Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Queer by William S. Burroughs

17 reviews

freakazoidvoid's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I listened to the audiobook after watching the 2024 film. I think the audio version definetly added to the experience, especially with Lees bizzare routines and monologues, as one of my favorite parts of the movie was  Daniel Craig’s read of certain lines and his inflection. The book is a different kind of sad, but the same strange, compelling, deeply vulnerable, deeply human story.  What else  is there to say? Raw and ugly, fleetingly tender. Above all…Queer, in content and form.
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erikawynn's review against another edition

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2.0

Wanted to read this after seeing Luca Guadagnino’s movie Queer and the first 3/4 is a really straightforward adaption but with a lot more pedophilia in the Burroughs version. I feel confident saying I’m a Burroughs hater.
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schopenhauers_poodle's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

An early work from Burroughs about queer longing that still feels contemporary.

I've been going through Burroughs' novels starting with "Junky" which I did not particularly like. "Queer", on the other hand, I found to be a poignant story of frustrated desire. Originally meant to be published with "Junky" as a juxtaposition of need and desire, "Queer" stands on it's own. Where I found "Junky" flat, disjointed, and it's shock value significantly diminished from time and more progressive attitudes,  "Queer" was better written & edited, the story vulnerable and emotionally brutal. And despite the introduction's claims, "Queer" has a straightforward narrative with a more developed plot and characters than "Junky." The background of Mexico City and expat life in all it's excesses and abuses was also excellent. 

I have yet to see the movie, but if you've never read Burroughs before, be forewarned that his protagonists are not likeable or of upstanding moral character; in fact, they're often pathetic and repugnant. However, that is not a prerequisite for good writing or even relatability to aspects of "Lee." (And skip the introduction if you don't want spoilers.)

Burroughs should have published this one and not waited decades. 
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emluss99's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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maestro_cerrotorcido's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

A friend gave me this book for my birthday. I think she maybe grabbed it at a thrift store and didn't really research much into it. I had never heard of William Burroughs nor the Beat Generation. I hated the author from the introduction where he uses a racial slur and would have DNF'd this book really early if it hadn't been a gift. And even though the book was written earlier (maybe the 50's?), the introduction is dated in 1985 when the book was published. The book is described as semi-autobiographical which makes me dislike Burroughs even more because to call every character in the book unlikable would be an understatement. Lee is horribly racist, misogynistic, and pedo-y. The reader is asked to take into account that he is going with withdrawal so his libido is coming back which doesn't sit well with me. I then researched more of Burroughs's life and found out that I not only dislike him more but he is a pretty famous and liked author which is baffling to me.
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diamondsequallove25's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny lighthearted sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Lee is unreliable narrator but I just know he would love dark humor also the writing of William S is beautifully written and I can't wait to pick up another book of his.
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blackbookbitch's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this! An incredible exploration of desire and queer identity influenced by Burroughs' own trouble with substances and his interest in the occult. I don't think I've seen anyone write about the ugliness of desire in such a way before and I felt it so deeply and understood. 
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linaslzr's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I like the introduction which provided more context for the story and also found the appendix interesting, learning about the author's relationship to the manuscript, not having read it for sp many years bc of how traumatic it was. 

I found the prose simple but interesting enough. The writing was quite visceral and graphic at times, and really vague others. A bit of weird mix of straightforward narrative and disjointed monologues. I think it did a good job of portraying a really deep sadness, and I guess I did end up feeling some sympathy for him at times. It felt like he was projecteing his desperation, self-deprecation, and bitterness onto his view of the world, which also reflects societal norms, especially for the time that it was written. It felt incomplete which I guess make sense. 
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sophiaiscoolxd's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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campire's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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