Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy have crafted something truly special with Let Them Stare—a genre-bending novel that seamlessly weaves together YA romance, supernatural elements, and a powerful exploration of LGBTQ+ identity in small-town America. This isn’t your typical ghost story or coming-of-age romance; it’s a vibrant celebration of queer history, chosen family, and the courage to be authentically yourself, even when the world seems determined to make you invisible.
The story follows Sully, an eighteen-year-old nonbinary protagonist whose dreams of escaping their suffocating Pennsylvania hometown are derailed when their fashion internship with influencer Lyndzi falls through spectacularly. What begins as a tale of disappointment and feeling trapped transforms into an extraordinary journey of self-discovery when Sully discovers a vintage Butler handbag that comes with an unexpected tenant: Rufus, the ghost of a 1950s drag performer with no memory of how he died.
Character Development: Complex and Authentically Queer
Sully: A Protagonist Worth Rooting For
Sully emerges as one of the most authentic teenage voices in recent YA literature. Their internal monologue crackles with wit, vulnerability, and the kind of raw honesty that makes readers both laugh and tear up within the same paragraph. Van Ness and Murphy have created a protagonist who feels genuinely eighteen—simultaneously wise beyond their years and adorably naive, fiercely independent yet desperately craving connection.
What makes Sully particularly compelling is their relationship with their identity and their hometown. Rather than presenting a simple narrative of “small town bad, big city good,” the authors explore the complex ways that place shapes us, and how sometimes the very locations we’re desperate to escape hold the keys to understanding ourselves. Sully’s journey from wanting to flee Hearst to finding reasons to stay feels earned rather than forced, grounded in genuine character growth and discovery.
Rufus: More Than Just a Ghost
Rufus could have easily been a one-dimensional supernatural plot device, but instead, he emerges as a fully realized character whose story illuminates the brutal realities faced by queer people in the 1950s. His gradual recovery of memories serves as both a supernatural mystery and a powerful meditation on erasure—how society systematically removed queer people from history, often literally erasing their names from family records and public documents.
The relationship between Sully and Rufus transcends typical ghost-human dynamics to become a profound intergenerational friendship. Rufus represents both the pain of the past and the progress of the present, showing Sully (and readers) how far LGBTQ+ rights have come while acknowledging how much work remains to be done.
Romance That Feels Real and Earned
Brad/Bread: Subverting the “Perfect Guy” Trope
The romantic subplot between Sully and Brad (affectionately nicknamed “Bread” for his supposed blandness) provides one of the book’s most pleasant surprises. What initially appears to be a standard enemies-to-lovers dynamic evolves into something much more nuanced and realistic. Brad isn’t perfect—he has moments of privilege-blindness and political ambition that create genuine conflict with Sully’s more radical worldview.
The authors handle their relationship with remarkable maturity, showing how two people can care deeply for each other while still having fundamental disagreements about their futures. The romance feels organic, built on shared experiences and genuine compatibility rather than instalove or dramatic grand gestures.
Supporting Characters: A Found Family Worth Celebrating
Emma and Guy provide crucial emotional anchoring for Sully, representing the kind of chosen family that many queer young people create for themselves. Their own romantic subplot adds layers to the story without overwhelming the main narrative. Eleanor, Sully’s mother, deserves particular praise as a parent character who manages to be supportive without being unrealistically perfect—she has her own political ambitions and blind spots while still providing unconditional love for her child.
Historical Elements: Bringing the Past to Life
Queer History Made Tangible
One of the novel’s greatest strengths lies in its treatment of queer history. Rather than relegating historical LGBTQ+ experiences to footnotes or brief mentions, Van Ness and Murphy make them central to the plot through the discovery of Robby’s speakeasy. The underground queer bar serves as both a literal and metaphorical space where past and present intersect, showing readers that queer people have always existed, even in the most unlikely places.
The historical sections, told through letters and recovered memories, provide devastating insight into the realities of queer life in the 1950s. The casual mention of Executive Order 10450, the pamphlet about arrest procedures, and the systematic erasure of Rufus from his family’s genealogy create a chilling portrait of institutionalized homophobia that resonates powerfully with contemporary anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Writing Style: A Perfect Collaborative Voice
Balancing Humor and Heart
In Let Them Stare, Van Ness and Murphy have created a seamless collaborative voice that captures both the humor and heartbreak of teenage experience. The dialogue sparkles with authenticity—Sully’s internal monologue reads like the thoughts of an actual eighteen-year-old who’s spent too much time on social media and not enough time processing their emotions. The authors excel at balancing moments of genuine emotional depth with perfectly timed humor that never undercuts the story’s more serious themes.
The supernatural elements are handled with particular skill, grounding fantastical moments in emotional reality. When Rufus manifests physically, it’s always tied to his emotional state or the recovery of memories, making the magic feel earned rather than arbitrary.
Themes: Beyond Simple Escapism
The Power of Place and Community
While many YA novels focus on escape as the primary solution to small-town prejudice, Let Them Stare offers a more complex perspective. Through Sully’s journey, the authors explore how sometimes the places we want to leave most desperately are the ones that need us most. The discovery of Robby’s speakeasy and the queer history of Hearst doesn’t magically solve all problems, but it provides Sully with context and community they didn’t know existed.
The theme of “blooming where you’re planted”—initially represented by Sully’s great-grandmother’s cross-stitch—evolves throughout the story from a source of frustration to a philosophy of empowerment. The authors suggest that sometimes change comes not from running away but from staying and fighting to make spaces more inclusive.
Chosen Family and Intergenerational Connection
The relationship between Sully and Rufus serves as a beautiful example of chosen family transcending time, space, and even death. Their bond illustrates how LGBTQ+ communities have always relied on chosen family and intergenerational support to survive and thrive. Rufus’s guidance helps Sully navigate their own identity struggles while Sully’s advocacy ensures Rufus’s story won’t be forgotten again.
Areas for Improvement
Pacing and Plot Resolution
While the supernatural mystery in Let Them Stare provides compelling momentum through most of the story, some plot threads feel rushed in the final act. The revelation about Cygnus Cobpen and the corporate shell company, while historically interesting, comes together almost too neatly. The confrontation with Beauregard Hearst, the story’s primary antagonist, feels somewhat anticlimactic given his buildup as a significant threat.
Additionally, some of the research sequences drag slightly, particularly the records hall scenes, which could have been streamlined without losing their investigative atmosphere.
Secondary Character Development
While the main characters receive thorough development, some secondary figures—particularly Emma and Guy—could have benefited from more individual storylines. Their romance subplot feels slightly underdeveloped compared to the care given to Sully and Brad’s relationship.
Cultural Impact and Representation
Authentic LGBTQ+ Voices
As a collaboration between Van Ness (known for Queer Eye and previous memoirs like Over the Top) and Murphy (author of the acclaimed Dumplin’ and its sequels), Let Them Stare benefits from both authors’ commitment to authentic representation. Van Ness brings lived experience as a nonbinary person, while Murphy’s experience writing diverse YA characters adds depth to the ensemble cast.
The novel’s treatment of nonbinary identity feels particularly authentic, avoiding both the “tragic queer” trope and the unrealistic “everyone is immediately accepting” fantasy. Sully faces real challenges with family members who struggle with pronouns and community members who don’t understand their identity, but they also experience genuine love and support from key people in their life.
Comparison to Similar Works
Let Them Stare stands alongside other exceptional LGBTQ+ YA novels like Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas and The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson in its commitment to showing queer joy alongside queer struggle. Like Dreadnought by April Daniels, it demonstrates how superhuman elements (in this case, supernatural ones) can illuminate very human experiences of identity and belonging.
The novel’s historical elements recall the best aspects of The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth in their unflinching look at institutional homophobia while maintaining hope for the future.
Final Verdict: A Sparkling Success
Let Them Stare succeeds brilliantly as both an entertaining supernatural romance and a meaningful exploration of LGBTQ+ identity and history. Van Ness and Murphy have created a novel that respects both its characters and its readers, offering genuine insights about community, belonging, and the power of knowing your history.
While some plot elements feel rushed and certain secondary characters could use more development, these minor issues pale in comparison to the novel’s numerous strengths. The authors have crafted a story that manages to be simultaneously laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving, offering both escapist entertainment and substantive themes worth discussing.
For readers seeking LGBTQ+ YA that goes beyond simple romance to explore larger questions of identity and community, Let Them Stare delivers in spades. It’s a book that honors both the struggles and triumphs of queer history while celebrating the ongoing fight for acceptance and equality.