The Bright Lands by John Fram

The Bright Lands

by John Fram

John Fram's The Bright Lands is a strong debut of a queer thriller set in Texas. The story is told in multiple points of view (maybe too many??) and centers around the disappearance and murder of a high school football player in a small town hiding insidious secrets. A paranormal undercurrent grips the town, connecting them through their nightmares. It is haunting and sexy, and decidedly queer.

This was a great page turner, as every good thriller should be. With a large cast of characters and multiple points of view, the reader is bombarded with personalities--some likeable, some we like to hate--that take us through the mystery. It's nice to read queer characters that have personalities outside of their queerness, though sex and sexuality play a large role in this story. Usually sex is not my cup of tea in anything I read, but here it works and is elemental to the story. The climax to The Bright Lands is a well-choreographed dance from viewpoint to viewpoint that keeps the pages turning, while the paranormal element helps to knit the characters together as they navigate very separate subplots.

Maybe I'm somewhat puritanical, but I felt a little bit scandalized by the acts forced upon the young men in this book. It was the one thing that gave me pause. I guess I still think of teenagers as children, and these teens were definitely not the teens of my youth. Drugs, alcohol, and sex play a large role in their lives. God help you parents out there if this is anything like real life!

I give The Bright Lands 4 stars.