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Queeroes #1
Queeroes
When strange powers emerge in a group of gay teens in the town of Nuffim, their lives are forever changed. Troy is a closeted jock who starts to sense other people's emotions. His geeky brother, Gibbie, develops super strength. Flamboyant Chad unleashes his inner animal, while his gal pal Mandy turns invisible.
"I can totally use my power to psych out my competition," says Troy.
"My night vision will make cruising guys super easy," exclaims Chad.
"I am so going to eavesdrop on people's conversations," exclaims Mandy.
"Uh, I was thinking we'd make the world a better place," offers Gibbie.
They get the chance when their schoolmates Devon and Liza use their own unique abilities to remake the student body in a darker image.
"I can totally use my power to psych out my competition," says Troy.
"My night vision will make cruising guys super easy," exclaims Chad.
"I am so going to eavesdrop on people's conversations," exclaims Mandy.
"Uh, I was thinking we'd make the world a better place," offers Gibbie.
They get the chance when their schoolmates Devon and Liza use their own unique abilities to remake the student body in a darker image.
228 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2009
12 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Steven Bereznai
15 books61 followersBestselling, award-winning author, Steven Bereznai is known for writing speculative fiction that can be a little dark, but always fast, fun, and fierce. Drawing on his own experience as an Achillean neurodivergent outsider, his heroines and heroes often get beaten down, but, bruises and all, they find a way to stagger across the finish line.
For more on his GEN M series: www.GenerationManifestation.com
For more on his Queeroes series: www.Queeroes.ca
You can also connect with Steven here: www.StevenBereznai.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/stevenbereznai
Facebook: www.facebook.com/steven.bereznai
From Steven:
"I came out in my late teens and feeling like an outsider has deeply impacted my sensibility. I love writing that combines sass, heart, speculative fiction, and (where appropriate) abs. Basically, shows like Buffy, Teen Wolf and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power."
For more on his GEN M series: www.GenerationManifestation.com
For more on his Queeroes series: www.Queeroes.ca
You can also connect with Steven here: www.StevenBereznai.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/stevenbereznai
Facebook: www.facebook.com/steven.bereznai
From Steven:
"I came out in my late teens and feeling like an outsider has deeply impacted my sensibility. I love writing that combines sass, heart, speculative fiction, and (where appropriate) abs. Basically, shows like Buffy, Teen Wolf and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 16, 2013
Head hopping. Superficial skimming. Say what??
Honestly, I don’t know where to start. I don’t want to play the hate on you game, but I’m telling you, this book was SO not for me.
Part of the problem for me was the sheer amount of characters and lack of smooth transition from one crazy head to another. One page we are in the gay cheerleader's head and then the next in the geeky nerd's and then the next the popular jock’s head and it was…confusing to say the least. I felt as if I never really got to know any of the characters because it was overwhelmed with so many different point of views and there were too many in the crew to click solidly with any of them. Everything felt very superficial to me.
Then we have their superpowers. I am all for a good superhero book, but the creativity was lacking and quite frankly Devon’s power just creeped me the hell out. The tainted water (from experimental fluoridation!?!) was ridiculous and I can’t understand how only the half dozen high school kids were affected by it.
Next the drama…Oh my, oh my. It was simply ridiculous. I tried to enjoy the humor, but even that fell short for me. I found a great deal of the slang and dialogue offensive rather than amusing.
Then we went from bad to worse when Devon and then when he and THEN no words…really, I have no words.
And believe it or not the ‘worse’ became tragic for me when the popular football player firmly in the closet well, that did it for me. It was an ugly crash and burn….
I tried, truly I did, but this story made me cringe, my eyes roll on a continuous cycle, and my stomach lurch. I may have to seriously reconsider my DNF policy…
*2 ugh-so-not-for-me stars*
Honestly, I don’t know where to start. I don’t want to play the hate on you game, but I’m telling you, this book was SO not for me.
Part of the problem for me was the sheer amount of characters and lack of smooth transition from one crazy head to another. One page we are in the gay cheerleader's head and then the next in the geeky nerd's and then the next the popular jock’s head and it was…confusing to say the least. I felt as if I never really got to know any of the characters because it was overwhelmed with so many different point of views and there were too many in the crew to click solidly with any of them. Everything felt very superficial to me.
Then we have their superpowers. I am all for a good superhero book, but the creativity was lacking and quite frankly Devon’s power just creeped me the hell out. The tainted water (from experimental fluoridation!?!) was ridiculous and I can’t understand how only the half dozen high school kids were affected by it.
Next the drama…Oh my, oh my. It was simply ridiculous. I tried to enjoy the humor, but even that fell short for me. I found a great deal of the slang and dialogue offensive rather than amusing.
Then we went from bad to worse when Devon and then when he and THEN no words…really, I have no words.
And believe it or not the ‘worse’ became tragic for me when the popular football player firmly in the closet well, that did it for me. It was an ugly crash and burn….
I tried, truly I did, but this story made me cringe, my eyes roll on a continuous cycle, and my stomach lurch. I may have to seriously reconsider my DNF policy…
*2 ugh-so-not-for-me stars*
February 19, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of Queeroes in exchange for an honest review.
This really wasn't the book for me. There are so many different focal characters and their narration is indistinguishable so I was already really lost from the get go. Beyond that, the pacing and humour style really weren't for me and the plot was a huge let down. I was expecting a tongue in cheek queer empowering super hero book but it ended up being a really heavy-handed story that spends more time on queer suffering than queer empowerment.
This really wasn't the book for me. There are so many different focal characters and their narration is indistinguishable so I was already really lost from the get go. Beyond that, the pacing and humour style really weren't for me and the plot was a huge let down. I was expecting a tongue in cheek queer empowering super hero book but it ended up being a really heavy-handed story that spends more time on queer suffering than queer empowerment.
April 27, 2011
What a great tale! From the hot jock, to the nerd, to the male cheerleader, to the straight/gay/straight popular girl, I LOVED these characters (even the baddies)!! I thought this was going to be some fluff story about gay boys who become comic book heroes but it was nothing like that. Would be so much fun to see it made into a movie. X-Men can suck it!
April 24, 2011
This book is just fun. I was laughing all the way through it just loved all of these characters. Even the crazy bad guys were great for laughs.
If you want a light, funny read that isn’t overly sweet with a bit of romance and a lot of drama this is it.
Oh and they have some superpowers and stuff
If you want a light, funny read that isn’t overly sweet with a bit of romance and a lot of drama this is it.
Oh and they have some superpowers and stuff
June 6, 2023
There is something spectacular about a Pride book that pulls no punches. Queeroes is just that, an absorbing and compelling read that is at once gutwrenching, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and astonishingly gratifying. It is also, for a YA book, quite graphic in its Horror and in its descriptions. Still, the sense of poetic justice is astounding, and I readily surmised that, as well as the villains "getting theirs," (and not only the "main" villains); the "underdogs" (in the minority sense and also those who'd been bullied) won out [not 100% applicable but mostly]. The novel left me with a sense of hope for the future of the Characters, sometimes a difficult achievement in today's culture. I'm anticipating reading Book 2.
May 16, 2013
2.5 stars
This book was flat out whackytown. Don't pick it up if you're wanting complex character development or a sexy romance or anything that's not camp-satire.
The number one thing that drove me batshit crazy about it was the frequent mid-passage POV shifts with a complete lack of ANY transitional devices whatsoever. So, between that and the sheer number of characters involved in the story, things got confusing fairly often.
It was also just ridiculous about 75% of the time.
That said, it got 1 star for creativity - I actually really enjoyed the concept (it just lacked in execution).
It got a second star for the totally disturbing shit the bad guy did - there were no punches pulled, which was both completely off-putting and yet weirdly fascinating. It was like... . *shudder* Yeah, messed up.
The final half star was the thematic exploration of the (literal, in this case) horrors of high school bullying, teen identity crises, and the battle for both societal and self-acceptance. Arguably, they could have been handled better - I believe the author was intending this to be a satirical exploration of these issues, but it fell way short of its potential.
I can't say I recommend it, but I can't say I regret reading it, either.
This book was flat out whackytown. Don't pick it up if you're wanting complex character development or a sexy romance or anything that's not camp-satire.
The number one thing that drove me batshit crazy about it was the frequent mid-passage POV shifts with a complete lack of ANY transitional devices whatsoever. So, between that and the sheer number of characters involved in the story, things got confusing fairly often.
It was also just ridiculous about 75% of the time.
That said, it got 1 star for creativity - I actually really enjoyed the concept (it just lacked in execution).
It got a second star for the totally disturbing shit the bad guy did - there were no punches pulled, which was both completely off-putting and yet weirdly fascinating. It was like... . *shudder* Yeah, messed up.
The final half star was the thematic exploration of the (literal, in this case) horrors of high school bullying, teen identity crises, and the battle for both societal and self-acceptance. Arguably, they could have been handled better - I believe the author was intending this to be a satirical exploration of these issues, but it fell way short of its potential.
I can't say I recommend it, but I can't say I regret reading it, either.
June 29, 2021
My feelings about this kind of bounced around as I read. There are a lot of main characters and we switch points of view constantly and without warning. This made it difficult to follow along with the story, especially at the beginning since I didn't know who was who yet. I also thought the characters were a bit ridiculous and felt like cartoon characters instead of real people. Once I accepted that this is more of a parody, I enjoyed myself a lot more.
There are four 'Queeroes' in the story: Troy the closeted jock, Gibbie his nerdy, gay younger brother, Chad a somewhat shallow cheerleader, and Mandy his best friend. I didn't like Mandy, she was selfish and mean and did some stupid things. I could've done without her character for sure. Gibbie is pretty adorable and his crush on Chad is cute.
There are also two villains; Devon is a loner who role plays as a vampire and Liza is constantly bullied by kids at school. Easy to see how they turn to using power for evil. I didn't think they were as developed as the others and I think having more backstory for them would have been nice.
Go into this with a lighthearted attitude and you'll enjoy it more. It's a quick read with plenty of funny moments to keep you entertained.
There are four 'Queeroes' in the story: Troy the closeted jock, Gibbie his nerdy, gay younger brother, Chad a somewhat shallow cheerleader, and Mandy his best friend. I didn't like Mandy, she was selfish and mean and did some stupid things. I could've done without her character for sure. Gibbie is pretty adorable and his crush on Chad is cute.
There are also two villains; Devon is a loner who role plays as a vampire and Liza is constantly bullied by kids at school. Easy to see how they turn to using power for evil. I didn't think they were as developed as the others and I think having more backstory for them would have been nice.
Go into this with a lighthearted attitude and you'll enjoy it more. It's a quick read with plenty of funny moments to keep you entertained.
August 21, 2018
This was a fun little story. A good editor would have helped tremendously. The entire over the top high school scene made the book almost believable.
December 29, 2021
Ummm...it wasn't GOOD?? But I still somehow want to read the sequel.... It was a pretty quick read, after all.
August 31, 2014
“Queeroes” is everything I love in a book ~ adventure, drama, romance, and superheroes. It’s a humorous look at high school life from all the cliques I remember in my own school. Troy is the popular jock, Mandy and Chad cheerleaders who form the basis for the school’s “in” crowd. Troy’s brother Gibbie is the nerdy geek whose interests include Dungeons and Dragons, comic books, and dodging bullies. Goth Devon wants nothing to do with his peers, while mousy Liza just wants to be heard.
When they come in contact with contaminated drinking water, all six students begin to exhibit superpowers that stem from some aspect of their personality. Troy keeps himself emotionally distant from others, so he develops the ability to hone in on other’s emotions. Gibbie, the proverbial 98 pound weakling, suddenly harnesses super-strength. Mandy, the girl who wants to be seen, can now become invisible. Chad, always in control, loses it by changing into a cat-like creature. Untouchable Devon now melds with whomever ~ or whatever ~ he comes in contact with, and silent Liza has the power to coerce others using her voice.
What I enjoyed most about the story was how the author created a believable scenario in which the superpowers appeared ~ the contaminant only affected gay men and straight women, though when Chad first suggests it only affects gays, Mandy’s reaction to the thought she might be a lesbian is really quite funny. There were a number of laugh out loud moments, particularly when Mandy decided to embrace her lesbianism whole-heartedly and pursued a relationship with Liza even though neither was interested in the other.
Of all the characters, Troy was my favorite. I knew from the first chapter he was closeted, and could feel the tension between him and his former best friend Jesse immediately. I knew exactly where things were headed between them, though I’ll admit I didn’t foresee Jesse’s final actions. He added a somber tone to an otherwise light-hearted story.
As you would expect with any superhero story, the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil. Troy, Mandy, Chad, and Gibbie band together against Devon and Liza, who want to rebel against the popular kids who always put them down. As a former high school outcast myself, I could sympathize with their motives, and I really felt for Liza, torn between doing the right thing and finding any form of affection. Devon uses her as much as he uses Gibbie and Chad to get what he sees as revenge on the rest of the student body.
I won’t give away the ending, but I’ll tell you this book kept me up late reading because I simply had to know what happened. It’s been a long time since a book has had me so hooked from the very first page, I literally couldn’t put it down. If you love superheroes as much as I do, and you’re a fan of gay romance and young adult fiction, you won’t be disappointed with Bereznai’s “Queeroes.” I’m anxiously awaiting a sequel!
When they come in contact with contaminated drinking water, all six students begin to exhibit superpowers that stem from some aspect of their personality. Troy keeps himself emotionally distant from others, so he develops the ability to hone in on other’s emotions. Gibbie, the proverbial 98 pound weakling, suddenly harnesses super-strength. Mandy, the girl who wants to be seen, can now become invisible. Chad, always in control, loses it by changing into a cat-like creature. Untouchable Devon now melds with whomever ~ or whatever ~ he comes in contact with, and silent Liza has the power to coerce others using her voice.
What I enjoyed most about the story was how the author created a believable scenario in which the superpowers appeared ~ the contaminant only affected gay men and straight women, though when Chad first suggests it only affects gays, Mandy’s reaction to the thought she might be a lesbian is really quite funny. There were a number of laugh out loud moments, particularly when Mandy decided to embrace her lesbianism whole-heartedly and pursued a relationship with Liza even though neither was interested in the other.
Of all the characters, Troy was my favorite. I knew from the first chapter he was closeted, and could feel the tension between him and his former best friend Jesse immediately. I knew exactly where things were headed between them, though I’ll admit I didn’t foresee Jesse’s final actions. He added a somber tone to an otherwise light-hearted story.
As you would expect with any superhero story, the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil. Troy, Mandy, Chad, and Gibbie band together against Devon and Liza, who want to rebel against the popular kids who always put them down. As a former high school outcast myself, I could sympathize with their motives, and I really felt for Liza, torn between doing the right thing and finding any form of affection. Devon uses her as much as he uses Gibbie and Chad to get what he sees as revenge on the rest of the student body.
I won’t give away the ending, but I’ll tell you this book kept me up late reading because I simply had to know what happened. It’s been a long time since a book has had me so hooked from the very first page, I literally couldn’t put it down. If you love superheroes as much as I do, and you’re a fan of gay romance and young adult fiction, you won’t be disappointed with Bereznai’s “Queeroes.” I’m anxiously awaiting a sequel!
October 22, 2014
It was a fun read. You don't find many stories about Queer superheroes, so that made it interesting for me. If you just want to not think too much and enjoy a fun gay themed story, this book will be a good choice. Just don't expect a super high quality story or writing style. I also found that the characters weren't fleshed out enough and to close to stereotypes.
April 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. The main bad guy was dark and twisted, but he was still human. The heroes were still teenagers as well. They striggled with finding their place and their identity which made the book that much more relatable.
February 25, 2011
I totally loved this book!!!! Then again, I love a good superhero story. This was well-written, well-thought out and thoroughly enjoyable.
Wish there was a sequel.
Wish there was a sequel.
March 24, 2021
An afternoon at the mall changes the course of several teenagers' lives, as contaminated water sparks strange abilities. They'll have to learn to deal with them, and with each other, before their new powers tear them apart.
The tagline says fast, fun and sexy. It's certainly fast, parts of it are fun, and there's a lot of making out, so I guess it's sexy.
The speed is part of the problem. Everything happens so quickly, there's no chance to get to know anyone - not helped by the sudden changes of character perspective. I was quite a way in before I could remember which one was Troy and which one was Chad. The characters themselves go through huge changes very quickly as well; one character, based on thinking that the powers only come to gay people, completely changes their lifestyle despite, presumably, knowing who they're attracted to. Two characters who are bullies change, for no real reason, to be loose allies of the heroes. One character makes out with at least two others in quite a short space of time; to be fair, they may have an excuse, which I won't state here as it's a spoiler.
It's not awful. The matching of abilities to characters is clever, I could have read more of that, and the characters themselves, the little we get to know them, are good. I'll read the next book to find out what happens. This is basically Michael Grant Lite, and there's nothing wrong with that.
The tagline says fast, fun and sexy. It's certainly fast, parts of it are fun, and there's a lot of making out, so I guess it's sexy.
The speed is part of the problem. Everything happens so quickly, there's no chance to get to know anyone - not helped by the sudden changes of character perspective. I was quite a way in before I could remember which one was Troy and which one was Chad. The characters themselves go through huge changes very quickly as well; one character, based on thinking that the powers only come to gay people, completely changes their lifestyle despite, presumably, knowing who they're attracted to. Two characters who are bullies change, for no real reason, to be loose allies of the heroes. One character makes out with at least two others in quite a short space of time; to be fair, they may have an excuse, which I won't state here as it's a spoiler.
It's not awful. The matching of abilities to characters is clever, I could have read more of that, and the characters themselves, the little we get to know them, are good. I'll read the next book to find out what happens. This is basically Michael Grant Lite, and there's nothing wrong with that.
February 11, 2019
I am happy to say I was able to finish this book, though I felt really tempted to put it aside and never finish it.
What I liked about the book:
I liked the way everybody was paired with a least expected superpower - a jock with empathy, a trendy girl with invisibility, a nerd with superstrength, etc.
Also, I liked the premise of gay superheroes.
What I did not like:
The writing felt sloppy. I didn't really enjoy sentence like "the taller guy said" (I have no idea who is taller, thank you very much) or "the former wrestler scratched his head" (really??). Or the author's way of cutting a scene with all too popular: "Meanwhile, elsewhere..."
The Devon guy, aka the antagonist, was way too creepy. I like reading young adult fiction because it is usually not too grim. It was simple too over-the-top for my taste. Reading about what he did to people felt so disturbing I was on the verge of not finishing the book at all.
I also think I would have preferred if the superheroic business hadn't been taken that seriously.
Some of the point of views, especially those of the girls, felt fake.
And the grand finale was a comic book cliché (as could have been expected).
What I liked about the book:
I liked the way everybody was paired with a least expected superpower - a jock with empathy, a trendy girl with invisibility, a nerd with superstrength, etc.
Also, I liked the premise of gay superheroes.
What I did not like:
The writing felt sloppy. I didn't really enjoy sentence like "the taller guy said" (I have no idea who is taller, thank you very much) or "the former wrestler scratched his head" (really??). Or the author's way of cutting a scene with all too popular: "Meanwhile, elsewhere..."
The Devon guy, aka the antagonist, was way too creepy. I like reading young adult fiction because it is usually not too grim. It was simple too over-the-top for my taste. Reading about what he did to people felt so disturbing I was on the verge of not finishing the book at all.
I also think I would have preferred if the superheroic business hadn't been taken that seriously.
Some of the point of views, especially those of the girls, felt fake.
And the grand finale was a comic book cliché (as could have been expected).
February 21, 2018
I was expecting this to be the Pacific Rim of gay superhero YA--schlock that I love because it's so unabashedly schlocky. I was mildly disappointed, then, when it turned out to be genuinely good, brimming with humor and heart. Steven Bereznai uses stereotypes and cliches for laughs--not cheap, mean-spirited laughs, but genuine belly-laughs that skewer these stereotypes. The characters are smartly drawn and engrossing, the villains are complex and scary, and the only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was that I wanted more.
July 7, 2021
You have to expect a number of things with a title like this. Once I accepted where this was going, I found it to be highly entertaining.
There are some incredibly difficult topics discussed in the book, Bereznai does an incredible job not to make light of the subject, but to still cover it.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this. Once I got into the book I simply had to keep reading. I’d recommend this to anyone that likes reading LGBTQ+ stories, if you’re into superheroes, or you just enjoy things that are kind of campy - think the movie kick ass.
There are some incredibly difficult topics discussed in the book, Bereznai does an incredible job not to make light of the subject, but to still cover it.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this. Once I got into the book I simply had to keep reading. I’d recommend this to anyone that likes reading LGBTQ+ stories, if you’re into superheroes, or you just enjoy things that are kind of campy - think the movie kick ass.
September 30, 2023
This is fun. That's it. It's fun. Sometimes that's all you need to be. I liked the plot and the characters and I admit that it could just be because it features members of the LGBT+ community, but I know I plan to buy and read the sequel as well.
June 28, 2018
Literatura de ciencia ficción para adolescentes gay. Abunda en clichés pero es divertida.
February 13, 2020
It not too bad but I like it
August 31, 2021
excellent summer reading!, well written with very likeable characters and an interesting story.
June 28, 2023
Such a fun, fast paced and quick read. Can't wait to get ahold of the sequel.
April 6, 2010
Queeroes is a clever and humorous look at high school outcasts that suddenly gain superpowers. The plot is decent and offers some hilarious scenes and dialogue with interesting characters. The issues and problems all teenagers experience are still present to the changed teens so now there is an added level of drama to the mix. The narrative has some incredible high points but it also hits some low points, most especially with the melodramatic and idealistic ending. The story is clearly filled with life lessons and points about the treatment and mindset of those picked on and outcast kids from high school, which are largely successful even as they are blatant. However Queeroes is a fast paced read with some great charm that is worth reading.
The story is about a group of teenagers that develop super powers after drinking contaminated water. There are classic good guys and bad guys as each teen tries to figure out how to deal with their newfound powers. Some are inherently evil and hatch clichéd plots to kill people while others want to save the world. However life isn’t that easy for these teens as they still deal with unrequited crushes, emerging sexuality, identity crises, high school teasing, and a myriad of problems that plague all teens but seem magnified now.
The cast is rather large with half a dozen enhanced teens and a variety of regular teens that are mentioned and moved around the story. This is both good and bad as none of the characters are fully fleshed out due to such a big cast and fast paced story. Each of the teens seems to play off a typical stereotype from the Dungeons and Dragon nerd to the stoic jock, the Asian princess, flamboyant gay cheerleader, and so on. The characters do grow somewhat over the course of the story as each is changed forever by their powers. Some grow more comfortable in their skin, some go through identity and sexuality crises, and some develop new relationships. So the various teens do grow and mature over the course of the story but not without considerable setbacks and drama.
The story itself is very fast paced with a lot of witty dialogue and comic actions. For example, one of my favorite lines of the book when the nerd rushes over the house of his unrequited crush and worries how he’ll explain he knew the address:
Google Maps, he told himself. Just say Google Maps. It wasn’t stalking until there was a restraining order.
There are numerous other great one-liners and witty comments that make the story quick and enjoyable to read. The plot often reads very similar to a comic book as the teens with powers that turn evil feel very cliché with over the top actions. They are uninhibited and have no boundaries, seeking acceptance from each other while the good guys fight amongst themselves and struggle to define their powers within boundaries. The powers are interesting and fit well with each character lending a nice twist on the theme while some of the dialogue and scenes created are laugh out loud funny. A lot of the scenes have great charm and charisma with some recognizable elements. The story mostly manages to offer the life lessons on outcasts without being preachy even as these points are clear and very obvious.
Unfortunately the book takes a wrong turn with the ending that is incredibly melodramatic and over the top. The great evil plot is classic and predictable yet the way the good guys save the day is not only ridiculous but also here the life lessons are aggressively pushed. The long monologues and diatribes seem to reinforce the outcast theme to the point of redundancy and the final scene is idealistic and unnecessary. The story may be fictional and out to show outcasts and their emotions, yet always manages to evoke a sense of realism and honesty into the telling. Life is not immediately perfect for any of these teens and thus the ending seems to throw all of this away to give a perfect, happy ending that sits at odds with most of the story. In fact this kind of ruined the book in many ways for me and unfortunately left me with an unsatisfied feeling when I had enjoyed a good bit of the good up until then.
Queeroes is a good book with elements that will resonate with readers of all ages. The feelings of isolation and confusion are not unique to teenagers and the whimsy injected into the dialogue lightens what can be a dark story. The narrative isn’t always light and breezy and several difficult concepts and actions are tackled but the ideas and characters are thought provoking. While not wholly successful, in large part due to the ending, Queeroes is a good book that’s definitely worth reading.
The story is about a group of teenagers that develop super powers after drinking contaminated water. There are classic good guys and bad guys as each teen tries to figure out how to deal with their newfound powers. Some are inherently evil and hatch clichéd plots to kill people while others want to save the world. However life isn’t that easy for these teens as they still deal with unrequited crushes, emerging sexuality, identity crises, high school teasing, and a myriad of problems that plague all teens but seem magnified now.
The cast is rather large with half a dozen enhanced teens and a variety of regular teens that are mentioned and moved around the story. This is both good and bad as none of the characters are fully fleshed out due to such a big cast and fast paced story. Each of the teens seems to play off a typical stereotype from the Dungeons and Dragon nerd to the stoic jock, the Asian princess, flamboyant gay cheerleader, and so on. The characters do grow somewhat over the course of the story as each is changed forever by their powers. Some grow more comfortable in their skin, some go through identity and sexuality crises, and some develop new relationships. So the various teens do grow and mature over the course of the story but not without considerable setbacks and drama.
The story itself is very fast paced with a lot of witty dialogue and comic actions. For example, one of my favorite lines of the book when the nerd rushes over the house of his unrequited crush and worries how he’ll explain he knew the address:
Google Maps, he told himself. Just say Google Maps. It wasn’t stalking until there was a restraining order.
There are numerous other great one-liners and witty comments that make the story quick and enjoyable to read. The plot often reads very similar to a comic book as the teens with powers that turn evil feel very cliché with over the top actions. They are uninhibited and have no boundaries, seeking acceptance from each other while the good guys fight amongst themselves and struggle to define their powers within boundaries. The powers are interesting and fit well with each character lending a nice twist on the theme while some of the dialogue and scenes created are laugh out loud funny. A lot of the scenes have great charm and charisma with some recognizable elements. The story mostly manages to offer the life lessons on outcasts without being preachy even as these points are clear and very obvious.
Unfortunately the book takes a wrong turn with the ending that is incredibly melodramatic and over the top. The great evil plot is classic and predictable yet the way the good guys save the day is not only ridiculous but also here the life lessons are aggressively pushed. The long monologues and diatribes seem to reinforce the outcast theme to the point of redundancy and the final scene is idealistic and unnecessary. The story may be fictional and out to show outcasts and their emotions, yet always manages to evoke a sense of realism and honesty into the telling. Life is not immediately perfect for any of these teens and thus the ending seems to throw all of this away to give a perfect, happy ending that sits at odds with most of the story. In fact this kind of ruined the book in many ways for me and unfortunately left me with an unsatisfied feeling when I had enjoyed a good bit of the good up until then.
Queeroes is a good book with elements that will resonate with readers of all ages. The feelings of isolation and confusion are not unique to teenagers and the whimsy injected into the dialogue lightens what can be a dark story. The narrative isn’t always light and breezy and several difficult concepts and actions are tackled but the ideas and characters are thought provoking. While not wholly successful, in large part due to the ending, Queeroes is a good book that’s definitely worth reading.
December 29, 2016
Searching for something different, fun & funny, and a good quick read from start to finish? ‘Queeroes’ is what you’re looking for. Because of it’s ending, I’m hopeful that Steven Bereznai continues their story. I’m eager to return to this group to find out how their lives and powers develop. After drinking the contaminated yet unharmful bottled drinking water Etienne, the high schoolers gain super abilities. Knowing how responsible and mature teens can be, you already know they can handle their new found super powers in the right way. Yeah, right. Let the drama begin! The captain of the wrestling team is hiding in the closet in more ways than just with his sexuality. Torn between his former best friend Jesse and the son of the football coach, Troy Allstar develops empathic super powers. Not only can he feel what others are feeling, in addition he learns that he is able to make others feel their true feelings too. The skinny Dungeons & Dragons playing and Star Trek, (however The Next Generation is not dorky to watch according to Mandy‘s confession), watching little brother of Troy’s gains super strength. To stir the drama pot, Gibbie Allstar has a big crush on Chad, and he also doesn’t know that his older brother is gay. Chad Lenwick, the football coach’s son, is an out, flamboyant, hunky queen, and cheerleader, who physically transforms into a wild predator. The animal in him really shows, with fur, pointy ears, and cat-like eyes. Chad isn’t aware of Gibbie’s strong feelings for him. When the cheerleader makes out with Troy, things start to fall apart between Chad and his best friend Mandy. Mandy Kim, (not a fag hag), who does her best to make herself stand out and be noticed has the power to be invisible, and she can project a force field. What good is looking this good if no one can see you and appreciate it? What good is a group of new super heroes without super villains to battle against, right? The vengeful Liza keeps to herself and tries to hide behind her long hair and baggy clothes. She has the super power of sonic voice and singing people to sleep. It sounds weird and pathetic, but it can actually be quite handy at times. When she speaks, she really has something to say! The gothic vampire teen Devon Dedarling is the creepiest of them all. He melds himself with another person or thing and makes it into something new and different. Sometimes it is art, but most of the time it’s an abomination! Not only because of his super power, he is creepy because he accidentally kills his mother, and shows no remorse. Because of his true hatred for her, he is a monster. As these teens learn to be comfortable with their own sexuality, and as old walls and barriers come down between them, bullies, and popularity, they learn to work together as a team for the greater good. Troy knowing the secrets that others keep to themselves, and with the wild cat inside Chad, the football team has a real chance to go to state for the first time in ten years. More importantly, who ends up with who? Does Troy come out and stay out? Will he reunite with Jesse or steal his little brother’s true love, Chad away? Is Mandy really a lesbian, and will she remain friends with Chad, continuing to be her token homo? Will Liza see the murderous dark in Devon, come out from hiding, and keep herself open to be loved? Alternatively, will she stay with Devon, and fulfill his plan to not only kill the Queeroes, but also destroy the school with them?
March 1, 2016
Searching for something different, fun & funny, and a good quick read from start to finish? ‘Queeroes’ is what you’re looking for. Because of it’s ending, I’m hopeful that Steven Bereznai continues their story. I’m eager to return to this group to find out how their lives and powers develop. After drinking the contaminated yet unharmful bottled drinking water Etienne, the high schoolers gain super abilities. Knowing how responsible and mature teens can be, you already know they can handle their new found super powers in the right way. Yeah, right. Let the drama begin! The captain of the wrestling team is hiding in the closet in more ways than just with his sexuality. Torn between his former best friend Jesse and the son of the football coach, Troy Allstar develops empathic super powers. Not only can he feel what others are feeling, in addition he learns that he is able to make others feel their true feelings too. The skinny Dungeons & Dragons playing and Star Trek, (however The Next Generation is not dorky to watch according to Mandy‘s confession), watching little brother of Troy’s gains super strength. To stir the drama pot, Gibbie Allstar has a big crush on Chad, and he also doesn’t know that his older brother is gay. Chad Lenwick, the football coach’s son, is an out, flamboyant, hunky queen, and cheerleader, who physically transforms into a wild predator. The animal in him really shows, with fur, pointy ears, and cat-like eyes. Chad isn’t aware of Gibbie’s strong feelings for him. When the cheerleader makes out with Troy, things start to fall apart between Chad and his best friend Mandy. Mandy Kim, (not a fag hag), who does her best to make herself stand out and be noticed has the power to be invisible, and she can project a force field. What good is looking this good if no one can see you and appreciate it? What good is a group of new super heroes without super villains to battle against, right? The vengeful Liza keeps to herself and tries to hide behind her long hair and baggy clothes. She has the super power of sonic voice and singing people to sleep. It sounds weird and pathetic, but it can actually be quite handy at times. When she speaks, she really has something to say! The gothic vampire teen Devon Dedarling is the creepiest of them all. He melds himself with another person or thing and makes it into something new and different. Sometimes it is art, but most of the time it’s an abomination! Not only because of his super power, he is creepy because he accidentally kills his mother, and shows no remorse. Because of his true hatred for her, he is a monster. As these teens learn to be comfortable with their own sexuality, and as old walls and barriers come down between them, bullies, and popularity, they learn to work together as a team for the greater good. Troy knowing the secrets that others keep to themselves, and with the wild cat inside Chad, the football team has a real chance to go to state for the first time in ten years. More importantly, who ends up with who? Does Troy come out and stay out? Will he reunite with Jesse or steal his little brother’s true love, Chad away? Is Mandy really a lesbian, and will she remain friends with Chad, continuing to be her token homo? Will Liza see the murderous dark in Devon, come out from hiding, and keep herself open to be loved? Alternatively, will she stay with Devon, and fulfill his plan to not only kill the Queeroes, but also destroy the school with them?
August 31, 2014
Finally a GLBT author who gets it! I read about Queeroes online and thought I'd give it a try. First let say that it was a hoot and great camp to enjoy something within the superhero genre that did not take itself to seriously. After reading Hero by the late Perry Moore, I was disappointed by the overall tone of a potential series. Now going back to Bereznai's characters, I love the different archetypes from the closeted jock, the queenie friend, the nerdy geek, and the pretty galpal and how they reluctantly are forced to work together when they all receive powers. I've noticed that there is sequel to this book so I'm going to have to check it. I hope the author continues the series.
November 17, 2010
A fast fun read that touches on the super powers theme. I kept hoping that it would develop deeper themes but it was an ok read for what it was.
It definately fits into what I'm quickly coming to think of as "post-gay" teen fiction. You know... books that deal with a universe where being gay is no bigger stigma than being a nerd or some other put-upon high school minority. In parts it reminded me of Boy Meets Boy
It definately fits into what I'm quickly coming to think of as "post-gay" teen fiction. You know... books that deal with a universe where being gay is no bigger stigma than being a nerd or some other put-upon high school minority. In parts it reminded me of Boy Meets Boy
August 16, 2016
A weird, short and often fun read. In short I really enjoyed the characters, powers and concept ; but really didn't care for the plot all that much. The tonal shifts between superhero coming-of-age story followed by body horror and suicide were a little to much for me to cope with. The characters (whilst perhaps too often falling into stereotypes) did hold my attention through the darker passages - but I'd like to seen more development.
October 8, 2021
This campy story gets right into the action with plenty of teenage angst and school bullying drama. The unique take on what superpowers the characters develop depending on their personality was a nice touch. Don't be fooled though as it sneaks in some serious topics between the flirting and sassy banter. Although a few cringeworthy moments where the author leaned a little too much into tired lesbian stereotypes, overall a fun read that leaves me wanting more tales from the Queeroes.
March 21, 2010
A fun young adult book. I really like the message that we all must live honestly, out of the closet, in order to be happy.
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