- Genre: Short Stories, Literary Fiction
- Published by: The Dial Press, Random House
- Publish date: July 7, 2026
- Number of pages: 256 pages
- Author’s website: https://maccrane12.substack.com/
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An employee at a hunting ground where people pay to act out hate crimes prepares to meet their girlfriend’s parents for the first time. A self-destructive client engages in an affair with their therapist, careening their relationship toward its inevitable breaking point. At a theme park where men pay to ogle women dressed as sirens, a mild-mannered boat attendant gets engaged to the star performer. And in the title story, a pregnant internet sex worker blackmails her clients into attending a disastrous party.
Nothing is off limits for Mac Crane as they rework classic stories of rejection, isolation, and connection to suggest that the so-called pervert, by existing in the margins of society, may be the one who sees the world most clearly. Crane brings their keen eye for the unsavory to seventeen transgressive stories that are as tantalizing and addictive as the characters’ experiences. A provocative and uproarious collection about pleasure, performance, and pain, Perverts is an exaltation of the awesome depravity of queer modernity.
Rating: 4/5
I thoroughly enjoyed these stories! As the title suggests, they were provocative and unlike anything I’ve ever read before, especially as they highlighted unique queer relationships. Unexpectedly, I like how these stories made me examine the word pervert. Obviously, when it’s used as a noun, as the title suggests, there are characters in these stories that are outside the margins, especially when it comes to sexual desires, but I also thought of the verb. The stories distorted my initial perception of what it means to pervert or deviate from the norm, and I feel like these stories do that not just in their content but in form as well. My favorite story was the titular one because the premise is wild where a sex worker forces her clients to a party by threatening to expose their use of her services and it’s as awkward as you’d expect.
I don’t think these will be for everyone, but I would definitely give them a try if you like weird literature (complimentary!). Ultimately, I liked how these stories dropped me into worlds that were new to me, made me uncomfortable, and fascinated me.
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to know!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book from Netgalley and The Dial Press/Random House. This has not impacted my rating and this review is voluntary.
Musings by Michelle 