Book Review: Queer Tastes: Unconventional Representation in Horror Films by Cat Voleur
Published by From Beyond Press
Genre: Nonfiction
Age: Adult
Format: ePub
Release Date: 23rd June 2026
As a film analyst, I’m always looking to read diversely within film analysis, so when I heard that Cat Voleur had specifically chosen to write about unconventional representation in the horror genre, I knew I had to read this book.
Queer Tastes is an exploration of cinema in twenty essays, each essay combining film analysis with Voleur’s personal experience. One may feel that certain films that seemed obvious to be included in this collection of essays have been missed out (Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is noticeably absent), but Voleur defends her reasoning soundly, and in a way, the book is much richer for it. The choice of films is very wide, ranging from Rebecca (1940) and Hausu (1977) to Skinamarink (2022) and the more overt I Saw The TV Glow (2024), which not only allows for a critical analysis over different time periods, but emphasises how the iconography and the culture of the moment can change representation.
I found the way that this book is written to be incredibly accessible. This is an analytical nonfiction book that is written with such character within it, it feels like you are having a conversation with Voleur. I also believe this would work very well as a gateway book into the deeper world of film analysis.
Queer Tastes is a fun yet thought provoking look into queer representation in films you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Voleur’s personable way of writing makes this work very accessible, and I would definitely recommend this for queer film fans and budding film analysts alike.
Purchase at From Beyond Press
Review by Sarah R. New
Twitter/Bluesky/Instagram: @aldbera
I received this Advanced Review Copy from the author for review consideration.
