Suggestions for Tumblr's next book club
With Dracula Daily on the horizon again, I've been pondering what other out-of-copyright novels we might like to consider reading very slowly. Here are my ideas! And if any of them already exist, lmk.
North and South
Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
Year of publication: 1854-55
Length: 185,000 words, 52 chapters. So we could have a chapter weekly for a full year.
Summary: Margaret Hale is forced to leave the rural south of England and settle in the rough, industrial north. There she clashes with mill-owner John Thornton over his treatment of his workers...
Why Tumblr would like it: Enemies to Lovers! Class struggle! Fascinating historical context! Honestly, it's a great read.
Evelina
Author: Fanny Burney
Year of publication: 1778
Length: 157,000 words in 84 letters. That's right, it's epistolary, and the letters are almost all sent March to October of the same year, so we could read this one in true Dracula Daily fashion.
Summary: Evelina is the sheltered daughter of an aristocrat trying to make her way in the world of late 18th-century society.
Why Tumblr would like it: Evelina is a likeable, relatable character. I think it'd be fun to get emails from her.
The Well of Loneliness
Author: Radclyffe Hall
Year of publication: 1928
Length: 158,000 words in 56 chapters.
Summary: The story of Stephen Gordon, a girl who realises at an early age that she's a lesbian, and her attempts to find love in the early 20th century.
Why Tumblr would like it: It's one of the most iconic lesbian novels of the 20th century!
The War of the Worlds
Author: HG Wells
Year of publication: 1897
Length: 63,000 words in 27 chapters.
Summary: Alien invaders land from Mars and fuck up the south of England.
Why Tumblr would like it: Alien invaders land from Mars and fuck up the south of England, come on, what's not to like?
The Moonstone
Author: Wilkie Collins
Year of publication: 1868
Length: 200,000 words (so a bit of a marathon) in 51 chapters.
Summary: A young English woman inherits a large Indian diamond of dubious provenance on her 18th birthday. Then it gets stolen!
Why Tumblr would like it: One of the first detective novels, and supposed to be one of the best, it's a page turner with lots of suspense, twists and cliffhanger endings.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Author: Agatha Christie
Year of publication: 1920
Length: 60,000 words in 13 chapters.
Summary: The first murder mystery starring Hercule Poirot.
Why Tumblr would like it: Look, you liked Glass Onion, right? And if you like this, Agatha Christie's novels are emerging from copyright at the rate of about two per year.
Les Misérables
Author: Victor Hugo
Year of publication: 1862
Length: 570,000 words in the English translation (ouch) in 365 chapters.
Summary: A vast, sweeping story of poverty, justice and revolution in early 19th century France.
Why Tumblr would like it: Well, if you thought Moby Dick didn't have enough digressions...
The Canterbury Tales
Author: Geoffrey Chaucer
Year of publication: 1387-1400
Length: 24 stories averaging 700 lines each.
Summary: Some pilgrims are heading to Canterbury. They tell one another stories to pass the time. These are their stories.
Why Tumblr would like it: I mean, there's a reason we still read these 600 years later. They're a fascinating insight into medieval life, but they're also - for the most part - just good fun.
If you love any of these suggestions and would really like to see it take off, reblog to help make it happen.
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Really don't understand why people keep saying that Remus didn't love tonks truly. I think he did but ppl around keep saying that he's coded as gay?
Hmm I think I'm not the best person to ask this because I have different views on the concept of love. I'm very open-minded about it and believe anything is possible in our world.
But I’m just wondering. What does true love means? Last year, my mate divorced his wife after 8 years of marriage because he realised he's gay (he's gay, not bi, because he said so. Period.) Did he not love her during those years? Or did he love her, but not truly? Where is the line between true love and "fake" love? Why is everything so simple in fandom? Life is definitely not that simple.
Regarding made-up "gay coding", it's really filled with a lot of bi-erasure. Bi-erasure is a reality, not a fiction, and it's embedded in our culture. Bi people are "not gay enough," so they are often overlooked (and also not straight enough). People often forget that a man can be bi, attracted 90% to men and just 10% to women or other genders. He doesn't become gay because of this. There are bi men who have never dated women or other genders, but they know they are bi.
And people often use the metaphor of lycanthropy-HIV for gay Remus, but this argument doesn't work because the HIV epidemic of the 80s was always associated with both gay and bisexual men. HIV is a story first written on the bodies of Gay and Bisexual men. So yeah, it’s bi-erasure. Moreover, "bisexuals have become the easiest group to blame in the spread of HIV between the gay and straight populations. Bisexuals have been stereotyped by straights as duplicitous, closeted men who participate in sex with other men and then bring home disease to their wives". Hmm... who in the books are accused of spreading disease to "normal" people? Isn't it the werewolves?
Bisexuality is an often invisible identity. Heterosexual and homosexual communities contribute to bisexual erasure, acting in concert to protect a binary system that is complicated and disrupted by the possibility and presence of bisexuality. Contemporary cultural norms and “pop science” demonstrate the acceptance of two types of partner choice—heterosexual and homosexual—whereas the bisexual person is made virtually invisible. A historical analysis reveals that our modern categories of sexuality came into existence as recently as the 19th century, and that the selection of gender of object choice as the salient feature of sexuality was not accidental, but rather it developed out of pressure to reinforce the sexual binary between men and women. When a literary character engages in sexual acts with members of both sexes, the character's sexual orientation is most often interpreted within the framework of our hetero–homosexual binary, even by the queer community as demonstrated in an analysis of literary criticism surrounding Jeanette Winterson's Written on the Body and Radclyffe Hall's Well of Loneliness. Read more
Well, overall I try to stay detached from bi-erasure in fandom. There isn’t much that can really hurt me now, including bi-erasure online, but bi-erasure in real life is part of my story. Bi-erasure exists not just in fandom (which isn’t a big part of my life and I only joined recently), it exists in real life too. I knew I was bi from the age of 13 (well, actually, around 14-15 I thought I was a lesbian because my only loves at that time were girls), and I’ve spent a big part of my life as bi. In the past, I felt ashamed in front of some lesbians and straights, as if something was wrong with me, but can I change my sexuality? I know some bi people who, because of traumatic past experiences, prefer to surround themselves with other bi people. Not to mention the myth of straight-passing privilege. Bi people are marginalised not just among straight people but also within the LGBT+ community. Bi, trans people or people of any other sexuality (+) are considered outcasts.
So, many people take a character who in the original story married a woman, and label him as gay, finding "evidence" for it. They say it's not bi-erasure. If this isn't bi-erasure, then what is bi-erasure?
As I've already said, I am open to any interpretation. And in one fanfic, I write Remus as gay. Because that's what I want. But I don’t find "evidence" for this. I just decided that he's gay, and I interpret the rest of his story through this lens.
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Queer Book List
I've just updated my complete list of LGBT+ novels ever read (as far as I can remember). Not including short story collections, comics, non-fiction, or things I've completely forgotten.
I'm not including books where a main character's sexuality was only implied (it's got to be clear on the page), and this list contains queer main and secondary characters only, not background characters that play little part in the story.
I don't read a lot of Young Adult, so assume these are all adult-oriented unless otherwise stated.
I'm not judging nor rating nor recommending any of these; it's purely a list of books I've finished.
True Colors #1: Conventionally Yours, by Annabeth Albert
gay male main characters, romance, happy ending
The Geek Who Saved Christmas, by Annabeth Albert
gay male main characters, romance, happy ending
Perfect Harmony #2: Love Me Tenor, by Annabeth Albert
gay male main character, gay male side characters, romance, happy ending
Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl, by Hettie Bell
bisexual female main character, lesbian main character, romance, happy ending
Master of One, by Dani Bennett and Jaida Jones
gay male main characters, trans woman side character, high fantasy, unfinished series
Cesare Aldo #1: City of Vengeance, by D. V. Bishop
Cesare Aldo #2: The Darkest Sin, by D. V. Bishop
gay male main character, gay male side characters, mystery, historical, unfinished series
The Crow: The Lazarus Heart, by Poppy Z. Brite
gay male main character, trans woman main character, horror, unhappy ending - it's The Crow
Exquisite Corpse, by Poppy Z. Brite
gay male main characters, horror, unhappy ending
Lost Souls, by Poppy Z. Brite
gay male main characters, horror, I don't remember the ending
The Black Magician #2: The Novice, by Trudi Canavan
The Black Magician #3: The High Lord, by Trudi Canavan
gay male side characters, high fantasy, happy ending for the gay characters
The Hours, by Michael Cunningham
lesbian main characters, bisexual female main characters, general fiction, I don't remember the ending
Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand, by Samuel R. Delany
gay male main characters, science fiction, unfinished series
The High King's Golden Tongue, by Megan Derr
gay male main characters, romance, high fantasy, happy ending
Nightrunner Books #1: Luck in the Shadows, by Lynn Flewelling
Nightrunner Books #2: Stalking Darkness, by Lynn Flewelling
Nightrunner Books #3: Traitor's Moon, by Lynn Flewelling
gay male main characters, high fantasy, everyone is alive and well as of book 3, I haven't read the rest of the series
Reforged, by Seth Haddon
gay male main characters, high fantasy, happy ending
The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall
lesbian main character, historical classic, unhappy ending
Princesses #1: The Stepsister Scheme, by Jim C. Hines
Princesses #2: The Mermaid's Madness, by Jim C. Hines
Princesses #3: Red Hood's Revenge, by Jim C. Hines
lesbian main character, fantasy, fairy tale, everyone is alive and well as of book 3, I haven't read book 4 yet
Blood & Smoke #1 - Blood Books #1: Blood Price, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #2 - Blood Books #2: Blood Trail, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #3 - Blood Books #3: Blood Lines, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #4 - Blood Books #4: Blood Pact, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #5 - Blood Books #5: Blood Debt, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #6 - Smoke Series #1: Smoke and Shadows, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #7 - Smoke Series #2: Smoke and Mirrors, by Tanya Huff
Blood & Smoke #8 - Smoke Series #3: Smoke and Ashes, by Tanya Huff
bisexual male main character, gay male side character (main in the Smoke Books), low fantasy, humour, mostly happy ending
Torin Kerr #1: Confederation #1: Valor's Choice, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #2: Confederation #2: The Better Part of Valor, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #3: Confederation #3: The Heart of Valor, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #4: Confederation #4: Valor's Trial, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #5: Confederation #5: The Truth of Valor, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #6: Peacekeeper #1: An Ancient Peace, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #7: Peacekeeper #2: A Peace Divided, by Tanya Huff
Torin Kerr #8: Peacekeeper #3: The Privilege of Peace, by Tanya Huff
bisexual main characters, bisexual side characters, military space opera, humour, some queer characters survive, others do not - it's set during a war
Gale Girls #1: The Enchantment Emporium, by Tanya Huff
Gale Girls #2: The Wild Ways, by Tanya Huff
Gale Girls #3: The Future Falls, by Tanya Huff
bisexual main characters, bisexual side characters, low fantasy, humour, happy ending
Keeper's Chronicles #1: Summon the Keeper, by Tanya Huff
Keeper's Chronicles #2: The Second Summoning, by Tanya Huff
Keeper's Chronicles #3: Long Hot Summoning, by Tanya Huff
lesbian background character in books 1 & 2 becomes main in book 3, low fantasy, humour, happy ending
Quarters #1: Sing The Four Quarters, by Tanya Huff
Quarters #2: Fifth Quarter, by Tanya Huff
Quarters #3: No Quarter, by Tanya Huff
Quarters #4: The Quartered Sea, by Tanya Huff
bisexual main characters, bisexual side characters, high fantasy, humour, happy endings
The Fire's Stone, by Tanya Huff
gay male main character, bisexual male main character, asexual female main character, poly relationship, high fantasy, happy ending
The Silvered, by Tanya Huff
I don't remember, but considering it's Tanya Huff, probably everyone's bisexual, high fantasy, happy ending
Into the Broken Lands, by Tanya Huff
gay male main character, bisexual side characters, high fantasy, horror elements, mostly happy ending
The House in the Cerulean Sea, by T. J. Klune
gay male main characters, fairy tale, fantasy, happy ending
Angels in America, by Tony Kushner (play)
gay male main characters, play, drama, happy ending
The Last Herald-Mage #1: Magic's Pawn, by Mercedes Lackey
The Last Herald-Mage #2: Magic's Promise, by Mercedes Lackey
The Last Herald-Mage #3: Magic's Price, by Mercedes Lackey
gay male main characters, high fantasy, unhappy ending?
Bergman Brothers #5: Everything For You, by Chloe Liese
gay male main characters, sports romance, happy ending
Ash, by Malinda Lo
lesbian main character, fairy tale, young adult, I don't remember the ending
So This is Ever After, by F.T. Lukens
gay male main characters, young adult, romance, high fantasy, happy ending
Winter's Orbit, by Everina Maxwell
gay male main characters, science fiction, unfinished series
Lindsay Gordon Crime Series #6: Hostage to Murder, by V. L. McDermid (Val McDermid)
lesbian main character, mystery, happy ending, I haven't read the rest of the series
Trick of the Dark, by Val McDermid
lesbian main characters, lesbian side characters, mystery, I don't remember the ending
Iron Council, by China Miéville
gay male side character, dystopian fantasy, I don't remember the ending
Hero, by Perry Moore
gay male main characters, superheroes, young adult, happy ending
A Land Fit for Heroes #1: The Steel Remains, Richard K. Morgan
gay male main character, lesbian main character, high fantasy, I don't remember the ending and I haven't read the sequel
Love & Luck #5: Two Men and a Baby, by Isla Olsen
gay male main characters, gale male side characters, romance, happy ending
Captive Prince Series #1: Captive Prince, by C. S. Pacat
Captive Prince Series #2: Prince's Gambit, by C. S. Pacat
Captive Prince Series #3: Kings Rising, by C. S. Pacat
bisexual male main character, gay male main character, bisexual side characters, high fantasy/romance, happy ending
The Monkey's Mask, by Dorothy Porter
lesbian main character, bisexual female side character, poetry, mystery, complicated but satisfying ending
Wild Surmise, by Dorothy Porter
bisexual female main character, poetry, general fiction, I don't remember the ending
She Drives Me Crazy, by Kelly Quindlen
lesbian main characters, lesbian side characters, romance, young adult, happy ending
Cry to Heaven, by Anne Rice
bisexual male main character, historical, revenge story, happy ending
The Wolf Gift, by Anne Rice
gay male side character, low fantasy, happy ending
The Love Study #2: The Hate Project, by Kris Ripper
gay male main characters, gay male side character, genderqueer side character, romance, happy ending
Carry On Series #1: Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell
Carry On Series #2: Wayward Son, by Rainbow Rowell
bisexual male main character, gay male main character, low fantasy, young adult, everyone is alive and well as of book 2, I haven't read book 3 yet
Get Over It!, by Phillip Scott
gay male main characters, mystery, humour, I don't remember the ending
Christopher Marlowe Spy Thriller #1: The Queen's Gold, by Steven Veerapen
gay male main character, mystery, spy thriller, historical, unfinished series
Fingersmith, by Sarah Waters
lesbian main characters, historical, heist story, happy ending
Tipping the Velvet, by Sarah Waters
lesbian main characters, historical, happy ending
Running With Lions, by Julian Winters
gay male main characters, gay male side characters, young adult, sports romance, happy ending
The Stone Gods, by Jeanette Winterson
lesbian main characters, gay male main characters, ostensibly general fiction but actually more like speculative fiction, implied happy ending
Orlando, by Virginia Woolf
bisexual genderqueer main character, historical, I don't remember the ending
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