Tag Archives: Benjamin Law

Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories edited by Michael Earp

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for kindred 12 queer book cover

Title: Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories
Author: Marlee Jane Ward, Erin Gough, Michael Earp, Jax Jacki Brown, Claire G Coleman, Nevo Zisin, Jen Wilde, Christos Tsiolkas, Ellen van Neerven, Omar Sakr, Alison Evans & Benjamin Law
In: Kindred (Michael Earp)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Contemporary, LGBTQI, Short story collections
Dates read: 9th June – 17th July 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Walker Books
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: His disbelief at the time that has slipped away is overwhelming.

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Synopsis

What does it mean to be queer? What does it mean to be human? In this powerful #OwnVoices collection, twelve of Australia’s finest writers from the LGBTQIA+ community explore the stories of family, friends, lvoer and strangers the connections that form us.

Thoughts

This is an amazing collection. A great taste of some of the amazing talent that Australia has to offer. And a unique theme – LGBTQI+. It’s definitely a theme that is slowly filling more and more of my shelves. But it’s one that I’m definitely actively hunting for more of. I now have all twelve of the authors in my collection on my wishlist…

Each and every one of the stories in this collection are thoughtful and intriguing. They ran the gamut of emotions – some had me in tears, others had me hooting with laughter. But, what they all had in common? They had a great, thought-provoking theme that drew me in from the very beginning.

This is my first #LoveOzYA collection. And when I bought this, I did buy a few others. Now, I am exceedingly grateful for the fact… I can’t wait to enjoy more of the beautiful Qussie work on my shelves!

<- Questions to Ask Straight RelativesRats ->

Image source: Bookdepository

Questions to Ask Straight Relatives by Benjamin Law

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for kindred 12 queer book cover

Title: Questions to Ask Straight Relatives
Author: Benjamin Law
In: Kindred (Michael Earp)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Contemporary, LGBTQI
Dates read: 17th July 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Walker Books
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: “Why?”

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Those questions that we all like to ask people who are a little bit “different”. Well, what if they start questioning things you think are normal? Maybe it isn’t as simple and normal as you thought it was…

Thoughts

I picked this up at a fantastic time. It was a short story that I read as I was reading my psych textbook – a chapter about gender and the assumptions that we make. So reading a short story which was more like an essay and focused on the assumptions we make about “normalcy”… it was just fantastic, karmic, worldly timing. That I thoroughly enjoyed.

Not only does Law’s writing force you to think about assumptions around gender and sexuality. But there are also many issues of race and culture that are bought up too. In a way that makes it completely obvious that Law himself is constantly battling these multitudes of identity throughout his life. It left me questioning all of the assumptions that I make. Well, about everything…

Not only am I completely in love with this short story. But it also rounded out the Kindred collection perfectly. The whole journey in this collection was about making you think more deeply about others, or at least, it was to me. But after reading this, it also made me question many of the assumptions in my own life…

<- StormlinesKindred ->

Image source: Bookdepository