Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore's novel 'Terry Dactyl' explores queer joy amid AIDS and COVID-19 parallels

Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore's fourth novel, 'Terry Dactyl,' published by Sycamore Cipher Press in softcover for £11.99, follows a trans female protagonist raised in 1980s Seattle by progressive lesbian mothers and drag queens. The narrative contrasts the AIDS crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic through Terry's experiences, including her move to New York for studies and immersion in the queer Club Kids scene of drugs, dancing, and disease. Terry works at a gallery and dabbles as an artist, with Sycamore offering sharp commentary on the elite artworld while maintaining Terry's immunity to its pretensions. Her life unfolds in a haze of technicolour fractals, ashes, and glittery makeup, with friendships forged in drag-queen dialogue. The second part depicts Terry returning to Seattle during the Coronavirus pandemic, where she copes with isolation through nostalgic dancing in parks and finds solace in Black Lives Matter protests and nightly applause for healthcare workers. Unlike her mothers, who grow conservative with age, Terry clings to her beliefs, leading to trouble. Sycamore, an activist and proponent of radical queer politics, infuses the prose with a spirited, tender grit, avoiding clichés about sex and substance use. Terry's unfiltered inner dialogue provides a joyous insight into a creative mind, emphasizing themes of community, intimacy, survival, historical injustices, and hope amid adversity.