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A review by ladybird4prez
Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas
This has a lot going on which, in a way, provides a feeling of authenticity but also feels cramped and unfocused at times. But this touches on several aspects of growing up queer and I think brings some unique perspectives to queer literature. I know this must be a story close to the author’s heart, and you can tell by how much nuance and complexity these characters are portrayed with.
The specific isolation that comes with trying to figure out your gender as well as your sexuality. Having a deep, all-consuming feeling that you’re queer, but appearing straight to everyone else. Maybe not even being able to parse the intricacies of your identity, especially if you have no models to help you understand yourself. The loneliness of being a queer teen and falling into weird, intense, psychosexual obsessive relationships with the only other queer people at your school. I actually wasn’t expecting this to be so dark but James Frankie Thomas fully leaned into the intensity of these relationships. I think that was what kept me so engrossed in the story. Everyone was manipulative and secretive and selfish and mean and struggling and lonely. Or maybe it was just the inherent dark energy of theatre kids (kiddinggg).
The specific isolation that comes with trying to figure out your gender as well as your sexuality. Having a deep, all-consuming feeling that you’re queer, but appearing straight to everyone else. Maybe not even being able to parse the intricacies of your identity, especially if you have no models to help you understand yourself. The loneliness of being a queer teen and falling into weird, intense, psychosexual obsessive relationships with the only other queer people at your school. I actually wasn’t expecting this to be so dark but James Frankie Thomas fully leaned into the intensity of these relationships. I think that was what kept me so engrossed in the story. Everyone was manipulative and secretive and selfish and mean and struggling and lonely. Or maybe it was just the inherent dark energy of theatre kids (kiddinggg).