Explanation: The Humming Underneath the Skin is a queer coming-of-age novel from an era when coming out was still a distant dream. While queer writers have always been present in literature, they have not always been able to write openly about their loves and lives. In this novel, Stephan Lohse paints a deft and subtle portrait of life as a gay teenager in 1970s West Germany. Intro: Set in Hamburg in 1977, The Humming Underneath the Skin is told by 14-year-old Julle. When a new student called Axel turns up in his class, Julle falls in love immediately. With great imagination, empathy, and wit, Stephan Lohse tells the story of two boys and the things in life that mean everything.