Synopsis
Newly-out trans artist’s assistant Sammie is invited to an old friend’s bachelor weekend in El Campo, a hedonistic wonderland of a city floating in the Atlantic Ocean’s international waters—think Las Vegas with even fewer rules. Though they have not identified as a man for over a year, Sammie’s college buddies haven’t quite gotten the message—as evidenced by their formerly closest friend Adam asking them to be his “best man.”
Arriving at the swanky hotel, Sammie immediately questions their decision to come. Bad enough that they have to suffer through a torrent of passive-aggressive comments from the groom’s pals—all met with zero pushback from supposed “nice guy” Adam. But also, they seem to be the only one who’s noticed the mysterious cult that’s also staying at the hotel, and is ritually dismembering guests and demanding fealty to their bloodthirsty god.
Part satire, part horror, Boys Weekend explores what it’s like to exist as a transfemme person in a man’s world, the difficulty of maintaining friendships through transition, and the more cult-like effects of masculinity, “hustle” culture, and capitalism—all through the vibrant lens of a surreal, scary, and immensely imaginative romp.
From: Penguin Random House
Notes on This Title
The main character of this title is trans feminine and uses they/them pronouns. They have a partner who uses she/her pronouns. Transphobia is a major throughline of the narrative; in addition, there are depictions of violence, viscera, and other forms of gore.
Awards
Autostraddle Best Queer Books of 2023 - Comics/Graphic Novels and Memoirs
Reviews
Starred review: “This is both a hilarious and terrifying send-up of capitalist-driven masculinity and a poignant story about the perception-altering blessings (and burdens) of queerness.” (Source: Publishers Weekly)
“It’s funny, deeply insightful, and even more wild than you’d expect for a story about a hedonistic future-tech-Vegas.” (Source: The Beat)
“Boys Weekend is a fun, wacky romp that’s also incredibly dense and demanding, if you want to it to be.” (Source: Boing Boing)
“An uneven but undeniably original adventure.” (Source: Kirkus Reviews)
Interviews
EW: “How Mattie Lubchansky’s Boys Weekend fuses queer experience with sci-fi satire“