Welcome to the first day of Queer Villains of Myth and Legend blog tour!
When I heard about Dan Jones’s nonfiction title that identifies and explores the queer villains we all love and love to hate, I was thrilled to read it and support it on the blog tour. Just by looking at the cover, it’s obvious Queer Villains of Myth and Legend covers some of the best villains in popular culture.
| Title: Queer Villains of Myth and Legend | Author: Dan Jones |
| Release Date: January 18, 2024 | Genre: Non-Fiction / Mythology / LGBTQ+ |
| Publisher: Octopus Books | Page Count: 227 |
Synopsis
Every good hero needs a villain! Explore the hidden world of magnetic and mysterious villains, often cast aside and misunderstood in tales of mythology and folklore. Through the pages of Queer Villains of Myth and Legend, discover a diverse community of fascinating characters, ranging from seductive and cunning to powerful and awe-inspiring.Experience the dark allure of Circe and Medusa through to David Bowie’s Jareth in Labyrinth and delve into their complex and multifaceted personalities and motivations. Take a deep dive into the intersection of queerness and villainy, re-examine some of our favourite characters, and discover why so many ‘bad’ characters are queer-coded. From ancient mythology to contemporary pop culture, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend celebrates the fascinating stories of these often-overlooked characters. Join Dan Jones on a journey of discovery, as he explores the hidden depths of queer villainy and sheds light on the queer identities of these compelling figures. It’s a powerful celebration of queerness through the ages in all its legendary complexity.
Review:
From mythological figures to literary legends, Queer Villains of Myth and Legends covers society’s favorite queer and queer-coded characters. Dan Jones doesn’t stop there, though. Queer Villains also covers animation villains and pop-culture icons, making it a delightful medley of LGBTQ+ anti-heroes and delicious villains.
My favorite chapters were ones that dipped into history, like those on Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, Dracula, and Dorian Gray. I had no idea the connection between Stoker and Wilde, so I found these chapters revelatory. Another chapter covered the Templar Knights, a historical group I only knew of from Assassins’ Creed and various pop-culture references. Spoilers – they were probably very queer.
The pop-culture villains were delightful, with characters you’ll definitely recognize. The Master (and Missy) from Doctor Who, Dark Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Ursula from the 1992 Little Mermaid film are all listed and detailed. The chapter on Ursula was especially touching and special.
Art:
There are a lot of full-page illustrations in Queer Villains of Myth and Legends, and they are absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, I would love wall art of some of these. The art enhanced the reading experience and never felt superfluous.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re a fan of pop-culture nonfiction or LGBTQ+ history, this is a lovely book with great stories and art. While an e-book of the book would be a great read, a hardcover copy would make a lovely gift or coffee-table book.
Huge thanks to Random Things Tours and Anne Cater for inviting me to participate in this blog tour, and to the publisher for providing me with a review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.
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