“A campy, hilarious, fast-paced indulgence that’s addictively entertaining…Dynamic, colorful characters add flair to a story full of snappy dialogue and rapid-fire action. The book’s tone is primarily one of effervescent joy, but Egan also manages to incorporate serious themes of personal identity.”—Kirkus Reviews
A talented opera singer, Gilbert Eugene Rose, moonlights as a drag queen and diva divine, Kiri De Uwana, in order to pay his rent. However, Gil is dying to become famous on the New York operatic stage; unfortunately, he might get his wish when he lands lead roles as a soprano and tenor in separate productions and is also hired to sing Handel for a dangerous female gangster who is at war with the producer of one of the operas. Suddenly, happy-go-lucky Gil finds himself stranded in the middle of Mobster Boulevard, aflutter in heels, wigs, and dresses, with only his wits for protection and a new romance for inspiration.
Professional Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
“A campy, hilarious, fast-paced indulgence that’s addictively entertaining…Dynamic, colorful characters add flair to a story full of snappy dialogue and rapid-fire action. The book’s tone is primarily one of effervescent joy, but Egan also manages to incorporate serious themes of personal identity.”
"Fabulous!" Is Fabulous!
“Fabulous! is, well, fabulous! It’s also proof that when Laury Egan turns her hand to any genre of fiction, she makes it sing. This farcical romp is a colorful, spritely swirl of multiple identities, mobsters, mismatched paramours, and musical shenanigans of operatic proportions. Can a show-tune-belting drag queen break into the rarified realms of Mozart and Puccini to make a name for him/herself on stage in Manhattan’s opera world? Believe me, once you meet Kiri de Uwana (and his various personae) of the “slippery frippery” on page one, you will want to find out—and can laugh all the rambunctious way to the morning-after critical reviews of Kiri aka Gilbert aka Guilia’s climactic performance. I found myself reading with ‘a little Maggie Smith-style purse of the lips’ throughout. Such delicious fun!”—Karla Linn Merrifield, poet, and author of Psyche’s Scroll
Paying the Rent by Amos Lassen
Sometimes when life is getting you down, you need to do something to raise your spirits. (I doubt that sentence needs any further explanation these days). The way I do this is to look for a book that will pick me up and take me away to a place I would ordinarily not go. It just so happened that I received an invitation to review a book by an author I did not know and it did the trick. Just think about the intersection between the mob, opera and drag and you will see what kind of fun can be had.
Gilbert Eugene Rose is a talented opera singer who moonlights as a drag queen and diva divine, Kiri De Uwana. Sometimes it is what we have to do to pay the rent. But let’s face it, there are not too many drag dives that make it to the big time and Gil really wants to make it on the New York opera scene. He gets two gigs (surely there is a more refined word in opera-talk), one as a soprano and one as a tenor in separate productions and he also gets to chance to sing Handel when he is hired by a very dangerous female gangster who just happens to be in the midst of war with the producer of one of the other two operas. The chances of any of this ending happily are very slim.
As might be expected in the world of drag, this is a campy story that is way over the top and Gil only has his drag apparel, his wigs and his wits for support in a very trying time. Like many operas, we have an epic cast of characters; unlike many operas, the characters seem to be missing something and as the story moves forward, the reader is in for great fun. I was so reminded of when as an undergrad, I took a part as an extra in a New Orleans Opera House production of “La Boheme” and as I attended rehearsals, I came to understand that sanity in the opera world is a rare trait…. but the insanity is fun. I felt a smile on my face the entire time I read “Fabulous”.
Now I certainly do not want to ruin a read by writing spoilers so I am going to very carefully attempt to skirt the plot as much as possible (and no, the use of the word “skirt” here has nothing to do with drag). We immediately see the conflict that Gil faces when he is so anxious to make a name for himself that he takes on more than he can handle (or Handel). Taking two leading roles at two different opera houses was already too much but he had to take one more job to privately perform privately. And we are off on a crazy journey through three different aspects of New York City life— the drag, mob and opera scenes. What I find so wonderful about this book is that it does not ridicule or make fun of drag but rather captures the scene believably and beautifully. Sometimes we have to be reminded that we have to be able to laugh at ourselves.
I have to comment on Laury Egan’s character development of Gil. She has developed not only a loving main character but his alter egos as well and we can say the same for all of the other characters. The other characters run the gamut from “drag queens, psychics, spirit guides, mobsters to lesbian best friends, ex-lovers, hitmen/women, crazy love interests, absent parents, multiple identities and kidnappers. If you thought that “The Ten Commandments” had a big cast, you will be surprised at how many characters we have here and each is well developed. As if crazy characters are not enough, we also find them in crazy situations. Forget the world of reality and come away with Laury Egan to a world you have never visited before.
I came across a review (something I rarely do is read other reviews before writing my own) that uses the word “audacious” to describe “Fabulous” and I believe that hits it on the head. In fact, I felt the story to be so audacious that I read it in one sitting. I do think that I should mention that the humor is well meant and sophisticated so you will be laughing more internally than aloud— but you will be laughing.
I have only on a few occasions had trouble reviewing a book without giving something away especially because there are situations that I am dying to share but holding back. That is about the strongest recommendation that I can give and hopefully you will agree with me after reading “Fabulous”.
The Wholly Book of Genesis is a humorous satire on the first book of the Old Testament where the Story of Creation, the building of Noah's Ark, Sodom and Gomorrah and the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are thoroughly spoofed and broadsided.
A naïve councilman and a down-on-her-luck single mom try to save their county’s last stand of forest from greedy developers and a dysfunctional government.
