The “coming out” story is certainly an established, important element of queer literature within modern society; however, frequently reading about characters who are forced to justify their own identities over and over again can become nearly as exhausting as it is for queer readers to do so in real life!
While LGBTQ+ literature often contains a lot of stories that stay true to the lived experiences of queer people within our contemporary, heteronormative society, the genre has undergone a steady transformation in recent years as readers seek out more stories where the identities of LGBTQ+ characters are not the main focus of the story and queerness is the norm. From Fantasy to Romance to Queernorm Sci-fi, we’ve created a list of refreshing LGBTQ+ novels that normalize queer identities in society.
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Albertalli’s well-loved second novel, The Upside of Unrequited, follows the introverted and crafty seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso — who has yet to have had her first kiss, despite her adorably hopeless romantic tendencies. This queer read features a prominent family dynamic between Molly and her two mothers, Patty and Nadine, as they support her through the instabilities of teenage romance and the unpredictable emotions that come as a natural side effect of growing up. The Upside of Unrequited openly approaches the established lesbian relationship between Molly’s mothers in a way that draws attention to their identities as powerful, loving figures within her life, rather than placing the weight of the story’s focus on queer identity.
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett
Trigger Warning: Mention of depression, suicide. Please read the CWs/TWs prior to purchasing.
As one of the heavier reads on this list, Arnett’s debut novel, Mostly Dead Things, grapples with grief, trauma, and the dysfunctional family dynamic of a mother, daughter, and son emotionally torn after the unexpected suicide of the protagonist’s father. Jessa — a stoic, emotionally hardened taxidermist — is left to inherit the family’s taxidermy shop after her father’s death, dealing with an emotionally unavailable mother and the heartbreaking disappearance of the first woman she ever loved. Arnett’s dark humor and macabre voice capture the inherent absurdity of death and our futile attempts at preservation, making Mostly Dead Things a deeply emotional, compelling read. The novel establishes Jessa’s identity as a lesbian woman as an integral part of who she is — her queerness shapes the ways in which she views her interpersonal relationships, and the story never feels the need to justify this element of her identity.
Flesh and Blood by Michael Cunningham
Trigger Warning: Please read the CWs/TWs prior to purchasing.
Cunningham’s epic, sprawling American novel, Flesh and Blood, follows three generations of the Stassos family, beginning with the relationship between a Greek husband, Constantine, and his Italian-American wife, Mary. The novel later introduces the couple’s three children — Susan, Billy, and Zoe — encapsulating the deep-rooted complexities of family life between parents and children as they grapple with cultural shifts during a complex time in American history, marked by social change. Flesh and Blood serves as an epic family saga that challenges cultural heteronormativity, showcasing the complex lives of queer characters with gay and transgender identities without revolving the story’s narrative around a particular queer identity. Instead, queer characters contribute to the novel’s core themes, which surround the American experience and what it means for a generation to shape the lives of those who follow.
The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos) by Samantha Shannon
Trigger Warning: Please read the CWs/TWs prior to purchasing.
Set in an intricate, fantastical world brimming with dragons and female knights where Eastern and Western cultures exist at odds with each other, Shannon’s epic high fantasy novel The Priory of the Orange Tree follows a complex cast of characters spanning several nations as they prepare for the dreaded return of a great, evil dragon called the Nameless One who was cast out of their world a millennium ago. The story’s overarching narrative narrows its focus to two main protagonists: a dragon rider from the East, named Tané, and a mage warrior from the West, named Ead. The novel’s sweeping plot primarily encompasses the rising tensions between Eastern and Western cultures and the dark threat looming over mankind; however, The Priory of the Orange Tree never shies away from showcasing the identities of its queer characters as natural elements of this mythical, high-stakes world.
The Unbroken by C. L. Clark
Trigger Warning: Please read the CWs/TWs prior to purchasing.
Breaking into heavy themes of colonialism and political resistance, C. L. Clark’s fantasy novel The Unbroken takes place in a setting heavily inspired by North Africa and follows a pair of strong, unforgettable female protagonists: Touraine, who the Empire of Balladaire kidnaped as a child to be conscripted into the Balladairan army, and Princess Luca of the ruling empire, heir to the throne. The overarching narrative confronts heavy questions regarding the cruelty of colonialism and the ways in which empires seek to dismantle religion as a means of control; however, despite the novel’s complex web of military violence and political uprisings, The Unbroken leaves room for a budding lesbian romance and an exploration of queerness through its subversive female characters.
The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton
Emily Hamilton’s debut novel, The Stars Too Fondly, blends sci-fi, romance, and found family tropes into sapphic storytelling, following protagonist Cleo and her friends after a disastrous misstep that shoots the group of twenty-somethings rocketing into the stars on a flyaway spaceship with no possibility of turning back. Featuring a diverse cast of characters and a funny, exasperated hologram of the ship’s missing captain, Billie, The Stars Too Fondly never shies away from queer voices and seamlessly weaves this sapphic love story into a fun, cozy space odyssey about a group of friends on a cosmic journey to uncover old mysteries and discover the gravity (no pun intended) of found family along the way.
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
Critically acclaimed author Julia Armfield fuses tension and terror in her debut horror novel, Our Wives Under the Sea, a striking piece of sapphic literature that grapples with grief and our profound fear of the unknown. After Miri’s wife, Leah, returns home from a deep-sea expedition several months later than expected and begins acting strangely, it becomes clear that something has gone deeply, deeply wrong. Depicting the starkly different perspectives of two lesbian women as the core voices of the novel, Our Wives Under the Sea showcases the complexity of love and fear through an unapologetically queer lens as Miri confronts the intense ache of grieving someone who’s still alive.
A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard
Set in the Xuya universe — and a galactic empire heavily inspired by Vietnamese and Chinese culture — Bodard’s sci-fi novel A Fire Born of Exile has been delightfully dubbed the sapphic retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. The story follows three women named Minh, Hoà, and Quỳnh, whose lives become entangled as a result of their ties to a case regarding a young scholar who was condemned to death after being accused of sedition. Through the novel’s complex tangle of politics, scheming, and a deep-seated revenge plot, A Fire Born of Exile channels a sapphic romance that allows the experiences of its queer characters to shine through.
This Will Be Fun by E. B. Asher
E. B. Asher’s This Will Be Fun blends enchanted weaponry, coffee shops, and unforgotten romances into a remarkable quest romantasy novel that follows the stories of four ex-heroes: Beatrice, Elowen, Clare, and Galwell the Great — except it’s been ten years since this squad defended the land of Mythria from evil, and ten years since they’ve spoken at all. This Will Be Fun reunites old friends and lovers in a queer tale for the ages, featuring a prominent gay couple among its diverse cast of characters. The novel showcases magic, romance, and the hardship of revisiting past wounds in this D&D-esque quest.
Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus
Karen M. McManus’s mystery thriller novel Such Charming Liars boils over with fast-paced twists and turns. The story follows Kat and Liam — former step-siblings turned the targeted duo who find themselves on a fast track to disaster as a result of their parents’ criminal identities. Along with the unexpected developments in the mystery unfolding throughout the novel, Such Charming Liars features an endearingly awkward relationship between two queer characters that is sure to appeal to any reader who enjoys a dash of romance sprinkled in with their suspenseful, action-packed thriller.
As LGBTQ+ literature continues to evolve and persist in the years to come, many remarkable authors within the genre are already devoting their efforts to creating stories that shine the spotlight on queer characters without making identity the center of the narrative. These novels represent an overwhelming desire shared by readers and authors alike to normalize queer identities in society and exist as direct visions into a world where queerness does not require justification.
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