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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
What an amazing queering of so many weird facets of the cultural canon! Insertion of representation from the Bible, Golden girls, King Arthur, Anne of Green Gables, holy fuck it goes on. This book has me alternating gasps/groans/knowing gafaws- a true trans catharsis. Interlude 13 is a personal favorite, but so many gems here.
funny
reflective
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
I was glad to read this because I feel like I've read a fair amount by transwomen but not a whole lot by other trans people. It was interesting, although pretty Bible quote-heavy.
I had trouble classifying this as an essay collection instead of a memoir, and eventually went with essays because this is so text-heavy and referential. It's an incredibly unique work, occupying a space between Jenny Slate's [b:Little Weirds|44284906|Little Weirds|Jenny Slate|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551816579l/44284906._SY75_.jpg|68800663] and Carmen Maria Machado's [b:In the Dream House|43317482|In the Dream House|Carmen Maria Machado|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547869259l/43317482._SX50_.jpg|65787792], a space whose existence I had not previously thought possible, but here we are, and we're better for it. The author addresses a variety of subjects around his transition, and paints--dare I say it--the ominous phrase--a new vision of masculinity that is guided by canon texts from the Bible through Lord Byron. For literary nerds, this is a treat, even if some of the later essays can be so dense that they require re-reading. The interludes--a throwback to the literary parodies that made The Toast so iconic--make the dense pieces worth it, and also add to the overall effect of reflecting the overall state of mind of a person in transition, who, even while going through an experience that is unique to trans folks, remains universally relatable in his emotions, anxieties, fantasies, hopes, and fears. It even had me laughing out loud while reading, which is something that hasn't happened in a while. An excellent choice for Pride month.
The whole thing is a bit of a muddle. It's certainly a fascinating look inside Daniel's mind, but the sort of stream-of-conscious jumble of essays doesn't really make for a cohesive reading experience. Also, I found that my background and tastes might be a bit too similar to the author's? Personally, the summaries of all the Bible verses, theology, and myths felt repetitive and unnecessary.
That being said, there were many lovely essays in here that provided a lot of insight into topics of transition and faith.
That being said, there were many lovely essays in here that provided a lot of insight into topics of transition and faith.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced