Potato Queen

Potato Queen
by Rafaelito V. Sy

Potato Queen
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Book Summary Information

Author: Rafaelito V. Sy
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-07-30
ISBN: 1928662064
Number of pages: 267
Publisher: Palari Publishing

Book Reviews of Potato Queen

Book Review: Thoughtful yet captivating coming-of-age narrative
Summary: 4 Stars

The focus of this narrative novel is Juancho Chu, a young gay Filipino man who moves to San Francisco, finds a job at a travel service that specializes in Asian travel, and commences looking for a boyfriend. Juancho is a self-admitted "Potato Queen" ... a gay Asian who is attracted mostly to mature white men. (It's just a coincidence I read this shortly thereafter finishing and reviewing another called "Rice Queen", which is about mature white men attracted to young-looking Asian men, which are also common in this book. In a sense, this book puts the other better in perspective.) Juancho quickly meets another "PQ" in the person of his coworker Rowell, and Rowell's "RQ" ex-lover/best friend Gerald, and they form the core of a group of friends that explores San Francisco's gay nightlife together.

This is a coming-of-age story, in the sense that Juancho's search for love and acceptance is really starting within himself, as he strives to be more self-assured, open to others, and be more certain of what he wants out of life, same as his American friends are finding out for themselves. The book gives interesting cultural and class insights regarding Juancho's native country, which help the reader to understand Juancho's emotional journey toward acceptance. Although the author is also Filipino, there is no way to tell how much of this is autobiographical. But the story Mr. Sy tells is relatively captivating and emotional, suggesting more than a detached involvement in Juancho's progress and revelations. His progress is summarized poignantly in Juancho's final line, which reads: "I would rather be alone in America, than a freak in my country."

Not exactly light reading, but thoughtful and interesting nevertheless.

Summary of Potato Queen

Potato Queen starts off in Manila, Philippines, where a young Juancho Chu is living vicariously through reruns of US television sitcoms and dreaming of a life in the less oppressive land of America.

As a young man, Juancho makes his way to San Francisco to establish a life for himself in the United States. While working at a travel agency ironically selling tours to "exotic" locales like the Philippines, Juancho works toward his US citizenship.

It?s not long before he begins making friends and discovering the gay nightlife that San Francisco has to offer. Along comes Gerald, a white man who is attracted to Asian men ? a "rice queen." Juancho finds that he is usually attracted to white men, thus dubbed a "potato queen."

Juancho and Gerald seem to be perfect for each other, but complications along the way include a variety of very willing Asian men and a surprisingly down-to-earth white porn star.

Will Juancho and Gerald remain "just friends?" Will Juancho secure the US citizenship he has always dreamed of? Will he actually meet the porn star he used to watch on the big screen in dark movie houses?

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