The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King, by Harry Trevaldwyn review - Paige & Nicola
Patch Simmons is Gen Z’s queer answer to Bridget Jones. He is the awkward and embarrassing trainwreck you can’t take your eyes off, for fear of missing a single moment of his charm and heart.
As he enters a new school year, Patch has decided that this is the year he will have a boyfriend - he doesn’t care who, he just needs to have one. And since he’s a shoo-in to be the lead in this year’s school play, there’s no way a single gay boy in the entire school will be able to resist him. Right?
Instead of approaching this quest in a civilised manner and letting nature take its course (because who is reading that book?!) Patch takes us on a journey of chaos, poor decisions, and a big question of self discovery:
Am I the problem or the victim in this situation?
Patch is theatrical at least, preposterous at most - and hilarious at all times.
I think what made this book so wonderful is that, although it is indeed a queer love story, the fact that it’s queer is the least interesting thing about it. Patch’s missteps and face-palms are totally universal to the entire romantic population, and although those around him - the romantic interests in question, his best friend Jane, his cast mates, his family, his teachers - are absolutely horrified by his behaviour, it is also absolutely exactly how a boy his age should be behaving around a crush. Nobody could possibly judge him, because we were all once a little bit of a Patch at one time in our lives. And while he’s making a fool of himself in front of the new cute boys at school, his familial, friendly, and “professional” relationships continue to blossom through it all - I say “professional” because I’m not sure Patch’s worn-in dynamic with his teacher, Ms Beckett could really be described that way.
Personally I read Patch as an autistic character, though I don’t believe this is necessarily canon. His impatience for others operating outside of his needs, his tunnel vision on certain goals, and the way he has fit certain people or ideas into very specific categories all feel very familiar to me, and also remind me of other autistic characters - Keiko of “Convenience Store Woman”, Cassandra of “Cassandra in Reverse”, Don of “The Rosie Project”.
This book is an absolute triumph from cover to cover. Its cast of characters were so true to life, so welcoming and endearing, it was like they wrapped me in a hug, took me by the hand, and I skipped and twirled through the story with them. I’m moping around now because I miss them so much.
If you're a fan of Simon James Green, Alice Oseman, or Louise Rennison (Angus, Thongs & Full-Frontal Snogging) The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is the book for you. I am yearning to see a sequel in the near– no, immediate future!
And remember: it's only bloody cake!
Paige & Nicola
