Wasn’t really sure what to expect heading into reading Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle, but what I got was a tremendously written tale of psychological terror, body horror, corporate greed, and queer erasure.
Misha knows that chasing success in Hollywood can be hell. But finally, after years of trying to make it, his big moment is here: an Oscar nomination. And the executives at the studio for his long-running streaming series know just the thing to kick his career to the next level: kill off the gay characters, “for the algorithm,” in the upcoming season finale.
Misha refuses, but he soon realizes that he’s just put a target on his back. And what’s worse, monsters from his horror movie days are stalking him and his friends through the hills above Los Angeles. Haunted by his past, Misha must risk his entire future—before the horrors from the silver screen find a way to bury him for good.
Chuck Tingle’s Bury Your Gays is truly a masterclass of blending horror with social commentary. Tingle tackles so big social issues while also creating an extremely well written psychological horror novel, not an easy feet by any stretch. They kept us on the edge of our seats while also bringing attention to corporate greed, queer erasure and even the ethics of using AI in Hollywood.
Known mostly for their niche gay erotica, Tingle has now written two mainstream novels at Tor Nightfire, both outstanding. Writing a mainstream horror novel with issues such as queer erasure is something only a few have the ability to accomplish well and one of those people is Chuck Tingle. They weave the social commentary themes into the narrative seamlessly, shedding light on the injustices faced by marginalized communities in the entertainment industry. This book serves as power commentary on the importance of representation and standing up against discriminatory practices while also just being an outstanding horror novel.
The twists and turns of Bury Your Gays had me guessing to what was eventually going to happen. I was constantly surprised as the novel progressed. The pacing is spot-on, keeping me engaged. I was completely engrossed taking no time to finish. Once I picked it up, I just couldn’t put it down. Tingle’s writing style is engaging and evocative, drawing you into Misha’s world with vivid descriptions and compelling character development. It’s truly a testament to their skill as a storyteller that they can tackle such heavy subject matter while still delivering an entertaining read.
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle is an outstanding read with a great blend of horror and social commentary. The terror, gore, societal critique and even moments of science-fiction offers a great reading experience that is unlike anything else at the moment. I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook of Bury Your Gays. It was extremely well narrated by André Santana, but had fun cameos from some great names such as Charlie Jane Anders, CJ Leede, Georgia Bird, Liz Kerin, Mara Wilson, Mark Oshiro, Sarah Gailey, Stephen Graham Jones, T. Kingfisher and TJ Klune. It was fun overall listen experience, on top of being a extremely well written novel.
Bury Your Gays hits bookstores everywhere on July 9, 2024 from Tor Nightfire. Check out the audiobook narrated by a cast of characters on Libro.fm!
