Editor's Pick Booklife Reviews: A fast-paced yet thoughtful romance of coming out and finding love in later life in Alaska
5 Star Clarion Reviews: A riveting novel . . . about love, courage, and solidarity
Kirkus Reviews: [A]n impressive story that packs a punch.
Trapped between a homicidal brother and a homophobic podcaster eager to reveal her lesbian romance novels, a seventy-year-old grandmother seeks help in Clear, Alaska.
Suffocating in a loveless marriage and lonely existence, Taylor MacKenzie lives only through her writing, using the pen name Brooke Skipstone, her best friend in college and lover before her death in 1974.
Afraid of being murdered before anyone in her family or community knows her life story, Taylor writes an autobiography about her time with Brooke and shares it with those closest to her, hoping for understanding and acceptance.
Accused of promoting the queering and debasement of America by a local podcaster, Taylor embroils the conservative community in controversy but fights back with the help of a new, surprising friend.
Can she endure the attacks from haters and gaslighters? Can she champion the queering she represents?
And will she survive?
Review :
Editor's Pick Booklife Reviews: A fast-paced yet thoughtful romance of coming out and finding love in later life in Alaska. [A]n emotionally thrilling romance roller coaster of love lost, new relationships found, and what it costs to live your truth, all set in conservative Alaska. . . With an urgent narrative that seamlessly transitions between past and present, and two strong protagonists driving the story forward, Skipstone weaves a relevant and exciting story for all audiences. The commentary on the political and personal ramifications of criminalizing being gay, lesbian, or anyone who doesn't fit within a normal cis-gender society really makes The Queering captivating from beginning to end. . . Skipstone's handling of gender, sexual preference, and love in later life are thoughtful and refreshing, making this story a rousing must-read.
5 Star Clarion Reviews: A riveting novel . . . A seventy-year-old closeted lesbian writer faces her past in Brooke Skipstone's intense, decades-spanning LGBTQ+ novel The Queering-a book about love, courage, and solidarity. . . [T]he book's pace is consistent, increasing in speed and intensity as events move Taylor toward an inevitable, terrifying confrontation.
A moving and compelling tale of a journey toward truth and personal liberation.Over the course of this novel, Skipstone's prose is propulsive, moving a rousing story from past to present at a fast clip. The characters are developed well, and their vivid personalities make them feel like real people. The author's firm grasp of LGBTQ+ issues and of the queer community's fight for equality is effectively amplified. As an antagonist, Levi comes across as appropriately frenzied and hateful, while Grace will strike readers as appealingly defiant. Overall, it's an impressive story that packs a punch. -Kirkus Reviews
Deeply evocative and consistently moving... Skipstone returns with this breathtaking story about one woman's journey to fulfillment and happiness . . . Skipstone easily gets the reader to root for her fully fleshed-out heroine: it's easy to invest in Taylor's two worlds-her haunting past and the turbulent present . . . Sexual tension between various characters is palpable, and the intertwined storylines wrap up with a satisfying ending. Skipstone pairs Taylor's poignant coming-of-age story with a deep dive into sexual identity and LGBTQ issues, homophobia, patriarchy, dysfunctional family dynamics, individual angst, the corrosive power of secrets, understanding, acceptance, courage, friendship, and the importance of human connection. This is a gem. - The Prairies Book Review
Brooke Skipstone's THE QUEERING skillfully blends together a wide range of elements-family dynamics, sexual orientation, homophobia, murder, and love-into a compelling story about one woman's journey to unveiling her true self and rediscovering her values. -IndieReader
