Michael, a mixed-race teenager of Jamaican and Greek-Cypriot heritage, grows up in London feeling he is never enough of any single identity. This verse novel follows his childhood obsession with Barbie dolls and his teenage navigation of social hierarchies where he struggles to fit into narrow definitions of Black masculinity. Upon entering university, Michael discovers a community in the local drag scene. He adopts the performance persona of the Black Flamingo, using feathers, glitter, and verse to synthesize his queer identity with his cultural background through creative self-expression.
High school students and young adults find this book useful for navigating the pressure to conform to specific cultural or gender molds. Readers gain a perspective on how performance art functions as a tool for self-definition rather than just entertainment. It appeals to those interested in the intersections of race and sexuality, providing a roadmap for how to claim space in environments that demand simplicity. The reader walks away with an understanding of how integrating disparate parts of one's history creates a cohesive sense of self.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2019
- Language
- EN
