Pulp

Title of Source: Pulp

Author: Robin Talley

Source Type: Young Adult Novel

Publication:  Harlequin Teen, 2018

MLA Citation: Talley, Robin. Pulp. Harlequin Teen, 2018

Notes:

Abby does not want to face the fact that her parent’s relationship is falling apart, or the fact that hers already has. She does not want to accept that her senior year is coming to an end and things are going to change. That is why she takes comfort in the 1950s. You can’t change the past. When Abby is pressured to pick a topic for her senior capstone project, she defaults to her love of the 50s and decides to research and write her own lesbian pulp novel. Abby becomes fixated on one pulp novel in particular and begins ignoring everything else in her pursuit of learning more about the author. In the 1950s, Janet believes that there is noone else like her until she finds a lesbian pulp novel at a bus stop stand. When she reaches out to the author, she is surprised that the author reaches back. Janet decides to write her own lesbian novel, but things get complicated when she begins dating a girl with a government job and realizes that she must keep everything a secret.

Pulp tells the story of these two young girls, separated by time, but connected through their love and appreciation of lesbian pulp novels. Both girls’ stories highlight the importance of literacy to young queer teens. The book also highlights the history of queer literacy as well as the way that literacy has been used against queer people. There was a time when being caught with a novel with queer content could have been dangerous, and it was not all that long ago.

Text to Text:

• This book is similar to Dear Rachel Maddow, both in the political nature of the novel (Abby and Janet are both involved in campaigning, and Brynn runs for class president), and the fact that the novels are set in Washington D.C. The real connection between the two novels, however, is that both girls start a school project that takes on a larger meaning for them and helps them deal with the other problems in their lives.
• This book is also like Autoboyography and How to Be Remy Cameron because both have school assignments that take on larger meanings.
• This book is also like Autoboyography because Janet’s relationship to books as contraband is similar to the way that Sebastian could be outed because of Tanner’s writing.
• This novel is highlights inter-generational queer relationships just like Fun Home
• The academic article “People Aren’t Afraid Anymore” provides real life examples of young queer women struggling to find books and the impact that those books have on their lives.