I love reading a novel that explores queerness in a non-stereotypical or cliched manner. There are so many incredible novels like this; Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, and Giovanni’s Room by James Balwin, to name a few examples. As a lesbian fiction writer, I’m always looking for contemporary queer novels and stories that speak to the current experience of being queer like Winterson and Baldwin were able to in their time. Recently, I’ve found an abundance of lesbian fiction piling on my bookshelves, and I thought I’d share a few of my favorites from three debut queer authors.   

We Do What We Do in the Dark by Michelle Hart (2022)

“That their childhoods had similarities gave Mallory the impression, upon looking at the woman nearly naked in the bed, that she was looking at some future form of herself” (Hart 57).

This novel centers on Mallory, a young woman still unsure about her identity. Hart tracks her journey from college into adulthood, using the framework of her relationship with an older woman professor, only ever referred to as “The Woman,” to demonstrate how Mallory’s sense of self clarifies and hardens into something she confidently embraces by the novel's final pages. This piece also comments on the complicated nature of sexual power dynamics, particularly in queer relationships. Hart’s work explores the ways in which we borrow fragments of our identity from those who shape us, and how our individual queerness is constantly changing and evolving as we do. 

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin (2021)

“In elementary school, I refused to be Paul Nguyen’s girlfriend, citing the fact that he used his forks underhanded like a shovel. It was brought to my attention that that was a trivial reason… Rumors rapidly emerged that I must be gay” (Austin 115).

If I had to pick a favorite, this one is it. Its sardonic and witty language drew me in immediately. Gilda, the protagonist, is an atheist lesbian searching for something to add meaning to her life. On her way into a group therapy session at what she soon realizes is a Catholic church, Gilda is tricked into a job interview for their front desk position. After accepting the job in an act of desperation, Gilda finds herself in possession of two identities. The novel depicts Gilda’s internal struggle between her queerness and her survival. Austin’s novel explores themes of death, resurrection, guilt, and religion, all as they relate to contemporary lesbianism.

Old Enough by Haley Jakobson (2023)

“A drink was shoved in my hand and I was pulled onto a floor cushion and into a conversation about why tops-and-bottoms rhetoric was bullshit… I had literally no idea what they were talking about, let alone which category I fit into” (Jakobson 4). 

Finally, Old Enough by Haley Jakobson is a classic coming-of-age college story with a queer twist. Savannah, unlike her very straight friends from home, goes to a liberal arts college and is bisexual. After a traumatic high school sexual experience, Sav fears she might never feel like she belongs. Throughout the novel, Savannah meets other queer students who teach her the meaning of chosen family and help her take control of her life. Jakobson uses dialogue and silence as tools to demonstrate closeness between her characters, and their ability, or lack thereof, to communicate their emotions to those around them. The authenticity of her characters can be felt through the pages. 

These are just some examples of the numerous contemporary lesbian novels that beautifully articulate the queerness of our current moment. 

Happy reading! Support queer art! 

https://www.emilyaustinauthor.com/

https://www.michellehart.me/

https://www.haleyjakobson.com

Sources 

Austin, Emily. Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead. 

Hart, Michelle. We Do What We Do in the Dark. 

Jakobson, Haley. Old Enough.

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