Fag Hag

A celebration of human foibles and an offbeat optimism fuel the humor in this lively tale of unrequited love turned to perilous obsession. Flamboyant Natalie Stathis, the novel's eponymous fag hag, lives for the companionship of Peter, a handsome artist who escorts her through a drug-enhanced kaleidoscope of Chicago's gay nightlife, all the while looking over her shoulder to find the perfect man for himself. Natalie guilefully succeeds in poisoning many of Peter's relationships, but her tricks fail her when Peter meets Lloyd Hood, outspoken libertarian, survivalist and gun dealer. The solid love of these two men pushes Natalie to wild extremes as she attempts to either recapture Peter or exact vengeance. Writing with clarity, wit and no meanness of spirit, Rodi peoples his zestful first novel with amusing, original characters, which include Natalie's meddlesome, mom Sandy, the founder of Accessorizers Anonymous; Luigi Gianelli, a seedy, gay cop with a diaper fetish; Quentin, an ex-Rama Z gangmember turned Ayn Rand disciple and objectivist rap star. Rodi's vision of old-fashioned ideals of love reinventing themselves amid a milieu of weirdness and even dangerous excess makes for fresh and stimulating comedy. (Feb.)