The Giddy Death of the Gays
& the Strange Demise of Straights
*Nominated for a Lambda Literary Award
Finalist for the Bisexual Book Awards*
A touching comedy of polyamory and nonbinary life, The Giddy Death explores the ultimate boundaries of love and gender.
Caroline and Dom live out their normal lives among the poverty, alcoholics, and street preachers of Swansea. But when Dom and his straight roommate fall in love – a passionate, secret, non-sexual love – their lives are transformed into a queer chaos of cross-dressing, gender bending and free love. Will Dom hold on to his relationship? Can religious fundamentalists be adopted as pets? And just what are The Lesbians up to? The battle between preachers and drag queens, skinheads and sex workers, boyfriend and girlfriend, is set to change the city forever.
Reviews:
‘It is truly impossible to describe this book in a way that does it justice; just download it immediately.’
– Paste
‘an oddball and one-of-a-kind romantic comedy’
– Lambda Literary
‘Barrett is a talented writer with a good feel for his rough-edged Welsh social setting and a sharp but sympathetic eye … a smart, entertaining read.’
– Kirkus Reviews
‘If you want a book to be entertained, I recommend it. If you want a book to juggle interesting ideas, I recommend it ... pick it up, read it, enjoy it, love it.’
– Nicholas Kameniar-Sandery, for JOY 94.9
‘… The Giddy Death of the Gays & the Strange Demise of Straights is an engaging and thought-provoking read. It’s a story about breaking free of restrictions — relationship conventions, geographical place, traditional gender identity.’
– Out in Print
‘Redfern Jon Barrett’s second novel is a fantastic ride through the lives of these Swansea residents…. The Giddy Death of the Gays and the Strange Demise of Straights is recommended to any library that collects popular fiction.’
– American Library Association
‘It takes real skill to make this reader identify with a straight woman, a straight man, a drag queen, a lesbian, and their fluctuating identities, all sometimes within a single chapter. Most importantly, it made me examine my own identities and question the strictures that I have built around them.’
– MyGayToronto.com
‘There is a basic story that is so simple, yet so magnificent in impact… Do check it out!’
– GA Bixler Reviews
‘The Giddy Death of the Gays and Strange Demise of Straights should be mandatory reading.’
– Illiteraty
‘If you are at all open to have your pre-existing ideas and concepts questioned I highly recommend it – if nothing else, you might just fall in love with Barrett’s way with words.’
– Rebekka Steg, writer
‘… one of the wittiest and most thought-provoking novels I’ve ever read.’
– Rising Shadow