This YA contemporary is one that is sorely needed, with its exploration of learning to follow your own path. It’s set in that uncertain time of finishing school and moving into the world, with an incredibly accurate depiction of the uni process of application and rejection. Lester completely captures that sense of uncertainty and lost being untethered. As someone in this exact position, it felt so reassuring to see Robin’s journey. He’s a fantastic protagonist that is just so easy to empathise with. However, he is not without flaws, he is messy and all the more human for it. This is completely his story of self-discovery and learning to love every part of himself.

On a lighter note, this book just exudes joy from every fibre of its being. There’s such happiness in finding a community and friendship group that accepts you for your true self. The central trio of friends felt so real, with hilarious and witty banter & the way that we often keep secrets for our friends in order to protect them or ourselves. In fact, all of the teenage characters in the book felt really authentic and genuine. Lester shows through them that we all have our own individual parts to follow and it’s not a one fits all experience. Robin goes through a toxic relationship with someone that casts such a shadow over the rest of life, including a hate crime that has haunted them since. Lester is unafraid of showing the hateful prejudice LGBTQ+ youth still face today, but also shows the hope that lies beyond. The book doesn’t have a nice, conventionally neat ending but it feels optimistic and more like the beginning of something new.

It would be wrong for me to write this review and not mention a central subject of Boy Queen: drag. I really loved learning more about this joyous art form and how Lester really emphasised how drag is more than a certain TV show. It is an accepting and beautiful space that accepts everyone and all different forms of drag, which Lester generously educates his readers about. I adored all of the drag names, which showed such wit and skilful wordplay. Also, I loved how Lester wove in so many pop culture references effortlessly. They can often feel forced or cliched, but here they always felt fresh and relevant.

Boy Queen is a brilliant book that I am so glad my peers and I get to have in our lives. Robin’s story is going to resonate with so many people and it’s a fiercely proud tale of self-love.

A glittering debut with so much sass and heart I can barely take it. Drag? Check. Pop culture references for gods? Check. A cute gay love story. Check. Kaye Bye?! Check check check! This book has stolen my heart and I am so thankful for its existence.

OK. Full disclosure. I worked with George years ago, when he was a bookseller, so I was very keen to read his debut novel. Admittedly, I am older than his target audience, my awkward teenage years being a dim and distant memory, and at first I wasn't sure that I would 'get' this book. I needn't have worried. This story is so good. It made me laugh and cry. I loved the relationship between Robin and his friends and his mum is brilliant. I have never seen a episode of Drag Race, so I have learned a lot! The story has a very positive message for anyone reading it. Do not be afraid to be who you are, no matter what other people may think. At the end of the day, it is your life to live.

When Robin doesn’t get into the drama school of his dreams – or any of the backup options, he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with his life. But that all changes when a birthday trip to a drag night inspires him to try and make it as a drag performer himself! I absolutely loved this – it’s funny, fabulous, and very moving. I particularly liked Robin’s relationships with his mum, drag mum, and friends – all their ups and downs are brilliantly depicted.

A lovely, inclusive book with very likeable characters, and a must-read for fans of drag - I loved the drag names, all the RuPaul's Drag Race references, and the fact it discusses the vast spectrum of the art form outside the show. I look forward to reading more from George Lester!

Absolutely loved this book! It was a fantastic story about finding your true self and not being afraid to show it. And the Drag Race references, girl, they were so good! I wish I could wrap Robin in a hug and never let him go, he's so precious. I'm so excited to discuss this new UKYA LGBTQ+ novel with my friends.

Really enjoyed this book. Not my usual genre but a great insight into the anguish faced by teenagers, particularly LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈

Great story of Robin and his friends, his relationship with his mum and finding his place in the world.

What fun! This is a glorious and delightful, at times hilarious and moving, story which feels so intimate and authentic. Such a joy.

I absolutely loved Boy Queen, one of my favourite books of the year so far! A fantastic read - fun, sass, heels and drag queens. What a ride!

Boy Queen, for me, was a real joy to read. A journey of self discovery for our main character, Robin, it explores sexuality, friendships, damaging relationships, teenage anxiety, fear, determination, new beginnings and finding yourself.

I'm actually going to be purchasing this one for my bookshelf in my classroom. As a teacher of Performing Arts I think it would be a brilliant book for my students to have access to. Fabulous!

Boy Queen
By George Lester - book review

Robin is a 18 year old boy who loves musical theatre, dance and singing. He has applied to LAPA and everyone in his life believes - including Robin - he will get in, however his application is unsuccessful, leaving Robin devastated and unsure of where is future is going. He is also secretly dating Connor who goes to his school, who unlike Robin is not out, and who is also friends with a group of boys who are very homophobic and physically attacked Robin in the past.

On his birthday night out Robin and his friends go out and see their first live drag show in a nearby town, and Robin soon after realises this is what he too wants to do. Friends are supportive but mum is not keen due to her concerns for his safety. Befriending a new boy at school, Seth, and drag queen from the show, Kaye Bye, who support and advise, Robin’s drag persona Mae Bee is born. His new found dream to perform causes rifts in friendships and relationships.

Lester creates a believable character in Robin, a boy with a lot going on in his life, whose dreams and emotions are full on. The friendship group feels genuine, and the language and cultural references are current and fun. Seth’s character to me feels a little cliched, but is nonetheless likeable and necessary to the plot.

Although the book flows along nicely with touching scenes of emotion and credible dramatic moments, the book holds no surprises at all and is predictable right to the end. This however does not detract at all from the fact that its still a great book with a story line which feels like a true and honest depiction of teenage life. Robin’s drag experience feels particularly personal, and there are moments of exceptional detail in his journey, which makes me wonder how much of this is autobiographical; Lester himself is a Drag Queen.

This is defiantly a book for fans of RuPaul, Drag Race, the Drag scene, contemporary fiction and YA.

This book was utterly delightful. Wonderful range of awesome characters including the lead who you will love. A brilliant story about friendship and being true to yourself. Funny and full of heart. Real feel good YA. A glittering debut. I loved it.

This book is unapologetically queer and exactly want I needed from this book!

I was completely invested in Robin and his story and genuinely teared up as I saw him realise who he was meant to be!

Would definitely recommend this book!

Boy Queen was absolutely brilliant. I loved it from start to finish. Robin Cooper, you done goofed a couple of times, but I wish you every joy in the world; or I would, if you were real, and then I would beg you to be my friend. But as you aren't, I'll just have to shout from the rooftops how wonderful this book was.

There are some stories that you can tell were written from the heart, from knowledge either first or second hand of the situations involved, that were bursting out of the author's head - or dancing their way out, in Robin's case. This felt like one of those books. George Lester handles subjects such as homophobia and the difficulties of being in the closet with a gentle hand but doesn't shy away from them either. He's also happy to let Robin mess up and the people around him give him a good telling off. It's always nice to see protagonists being human and selfish and stupid - provided they make it up to their loved ones.

As a drag queen himself you can tell that all the drag info comes from real life - I'll admit my only experiences are from Drag Race and it's always hard to know how much is real and how much is media. The drag terms sprinkled throughout were such fun and the love that the Dragcellence queens show to a baby drag queen was moving.

I can't recommend this enough, just...go read it.

Boy Queen was BRILLIANT. I read it on the recommendation of bookseller and book blogger pals and it did not disappoint. I loved Robin and his mates, and his mam is actually fantastic. There is many a perfect Drag Race references (yes season 6 is the best #party) but I was here for the relationships, friendships and ALL of the drama. It’s a really great read!

Well, what a lot of fun book Boy Queen by George Lester is! Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. And I really had Thoughts and Opinions on some of the characters (one in particular no spoilers, promise) and at times I really just wanted to shake Robin, our main character and be all, 'girl, what's with all the lies?' So Robin is just turning 18 and he is surrounded himself with an incredible assortment of supportive people. His mum, his drama teacher, his dance teacher and his friends. I love how much support Robin has in his life. Also, as an aside, I loved his relationship with him mum.

Robin doesn't have it all figured out, but he has his besties and he has this secret boyfriend, and Robin plans to go to drama school in London. But when he faces rejection after rejection for everywhere he applies, he goes through a bit of a tailspin... Honestly, I just loved poor Robin. He's so ...talented and lacking in confidence. He's so awkward and he keeps telling lies instead of just talking to the people who love and care about him! The dialogue in this is hilarious because all of the characters are full of SASS, but I wanted it all.. There was some great messages about the importance of treating the people in your life like they are important and finding those things that make you stupidly happy, about picking yourself up after set-backs.

I wanted Robin to get there quicker with his interest in drag after seeing a local drag show with his friends, not going to lie. Loved every bit of make up and high heels and the transformation of all-singing, all-dancing theatre nerd into on fire, confident Drag Queen. It was a joy to behold, as were the drag queens themselves, especially Kay Bye who shines as Robin's drag mum. This was George Lester's debut book and I cannot wait to read more by him.

A wonderful, joyous and celebratory read which was a lovely escape from the current doom and gloom. It doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics but also shines a light on the sisterhood of drag and the power of close friends who love you for who you are.

Robin hopes to be a performer, it's his dream and as a proud gay teen when his life plans fall off course, it's his friend Natalie who helps his realise his new way of life, drag!



With a supportive group of friends and his mum despite her worries over homophobes who could cause trouble for Robin, he sets out on discovering his passion for drag after his birthday at a gay club inspired him.



There's also the matter of Connor, his kind of yes kind of not boyfriend who is known as Secret Boyfriend due to not being outly gay but with some terrible friends.



So when a kind, cute shy new guy starts at their school he and Robin grow closer as Robin's drag act gets planned and showtime looms imminently!



This was such a great book I love that YA is branching out showing young teens that drag is a great expressive thing for them and that it's fun! Robin was a great character and I wish this was a series to see what action came from starting drag for him!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

What a thrill reading Boy Queen was! Robin is such a wonderful, realistic character; he has a great mum and brilliant friends but he is in a terrible secret relationship that is destroying his confidence. Desperate to get into drama school, he spends all his time in dance and singing lessons and when his plans fall apart, so does everything else. His manipulative boyfriend refuses to acknowledge him in public, his alienates his friends and starts lying to his mum- disaster! Things do get better and I found myself rooting for Robin when an unmissable opportunity comes his way. I loved his transformation and was wishing I was watching him perform, because in my head it was utterly amazing 😆. Love it, love it, love it 💕

I’m a newcomer to drag, having only so far watched the UK season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race (which Divina de Campo should’ve won btw), but I am absolutely here for this lovely little book about how to pick yourself up when your dreams are crushed. I’m also now slightly concerned that I am using phrases that are too young for me and that I sound like a grandma – but that’s a conversation for another day…

Boy Queen is George Lester’s first novel and, while I can’t claim to know George, I know OF him from my visits to YALC and so was excited to read this book, and I loved it!

Sadly for me, I’m now in the age bracket of the mum in this book, but I continue to be impressed at the confidence with which YA authors address difficult subjects, and reach out to let readers know that they are not alone in dealing with the difficult things in their lives. When I was in the YA age bracket, we only had Judy Blume to turn to, and there was nothing in her books to indicate that it was ok for a young, gay man to do drag!

I feel like as I get older, what I want from my books is good things happening to good people and in this book that is certainly the case. Robin goes through the wringer as his last hope of a stage school place is dashed and he does, at times descend into the selfish, but he has a brilliant group of friends around him to call him out on his behaviour and a protective, yet supportive mum to lead the cheering section.

Although parts of Robin’s story are not all sweetness and light, his progression from his darkest times to the triumphant finale of the book is just the type of life-affirming stuff we need to all be reading right now.

Having finished this book at a rate of knots, I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Boy Queen is published by Macmillan Children’s Books and is due for publication on 6th August. You can preorder from Amazon, or from your favourite retailer.

To find out more about George Lester, you can check out Twitter, or Instagram…

PS – don’t forget to preorder!

Boy Queen is a fun but very meaningful debut from George Lester that explores the LTBTQ community through the eyes of a gay teen. It's relatable, relevant, often funny and a novel that truly explores discovering who you are.