Once in a while we get to read books that are too difficult to read because they speak of raw and unflinching truths. Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon is one such book. Read on to hear more on my review of Ziggy, Stardust and Me.

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About the book

Book Name: Ziggy, Stardust and Me

Author: James Brandon

Genre: Fiction – History, Young adult

Characters: Jonathan Collins, Webster, Starla, Dr Evelyn

Setting: Missouri , The USA

Plot Summary

Jonathan has been waiting for his final “therapy” session so that he can be cured of his “disease” and be the son his father wants.

The sixteen year old is bullied at school and ignored for most of the time by his alcoholic father, who is still mourning his wife’s death. At a time when being gay is considered a mental illness and is punishable, Jonathan just wants to be a boy who is “normal”.

When his only friend Starla, a biracial neighbor leaves the town for the summer, he realizes he is truly alone. Except for Ziggy Stardust. He worships David Bowie and has long (and only) conversations with his dead relatives and Ziggy.

But everything changes when he meets Web, a Native American/ Indian kid in his school. Web is everything he wants to be – fearless and not ashamed of being gay.

What happens when their homophobic neighbours, classmates and mainly families know about his secret forms the rest of Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon.

Book review

For a setting that is inherently doomed and heartbreaking, Ziggy, Stardust and Me surprisingly is not. There are many sweet moments and is full of hope, especially in the end when Jonathan starts accepting who he is gradually.

That being said and given the time it is set in, the book has so many homophobic and racist characters that it broke my heart. Unfortunately not much has changed in the last 50 years or so.

I think it is essential for us to learn from our history to understand how homophobic we have been as a society. Ziggy, Stardust and Me also talks about how internalized homophobia affects people, especially younger ones.

If you like David Bowie, there are so many references to his songs and characters and you will love it. Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about them and the references flew over the top of my head.

What worked for me

• Ziggy, Stardust and Me is a must read to learn about our mistakes in terms of understanding homosexuality. And it is definitely a hard to swallow pill.
• Despite the gloomy background, there were several sweet and romantic moments between the main characters.
• The book also talks of music and music icons can play a huge role in saving people from trauma and from others.
• While I can’t speak for its accuracy, I loved Web and his Native American (Lakota) representation.

What may have been better

• I didn’t get or connect with Jonathan’s monologue, in this first person narration. And that bothered me quite a bit.
• I hate the closeted homophobic bully trope. It is a personal thing for me, and I am getting tired of this trope of “oh the homophobes are all secretly gay themselves“.

Content warning:

conversion therapy, (internalized) homophobia, electroshock therapy, homophobic slurs, suicidal thoughts, Bullying, hate crimes, racism, racist slurs, past death of a parent, alcoholism, mentions of drug use, sexual assault,

Bottom line

Ziggy, Stardust and Me is an essential read to understand what the LGBTQA+ community had to overcome to just exists. It is a harsh, intense and raw book that is worth reading.

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Let’s chat

Have you read Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon? What other books will you recommend on the subject? What other historical fiction have you read this year? Let us talk.