A review by ditten
Despised And Rejected by A.T. Fitzroy

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Originally published in early 1918, Despised and Rejected is staunchly pacifist and very queer. Given the time of its release, its little wonder the book was banned and heavily fined a few months after publication. Not for being queer though, but instead for endangering recruiting efforts for the war.

I don't think I'll ever get over reading queer books from over 100 years ago. There's something about not just knowing queer people have always existed, but seeing writers defy the law of the time in order to write books with queer themes that feels so powerful, inspiring, and heart-achingly fierce.

Despised and Rejected argues that being queer is inherent, natural, and beautiful, and that being different doesn't have to be something bad. It seems even reviewers at the time were taken aback by the "bold" claim of homosexuality as natural and not a choice, and it's definitely not something I've seen so explicitly stated in the other queer books I've read from the time.

 "We want more light, more breathing-space, more tolerance and understanding: not this narrow-minded wholesale condemnation and covering-up; this instinctive shuddering and turning away from a side of nature that, like every other side, has its right to a hearing, its right to open discussion."

Both Dennis and Antoinette, the MCs of the book, are queer, and while society is pushing them to marry, they instead become friends. It's a complicated friendship though, especially for the Antoinette who, while lesbian, has found she's developed feelings for a man for the first time when she falls in love with Dennis. Dennis can't and doesn't reciprocate her feelings, and he's instead fallen in love with a man who's among the circle of pacifists him and Antoinette meet up with once the war's broken out to discuss anti-war sentiments, ethics, and how to avoid being called up to serve when conscription is imposed.

The tone of the book goes from a happy vacation tale in summer 1914, to much deeper and sadder themes once the war starts. It's not a happy book but it is an incredibly powerful and impactful one that gives us a unique insight into queer life in 1914-1915 England, as well as an overly patriotic and war-hungry British society. It's a time where being a pacifist was not looked kindly upon, and the punishment for conscientious objectors was harsh both in terms of prison and a stripping of rights, as well as from the pacifist's fellow citizens. 

Being a hardcore pacifist AND gay? Almost untenable in terms of living a decent life during this time. The fact that Rose Allatini wrote this book at the time she did is incredible, and I'm very glad to have read it.

"The senselessness of all his repression and self-denial stood revealed to him. Seeing at last with Alan's eyes, and in the light of his own experience, he recognised that herein had lain the real perversion: in the continuous struggle between brain and body, the continuous struggle to suppress his instincts and force them into ways not natural to them. It had not lain in his passion for Alan. That, and that alone, given the peculiarities of his nature, had been right, had been beautiful, because it was truthful."