Ziggy, Stardust & Me--"I wish. I wish with all my might we were up in the stars looking down on us, laughing."

Title: Ziggy, Stardust & Me

Author: James Brandon


LGBTQ+ Representation: Main character is gay and another is Two Spirit.


Content Warning: Graphic violence, physical and sexual assault, conversion therapy. Homophobia and racism.


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): In the summer of 1973, Jonathan lives with his alcoholic father. Believing that his attraction to boys is a dangerous mental illness that must be fixed, Jonathan endures aversion therapy.  Jonathan tries to avoid bullies and spends his time talking to his dead mother while listening to David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. He feels alone, until he meets Web, a Two-Spirit Lakota boy. Can Jonathan trust the happiness and contentment he feels with Web?


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I used to be able to read about topics of sickness and child death, but having kids seems to have wired my brain differently; now I get upset to the point of panic attacks when reading or watching children suffering (It's embarrassing. During one memorable incident at a teacher in-service I left the room sobbing after watching a PSA about children getting injured in a meth lab explosion).

My kids are older and I am better about this now, but I still have trouble reading about or watching conversion therapy, especially the 1970's-era "therapy" Jonathan suffers in the book. I just want to take him away from all of these terrible people, most of whom are racists and bullies who smell like dead fish, beer, pot, and cigarettes.

Brandon's use of imagery in his writing is so vivid, not only could I "smell" the people, I could picture the scenes so well that it was almost like I was reading the book through one of those vintage/Polaroid filters. The supporting characters of Web's often-stoned teacher, conflicted psychologist, and feminist best friend--all amazing.

[I appreciate the author's use of the em dash.]

My favorite part of this story are all the musical references that really remind me how powerful music is and how it can help you during very dark times. In addition to Stardust and Aladdin Sane, Jonathan and Web listen to Roberta Flack, and Carole King; Web wears a Pink Floyd t-shirt and names his asthma inhaler PeterPaulandMary.


This book is too new to be on a Rainbow List--watch this space!


My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer): About 700,000 Americans have gone through conversion therapy, which is still legal in many states. If people don't know how it affects people, they will not be motivated to ban it everywhere.

But that's not the main reason you should read this book. Read it for the beautiful writing and characters and for the hopeful ending: I have every reason to believe that Jonathan, with the help of Web and family, will be okay.


Memorable quotes/passages from the book:
   

• "Dr. Evelyn is definitely a psychedelic version of Catwoman: huge blue-tinted glasses shielding her eyes, hair pulled up in a ponytail stretching her smile, and her skin's extra-kissed from the sun, like a piece tore off and landed smack on her cheeks" (pg. 65).
     
• "'You know the trouble we'd get into--it's sick--we could go to jail. I can't--WE can't--I can't like boys. It's wrong. I'm not ALLOWED to like--NO--' Tears spill. I close my eyes so tight my muscles start to ache. I wish. I wish with all my might we were up in the stars looking down on us, laughing" (pg. 152).
    
• "Later, long after the sun has been smothered by a quilt of stars and the mist from the lake has risen like a creeping fog and more newly hatched cicadas have joined in the eventide symphony, we're sitting around a fire with Hal and the three men they based the movie Deliverance on. Gee. Zus" (pg. 207).
         
• "A gift? It's always been a curse in my world. A curse that can never be broken. The only time I've seen the words gay and good together was in that Interview magazine Starla gave me, the day she told me she was leaving for the summer. But I never thought it was actually possible. Not in our world" (pg. 270).

Other reviews: The Quirky Book Nerd and Indigo's Bookself: Voices of Native Youth--this review contains a discussion of the Two-Spirit and Native American portrayals in this book that the reviewer, a "just turned 17-Black Seminole-African American-pansexual-2SQ/Indigiqueeryouth," finds problematic.


If you liked this book, you should read Like a Love Story, Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and One True Way.


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This book is available here: https://library.greensboro-nc.gov/

Learn more about the Rainbow Book List here: http://www.ala.org/rt/glbtrt