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BOOK REVIEW: Carnivore by Jonathan Lyon

Carnivore

By Jonathan Lyon

This book follows the misadventures of Leander: Queer, druggie, manipulator, friend,  lover, fighter, liar.  Gifted with synaesthesia; a condition where the senses confuse and enhance information and also in constant chronic pain he seeks to rent himself out for BDSM sex as a chance to literally feel something different, or does he? Leander’s recanting of this tale is utterly unreliable in this book and the author enjoys playing with us as much as Leander seems to enjoy the same toying.  We jump right in and follow Leander’s decent into his primal world, described in extra intense tones and the prose sometimes has a life of its own.   With echoes of the narratives of Irvine Welsh, this chemical and narcotic story weaves a mysterious path in and out of reality and perception. The narrator’s perceptions are often twisted by pain, anger, clashing senses or huge doses of heroin so it’s got a pretty gaudy kick to it.

The book pivots half way through and the carefully set up states seems to unravel and hunter becomes hunted and twister is unwoven, there’s not a single normal person in this book, everyone has a huge backstory and everyone is pretty vivid.  I read it in flashes, it reads in chunks and the author has taken time to ensure the reader experiences the world though the drug fuelled warped senses of the anti-hero.  Lyon manages to keep most of this under control and although I wasn’t entirely sure at some parts who was talking to who or what was happening, I just rolled with it and went with the punched.

It’s refreshing to read such a horrible but totally Queer protagonist whose embrace of sexuality and opportunity is fully, apologetically bent. This books reminded me of  Exquisite Corpse, by Poppy Z Brite, it’s got that ‘smack in the face’ (as well as in the veins) quality about it.

There’s a fair amount of gruesome violence in the book and paired with such an apparent series of characters the volte-face of the final few chapters is not quite as plausible as the pace of the constantly rising narrative tension. However that’s a small gripe for what is an interesting and arresting book and if you are a fan of twisted crime, murder or druggy thrillers then you’ll find this book enjoyable.

Lyon has a strong voice and a curious crepuscular turn of phrase, one which he unleashes with full force in this book.  His personal experience of pain and intoxication is also transferred and then carefully explored in the book and provides a jolting  constant background hum/scream which I found difficult to shift after putting this book down.

This is a strong debut novel from Jonathan Lyon. He has the face of an angel but an inquiring and debauched imagination which has given us this compulsive psychoneurotic take on the crime thriller.

£12.99

For more info or to buy the book see the publisher’s website here

 

New LGBT+ night in Brighton

El Geebee Tea Queue, a brand new variety evening celebrating local, national and international LGBT + talent, launches at The Brunswick, Hove on Sunday, October 8.

Expect LGBT+ comedy, cabaret, live music, theatre, spoken word, film and dance from acts, including: “Drag Prince” Alfie Ordinary, musician and lyricist Hannah Brackenbury, musician Paul Murray, performance artist Annabelszki, singer/songwriter Paul Diello and composer/musician/artist Nick Hudson.


Event: El Geebee Tea Queue launch

When: Sunday, October 8

Where: The Brunswick, Holland Rd, Hove.

Time: 8pm

Entry: £4 adv/£6 on the door

To book tickets online, click here:

 

HALLOWEEN: The Night of the Living Zombears

The annual Brighton Bear Halloween party returns to the wicked depths of Subline on Saturday, October 28. This time it’s The Night of the Living Zombears.

The team behind Brighton Bear Weekend will again be inviting you to dress up and party until the dead are rising out of the grave. There will be top prizes for the best costumes of the night and free vodka shots on the door.

Mixologist Steve Lee has a new menu of cocktails that will send shivers up your spine. DJ Screwoplois will make you dance like you’re possessed.

The charge on the door is £4 for members and £6 for non-members. The portal opens at 9 pm and closes when it’s done. The night will be raising money for The Rainbow Fund.

Graham Munday
Graham Munday

Graham Munday, Chair of Brighton Bear Weekend, said: “Halloween is always a great party and I am amazed every year how many and how much effort people put into the costumes for the night. It keeps getting busy every year.

“Subline is the perfect place for this party and we always make it extra spooky on this night. Steve and the whole of Subline team are always very supportive and help us raise money for The Rainbow Fund at this event and throughout the year.”

Brighton Bear Weekend has other new dates for your diary. They have a Christmas weekend coming up on December 9 and 10 where they are teaming up with Bear Patrol to give you a weekend of Christmas cheer. Details to follow in November Gscene.
Brighton Bear Weekend is on June 14 to June 18, 2018. Book your transport and accommodation now.
 
Brighton Bear Weekend raises money for The Rainbow Fund at all their events. The Rainbow Fund makes grants to LGBT/HIV organisations delivering effective front line services to LGBT+ people in the city.

For more details about Brighton Bear Weekend, click here:

ME and Fibromyalgia research

The Sussex ME Society is helping to recruit subjects to take part in an important research study to be carried out in Sussex. The study will seek to understand mechanisms of chronic pain and fatigue.

Researcher are looking for people aged 18 to 65 who have a firm diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME or Fibromyalgia to take part in research which seeks to understand the biological and physical mechanisms of chronic pain and fatigue.

This will involve routine medical procedures, including brain scans, heart rate and blood pressure measurement, questionnaires and blood tests. This project is a collaboration between the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust & Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).

Colin Barton of the Sussex charity, said: We are pleased to be able to assist in this important research that was first outlined at our 2016 Brighton conference that was attended by doctors and scientists with an interest in these disabling illnesses.

ME or Chronic fatigue syndrome that can sometimes follow a viral infection or trauma is thought to affect around 5,000 people across the county including a good number of folk in the LGBT+ communities many of whom are housebound and in need of care.

Those interested in volunteering for the research should contact the Sussex ME Society on 01273 674828.

 

Researcher seeks Gay Men in Brighton, c.1967-1990

Joe Pieri, a third year history undergraduate at the University of Cambridge, is looking for five–six self-identifying gay men (born between 1940-1975) to interview about their experiences of the Brighton gay scene during the period of approximately 1967-1990.

Joe will be conducting one-on-one semi-structured interviews in accordance with the University of Cambridge Faculty of History guidelines on oral history research.

The guidelines require that each interviewee give written consent and complete a brief questionnaire before the research interview proceeds.

If you would like to get involved, telephone 07947653516 or email jp707@cam.ac.uk

Council take action to tackle anti-social behaviour

Brighton & Hove City Council has successfully applied for closure orders on two properties in Brighton to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The orders, granted at Brighton Magistrates Court, relate to properties on May Road and Camelford Street and are designed to bring relief to neighbours in the vicinity.

The court was told that in each case there had been serious nuisance or disorder, with intimidating and threatening behaviour towards neighbouring residents; excessive noise at all hours associated with visitors to the properties; and concerns about violent offences being committed on or in the vicinity of the premises.

Problems at the property on May Road were caused by a tenant at the privately owned flat. A full closure order has been made, which means no-one can enter the property for three months, apart from the leaseholders and anyone authorised by the council, which is the freeholder.

At the property on Camelford Street, a partial closure order has been made – the privately owned house is closed for three months to anyone apart from the tenant, the emergency services, and anyone authorised by the council’s community safety team.

Councillor Anne Meadows, Chair of the council’s Housing and New Homes Committee, said: “These cases are part of a package of action by Brighton & Hove City Council to tackle anti-social behaviour which can cause misery for people living nearby.

“Council staff work closely with the police to respond to problems and a total of 13 closure orders have been made in the last year, including these cases. Closures are a last resort, when other efforts to resolve the situation have been unsuccessful, but this court action sends out a clear message that we will not hesitate to take this action when needed.”

For information about reporting anti-social behaviour, click here:

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