaways and develop through character arcs as believable as Berlin. I think I’ve met Cissy. I think I may be Cissy, or at the very least I can step into her so easily I’d believe it. Other characters are huggable or hateable or bartender-y or protester-stoner-y or maybe-she-was-a-prostitute-y as they need to be, achingly believably so—yet Barrett never drags them down to tropes. I think I’m in love with a leaflet-distributing, German political activist girl now. Thanks, Redfern.
I almost-maybe-sort-of saw the denouement coming, but it was no less (redacted) for it. But that was the only thing I saw coming in this novel. I finished it two days after I got it in my greedy little paws. Pick this up, or live with your regrets.
Random observations:
No Bowie in gay Berlin?! I get it, he’s bi, and he never wrote “Heroes,” but I don’t know if I can live in a world without Low.
Did we have to name the het girl “Cissy”?!
I know the Polari word for “precum” and did I need that in my life? I’m genuinely unsure (It’s only in the glossary. Yes, I read the whole thing. I’m a nerd.).
It’s refreshing to see polyamory depicted by someone living in a polyamorous relationship—Barrett neither glorifies nor sexualizes it. Thank you.
Overall verdict: Read it or regret it.
Proud Pink Sky posits that post-WWII, Berlin became not a city split between East and West Germany, but a free state all its own—a safe haven for gays and lesbians worldwide (sucker for alternative history, here). Set in the grand old year of 1998, the novel follows the dual storylines of William and Gareth, teenage gay English runaways, and Cissy, a het mom of two (also sucker for dual storylines). Divided into different districts for young twinks, hairy bears, career-driven lesbians, lipstick lesbians, and every other take-it-back, LG stereotype you can imagine, Berlin has a gay language (total sucker for made-up, alt-world slang), a formal history, and . . . notice that’s “LG,” not LGBTQIAP+?
But Berlin’s real unrest comes from those excluded from gay society: the BTQIAP+ people, who are relegated to their own slum, denied rights, and J. K. Rowlinged as “not real women/men.” Bisexuality and polyamory’s illegal. William, Gareth, and Cissy, swept up in Berlin’s identity politics, have to decide who they are, and what sacrifices they’ll make to find and keep those identities.
One of this book’s strengths lies in its amazing world-building. I’ll admit it: hand me a well-done, not-really-a-dystopia but not-really-a-utopia and I’ll give it extra brownie points. But Proud Pink Sky’s especially well done, with a believable history and a glossary. Oh yeah, I believe in Berlin. I want to go to Berlin. The bridge sections written as travel guides are *chef’s kiss*, and details as simple as pedestrian reactions sew up as real.
Proud Pink Sky’s other strength lies in its characters, who leap off the page. Gareth and Williams begin as adorbs little gay runaways and develop through character arcs as believable as Berlin. I think I’ve met Cissy. I think I may be Cissy, or at the very least I can step into her so easily I’d believe it. Other characters are huggable or hateable or bartender-y or protester-stoner-y or maybe-she-was-a-prostitute-y as they need to be, achingly believably so—yet Barrett never drags them down to tropes. I think I’m in love with a leaflet-distributing, German political activist girl now. Thanks, Redfern.
I almost-maybe-sort-of saw the denouement coming, but it was no less (redacted) for it. But that was the only thing I saw coming in this novel. I finished it two days after I got it in my greedy little paws. Pick this up, or live with your regrets.
Random observations:
No Bowie in gay Berlin?! I get it, he’s bi, and he never wrote “Heroes,” but I don’t know if I can live in a world without Low.
Did we have to name the het girl “Cissy”?!
I know the Polari word for “precum” and did I need that in my life? I’m genuinely unsure (It’s only in the glossary. Yes, I read the whole thing. I’m a nerd.).
It’s refreshing to see polyamory depicted by someone living in a polyamorous relationship—Barrett neither glorifies nor sexualizes it. Thank you.
Overall verdict: Read it or regret it.
March 14, 2023
It takes a lot of talent to world-build an entirely different timeline where Berlin became the lesbian and gay city-state, the rest of the world never really had watershed moments of queer activism or progress (or only had lesser versions thereof), and the ongoing migration of gay and lesbian people to that one place where they aren't just accepted, but the norm has fallout throughout the world (though we only really get to see it through the lens of an even-more-queerphobic UK and a US that's all the more stuck in the 50's nuclear family "ideal") and sets the stage for this story, which follows a few characters as they explore different sides of this "wonderful" and find it—just as often as not—far from wonderful.
I think the singular fulcrum of where you'll land with Proud Pink Sky is in that exploration. I freaking loved how Proud Pink Sky takes the dangers of respectability politics, alongside the bi-erasure, the hostility and ignorance around polyamory, the internal trans-hate within the queer community, and the focus on false binaries, all from within our real-world queer movements, and plays them out on this stage. This Berlin is only really better if you're a certain kind of queer, and while by no means is this subtle, I think I liked how Barrett's decision to go so glaringly, blazingly, 'Look at how awful this shit is!' while counterbalancing that with just enough moments of characters who don't fit finding their own places and ways among the ruins and smaller places, which is so often the present-day, real-world queer existence.
I'm glad this one is out in the world, and I hope it does well. I also hope queer readers (and especially cis, homosexual queer readers) maybe get a little uncomfortable if they're already the sort who still somehow think 'it will be okay if we show them we're just like them' is a valid way forward, rather than the self-defeating, harmful disaster it is.
Also, can I just snort-laugh one more time at a character's name being Cissie? Because snort-laugh.
(As an aside, I truly appreciated the polari glossary at the end of the book—and Barrett's evolution thereof—but really, really wished I'd had a physical copy of the book to be able to flip back-and-forth on that front. This book was the most I've ever used the bookmark feature in my ereader.)
I think the singular fulcrum of where you'll land with Proud Pink Sky is in that exploration. I freaking loved how Proud Pink Sky takes the dangers of respectability politics, alongside the bi-erasure, the hostility and ignorance around polyamory, the internal trans-hate within the queer community, and the focus on false binaries, all from within our real-world queer movements, and plays them out on this stage. This Berlin is only really better if you're a certain kind of queer, and while by no means is this subtle, I think I liked how Barrett's decision to go so glaringly, blazingly, 'Look at how awful this shit is!' while counterbalancing that with just enough moments of characters who don't fit finding their own places and ways among the ruins and smaller places, which is so often the present-day, real-world queer existence.
I'm glad this one is out in the world, and I hope it does well. I also hope queer readers (and especially cis, homosexual queer readers) maybe get a little uncomfortable if they're already the sort who still somehow think 'it will be okay if we show them we're just like them' is a valid way forward, rather than the self-defeating, harmful disaster it is.
Also, can I just snort-laugh one more time at a character's name being Cissie? Because snort-laugh.
(As an aside, I truly appreciated the polari glossary at the end of the book—and Barrett's evolution thereof—but really, really wished I'd had a physical copy of the book to be able to flip back-and-forth on that front. This book was the most I've ever used the bookmark feature in my ereader.)
March 14, 2023
Exploring Queer history
Berlin author Redfern Jon Barrett, born in England and educated in Wales, earned his PhD in Literature from Swansea University and in addition to writing acclaimed novels and short stories is active in campaigning for LGBTQ and polyamory rights. PROUD PINK SKY is the second novel from this gifted writer.
Barrett’s flowing prose illuminates aspects of the world gay people inhabit, allowing inspection and admiration and understanding as depicted in a fantasy Berlin. As the synopsis capsulises: ‘A glittering gay metropolis of 24 million people, Berlin is a bustling world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and even an official gay language. Its distant radio broadcasts are a lifeline for teenagers William and Gareth, who flee toward sanctuary. But is there a place for them in the deeply divided city? Meanwhile, young mother Cissie loves Berlin’s towering high rises and chaotic multiculturalism, yet she’s never left her heterosexual district—not until she and her family are trapped in a queer riot. With her husband Howard plunging into religious paranoia, she discovers a walled-off slum of perpetual twilight, home to the city’s forbidden trans residents. As William and Cassie personal journeys lead them to increasingly identify with Berlin’s outsiders and underclass, the city’s tensions, inequalities and contradictions explode into violence and a looming civil war in which each of them will play their part.’
Clearly Barrett is a rising star in LGBTQ literature, a luminous presence to follow closely. Recommended on many levels
Berlin author Redfern Jon Barrett, born in England and educated in Wales, earned his PhD in Literature from Swansea University and in addition to writing acclaimed novels and short stories is active in campaigning for LGBTQ and polyamory rights. PROUD PINK SKY is the second novel from this gifted writer.
Barrett’s flowing prose illuminates aspects of the world gay people inhabit, allowing inspection and admiration and understanding as depicted in a fantasy Berlin. As the synopsis capsulises: ‘A glittering gay metropolis of 24 million people, Berlin is a bustling world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and even an official gay language. Its distant radio broadcasts are a lifeline for teenagers William and Gareth, who flee toward sanctuary. But is there a place for them in the deeply divided city? Meanwhile, young mother Cissie loves Berlin’s towering high rises and chaotic multiculturalism, yet she’s never left her heterosexual district—not until she and her family are trapped in a queer riot. With her husband Howard plunging into religious paranoia, she discovers a walled-off slum of perpetual twilight, home to the city’s forbidden trans residents. As William and Cassie personal journeys lead them to increasingly identify with Berlin’s outsiders and underclass, the city’s tensions, inequalities and contradictions explode into violence and a looming civil war in which each of them will play their part.’
Clearly Barrett is a rising star in LGBTQ literature, a luminous presence to follow closely. Recommended on many levels
May 10, 2023
A great opening, a killer finale. If the middle bit had been as engaging and exciting, it’d have netted five stars. While slightly outside of my comfort zone (it's not sci-fi), this book managed to capture me, and had me stay up late, well past my bedtime, to find out what would happen next.
Within any community that seems united and strong from the outside, there are fissures along the fault lines where the personalities of its members meet. In this case, the author, inspired by his own experiences, extrapolates and exaggerates these fault lines in the QUILTBAG+ community.
I’m not going to beat around the bushes, this book had a disconcerting effect on me. While I have been acutely aware of such fissures within other communities, I had not noticed them in the QUILTBAG+ world. Perhaps I have not immersed myself enough to have done so, but in hindsight (and after a bit of back-and-forth with the author on the fediverse), it should not come as a surprise. People are going to be people.
As such, this is an interesting exploration of a very poignant aspect of human nature, and it’s done in an alternate history that at first seems utopian, but turns out to have a dystopian side to it. An ambitopia, to quote the author. In keeping with that concept, the ending isn’t a ‘happily ever after’. But that’s OK, that’s life.
Rumour has it that there will be more by this author in the reality of Proud Pink Sky, and I’m looking forward to it.
Within any community that seems united and strong from the outside, there are fissures along the fault lines where the personalities of its members meet. In this case, the author, inspired by his own experiences, extrapolates and exaggerates these fault lines in the QUILTBAG+ community.
I’m not going to beat around the bushes, this book had a disconcerting effect on me. While I have been acutely aware of such fissures within other communities, I had not noticed them in the QUILTBAG+ world. Perhaps I have not immersed myself enough to have done so, but in hindsight (and after a bit of back-and-forth with the author on the fediverse), it should not come as a surprise. People are going to be people.
As such, this is an interesting exploration of a very poignant aspect of human nature, and it’s done in an alternate history that at first seems utopian, but turns out to have a dystopian side to it. An ambitopia, to quote the author. In keeping with that concept, the ending isn’t a ‘happily ever after’. But that’s OK, that’s life.
Rumour has it that there will be more by this author in the reality of Proud Pink Sky, and I’m looking forward to it.
May 8, 2023
What if there was a gay state as a sanctuary in a homophobic world? That’s a question that Redfern Barrett poses in Proud Pink Sky. Berlin is the location, and the city is sprawling with vertical developments and districts divided into subcultures - visit Twinkstadt, Paw or Diesel today! The book is written partly in the Polari dialect prevalent there, and there’s a glossary and timeline included to bring you up to speed with Berlin’s alternate history.
The city is a brilliant canvas for Barrett to turn contemporary queer issues into geopolitics, chipping away at the sheen to reveal a deep divide and a despised minority within a minority - those who refuse the state’s strict marriage laws and gender binaries. The pressure grows as Barrett sensitively explores the consequences of a place built on desperation and unity shunning those that don’t fit in.
The book’s greatest asset is its residents - a young couple escaping small-town homophobia, a curious housewife eager to explore beyond the city’s minority heterosexual district. They are complex people who you’ll begin to care deeply for, and their stories interweave as they explore the city and themselves.
This is for anyone who dreams of a better place and a warning against pulling the ladder up when you get there. A refreshing, engaging and incredibly timely novel.
The city is a brilliant canvas for Barrett to turn contemporary queer issues into geopolitics, chipping away at the sheen to reveal a deep divide and a despised minority within a minority - those who refuse the state’s strict marriage laws and gender binaries. The pressure grows as Barrett sensitively explores the consequences of a place built on desperation and unity shunning those that don’t fit in.
The book’s greatest asset is its residents - a young couple escaping small-town homophobia, a curious housewife eager to explore beyond the city’s minority heterosexual district. They are complex people who you’ll begin to care deeply for, and their stories interweave as they explore the city and themselves.
This is for anyone who dreams of a better place and a warning against pulling the ladder up when you get there. A refreshing, engaging and incredibly timely novel.
June 29, 2023
I like this book for the inventiveness of its world, for the queer counterfactual history it presents and for the political aspect that even a minority can discriminate against smaller minorities once it becomes a majority. But then, sadly, the story is predictable, the characters as well. Oh, he's the one from the young gay couple who wants to experiment with gender, oh and the other one if furious about it. Oh here is the straight woman who accidently gets involved with the trans queer community and joins their fight.
Major character developments are poorly narrated, sadly sadly, there just lacks flesh to the bones. And I feel very itchy about the eradication of the "real" Berlin. There is a completely new city in lieu of it, the lakes remain, but nothing of its architecture, streets, anything else, just highly segregated districts for bears, twinks, butches etc. It's all nice and interesting as a concept, as a draft maybe, but sadly not convincing as a novel.
Major character developments are poorly narrated, sadly sadly, there just lacks flesh to the bones. And I feel very itchy about the eradication of the "real" Berlin. There is a completely new city in lieu of it, the lakes remain, but nothing of its architecture, streets, anything else, just highly segregated districts for bears, twinks, butches etc. It's all nice and interesting as a concept, as a draft maybe, but sadly not convincing as a novel.
December 25, 2023
2.5 round up
Imaginative speculative/alternate-reality fiction that excels at world building but disappoints at character development. One of those novels that begins with several characters but then really only follows two and leaves the more interesting characters on the sidelines.
I would rather have read about what Gareth was thinking and doing than William's whining and ineffectual exploring. Similarly Howard's story arc (which all happens off the page) would have been much more compelling, albeit crazed, than reading page after page about Cissie who seemed to be recklessly and repeatedly escaping from one near-death experience to another with a toddler in each hand. We're supposed to have empathy for this character?
Interest rating by character:
Gareth 8
Howard 6
Cissie 2
William 0
The book focuses on Cissie and William.
Imaginative speculative/alternate-reality fiction that excels at world building but disappoints at character development. One of those novels that begins with several characters but then really only follows two and leaves the more interesting characters on the sidelines.
I would rather have read about what Gareth was thinking and doing than William's whining and ineffectual exploring. Similarly Howard's story arc (which all happens off the page) would have been much more compelling, albeit crazed, than reading page after page about Cissie who seemed to be recklessly and repeatedly escaping from one near-death experience to another with a toddler in each hand. We're supposed to have empathy for this character?
Interest rating by character:
Gareth 8
Howard 6
Cissie 2
William 0
The book focuses on Cissie and William.
December 16, 2024
I LOVED this concept and world building.
There are the characters and their stories, and there are also excerpts from (fictional) pamphlets and news of the locations and the culture, and the way this was done just made my brain so very happy.
I could easily see this book as a film or series. The pictures painted were so clear in my mind. (I imagined the soundtrack would be Atomic Blonde meets 24 Hour Party People.) The commentary on LGBT culture is presented in a fictional alt setting, hits hard and is cleverly done. I don't want to spoil too much, but this is certainly one of those books I'll think about for a long time and definitely come back to. I'll be on the lookout for a hard copy.
I'm so glad I found it, the pretty cover caught my eye and I'm a sucker for Berlin settings.
This book is unique and one of my top reads of the year.
Recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are the characters and their stories, and there are also excerpts from (fictional) pamphlets and news of the locations and the culture, and the way this was done just made my brain so very happy.
I could easily see this book as a film or series. The pictures painted were so clear in my mind. (I imagined the soundtrack would be Atomic Blonde meets 24 Hour Party People.) The commentary on LGBT culture is presented in a fictional alt setting, hits hard and is cleverly done. I don't want to spoil too much, but this is certainly one of those books I'll think about for a long time and definitely come back to. I'll be on the lookout for a hard copy.
I'm so glad I found it, the pretty cover caught my eye and I'm a sucker for Berlin settings.
This book is unique and one of my top reads of the year.
Recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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