The Queerish Book Club is a monthly book club that specialises in LGBTQ+ literature. It typically runs on the last/second to last Monday of the month at 7pm and takes place at The Queerish Bookshop.
Our October book is Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella and our first meeting will take place on Monday 23rd October at 7pm.
Below are the questions we will discuss at the club. Please note the questions contain spoilers.
Bored Gay Werewolf - Book Club Questions
- The book explores toxic masculinity through lycanthropy – why do you think the author chose a werewolf over other mystical creatures?
- When Brian goes camping, Tyler’s girlfriend, Sarah, asks Brian when in a relationship if he’s typically the “guy or the girl”. She also uses the analogy that in relationships men are gardeners (the one who provides) and women are flowers (the ones who needed to be cared for and tended to). What do you make of these stereotypical gender roles?
- In order to grow the Pack™️, Tyler orders Brian to bite humans and turn them. Brian ends up leaving the Pack given that it’s not about helping the werewolf community - it’s about Tyler being the dominant and profitable “alpha male” at the expense of innocent human lives. What did you think about the way the book explored capitalism and exploitation?
- Nik explains to Brain that the concept of the “alpha male” was only found in wolves in captivity, and that aggression, domination, and competition were destructive to pack dynamics. What are the parallels between this misunderstanding of pack dynamics and toxic masculinity?
- At the end, it’s revealed Abe is a monster hunter and asks Brian, Nik, and Darby to join him. How did you feel about this ending? How might you change it?
Definitions
What is toxic masculinity?
Toxic masculinity is a term referring to the stereotypical, dominant form of masculinity wherein men use dominance, violence, and control to assert their power and superiority. It is regarded as having a negative impact on men and society as a whole.
What is capitalism?
Capitalism is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit.