Berlin: a megacity of 24 million people, is the world’s first gay state. Its distant radio broadcasts are a lifeline for teenager William, so when his love affair with Gareth is discovered the two flee toward sanctuary. But is there a place for them in a city divided into districts for young twinks, trendy bears, and rich alpha gays?
Meanwhile, young mother Cissie loves Berlin’s towering highrises and chaotic multiculturalism, yet she’s never left her heterosexual district – not until she and her family are trapped in a queer riot. With her husband Howard plunging into religious paranoia, she discovers a walled-off slum of perpetual twilight, home to the city’s forbidden trans residents.
As William and Cissie dive deeper into a bustling world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and even an official gay language, they discover that all is not well in the gay state – each playing their part in a looming civil war…
The main negative review I see about Proud Pink Sky is that nothing happens.
I don’t agree.
Some things happen, maybe too much, actually. And outside of what happens, there’s the world-building − after all, that’s what we’re coming for.
And the world-building has its issues. The idea is nice, and who among us hasn’t dreamed of a queer haven in the world? But why would the rest of the world hate queer people so much more than in our current world? Why does the author want trans people to keep suffering so much all the time? And most importantly, when a butch and a femme who love each other move in together, which neighbourhood do they live in?
An unacceptable plot hole.
(More seriously: this book was nice enough, but honestly, it’s one of these books where I hope they will inspire someone else to do the same, just better.)