What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
Suggest books for me
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People genuinely confused about their sexual orientation
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Resuscitation Of A Hanged Man has a lesbian character who ends up having a relationship with a man. I really didn't care for the book, but it does meet your criteria!
Thank you, Rachel. Why didn't you like the book?
It's been a few years since I read it, but mainly I thought it was badly written and couldn't get past my dislike of the main character. The lesbian character dating him seemed like a really creepy male wish fulfilment thing. I'm sure someone must have written a version of this storyline that's not terrible, but I haven't come across it yet.
You could try Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight.
Have you tried Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy? It's a YA about a teenage girl who identifies as a lesbian at the start of the book but realizes she's romantically/sexually attracted to her childhood friend, who's a guy. It does a really good job of showing acknowledging the nuances of sexuality without slipping into dicey tropes.
Thanks, Kazia. Rainbowheart suggested it above, but I haven’t read it yet.
Don’t worry about it...what dicey tropes did you mean?
Oh, I meant that sometimes instead of an authentic representation of the potential fluidity of sexual and/or romantic attraction, there are narratives that play into the idea that, say, a lesbian just needs to meet the right man. That's something that people were worried about with Ramona Blue, but as a queer woman I felt like it avoided that trope and really handled identity fluidity with grace and care!
I’m always afraid of these books, because I’m afraid of the books showing it as “lesbians will like men as long as they meet the right one!” But I have come across a good representation of that confusion that isn’t homophobic: it’s Pink by Lili Wilkinson (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...). The characters were not very likeable in my opinion but the overall message I thought was thought provoking.
I’d say to be suspicious of “lesbian falls in love with a man” books written by men or vice versa for “gay man falls in love with woman” though
Dance on My Grave has a teenager who is confused about his orientation. Charlotte Mendelson also has a few books where women who assumed they were straight end up falling for women: When We Were Bad, Love In Idleness
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh - Michael Chabon. Straight man faces ends up choosing a gay relationship over a heterosexual one.Plays Well with Others - Allan Gurganus. Gay man discovers the most important relationship in his life is with a woman.
Boys of Life - Paul Russell. Main character has significant relationships with both men and women while trying to discover his own identity.
Call Me By Your Name- Story about a powerful gay love affair between two young men living otherwise straight lives.
Long Division - Kiese Laymon - Main character lives two alternate lives, including one where he wrestles with persistent doubts about his sexual identity, and an suppressed attraction to his frenemy.
The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For- Alison Bechdel - One of the main characters ends up in a long-term relationship with a man frequently described as "a lesbian in a man's body."
The Handsome Girl & Her Beautiful BoyBoth MCs are confused about whether they're gay, straight, or bi.
Heartstopper: Volume One is a great graphic novel series! One character is comfortably out as gay but the other character begins the series convinced he's straight
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
Resuscitation of a Hanged Man (other topics)The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (other topics)
Plays Well with Others (other topics)
Boys of Life (other topics)
The House You Pass on the Way (other topics)
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If anyone is offended by this, I apologize.