Lesbian, working-class Welsh writer Rachel Dawson was awarded a bursary by Literature Wales to write her debut novel, Neon Roses, which has been nominated for the Polari First Book Prize 2024. Here she picks out five queer reads.
Bad Habit by Alana S Portero
Get ready for stunning writing, deep wells of compassion, and unforgettable characters. It explores the trans scene of 1980s Madrid, poverty, drug use and Franco’s legacy. The friendship between the protagonist and her neighbour will stay with you forever.
Sluts edited by Michelle Tea
Tea has edited this diverse anthology for Cipher. Sluts pulls us through sex clubs, trains, campuses – and just about everywhere else! Look out for heavy hitters like Jeremy Atherton Lin, Chloe Caldwell and Brontez Purnell.
Cinema Love by Jiaming Tang
A sweeping epic that moves between China and New York. It explores the lives of men who meet at the Workers’ Cinema to cruise and the women who love them. A heartbreaking novel about desire, secrets and survival.
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Nuclear Family by Kate Davies
I loved In At the Deep End, so I was super excited for Nuclear Family. Davies turns her acute observation and comic genius on the question of ‘what makes a family?’ It’s just as moving and hilarious as you’d hope.
Unsuitable by Eleanor Medhurst
You may know Medhurst from TikTok where she breaks down the history of queer fashion. Unsuitable brings her research into one volume. You’ll learn about everything from 17th-century Sweden to the Harlem Renaissance.
