I'm so glad you included this novel in your list. It deserves a lot more queer attention. Rice, who had a gay son, must have been paying close attention to queer communities and conversations, because she packed so much of our current reality into this historical novel, which is definitely not a romance novel.

Tonio is the quintessential queer man, struggling with gender performance, feelings of inadequacy, and simultaneous societal scorn/ fetishization. He creates his own family. He learns to adapt to a hostile world and achieve fulfillment and even happiness.

The novel is a remarkable work of art and a queer cri de coeur!