A 70-year-old woman with long, thick hair, more brown than gray, named Taylor Baird MacKenzie writes award-winning romances from a town in Alaska. Although she had great talent, Taylor hides behind the name of another character because her books deal with issues related to lesbian liberation and her city, Clear, is made up of intolerant and prejudiced residents. During Taylor’s process of revealing herself to the world, through The Queering, we get to know her story and several characters that are capable of stirring all kinds of emotions in the reader.

Brooke Skipstone very wisely casts doubt on the veracity of the story in question. The author blends reality with fiction. One of the best examples of this is that she uses her own name as the alias of Taylor Baird. Another point is the poetic way in which Skipstone inserts another book during the narrative. It’s like reading two in one. This is a thought-provoking story that deals with some tough but necessary topics. However, it can be triggering to people who have suffered homophobic attacks. The book is intense and during some episodes I felt a great sadness for the inability to do something about it. But this is the world we live in, and Brooke Skipstone does a fantastic job of reflecting that reality in the story.

The Queering is a unique story that carries a powerful message. If LGBTQ+ literature truly has the power to generate acceptance and liberation, then readers need to ensure that it is increasingly widespread. Everyone can and should have the right to be who they naturally are. This is a must read for anyone who is willing to open their eyes and live in someone else’s shoes for a while. I would like to end this review by borrowing a few words used by Brooke Skipstone on one of the pages to make a genuine wish: that we can live our lives feeling embraced by love, buoyed by daily laughter, and fully engaged with life.

Pages: 344 | ASIN: B0BJJ4LNPD