Key Points
The concept of erasure uniquely applies to queer people, for LGBTQIA+ lives have forever been stripped of their histories, making it difficult for them to imagine possibilities, futures..
Nene, I can imagine.) Hidden in these sentences is Nenes intergenerational trauma, his need to locate himself anywhere for he has (just like the author once upon a time) keys to nowhere, and the awareness that his Puerto Rican identity further marginalises him (see Puerto Rican Syndrome in the book)..
From the mention of lexicological shift in the context of coming out to queer ancestors Zhenya Gay, Andy Warhol, Thomas Painter, and Edna Thomas, etc in the narrative to the discourse on eugenics, their dialogue allows the book to cover a whole range of issues..
While Juan sleeps through the day, Nene immerses himself in the books, the erasures, and at night he begins to see Juans body rekindled, ready to deep dive into the past and relive it through storytelling..
The award-winning writer, who also teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), purposely wanted to be playful with the book, tempting readers to wonder if Juan existed in real life and whether the narrator is none other than the author himself..
