Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

256 reviews

beansandrice's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I'm glad this book exists, but it definitely isn't for everyone. The overlapping realities of trans lives and reproductive rights are incredibly complicated, and Detransition, Baby doesn't shy away from this complexity. This book isn't at all about providing answers, but I'll be thinking back to it a lot with these topics nevertheless. In the end, Detransition, Baby is about capturing a certain kind of trans experience, and Torrey Peters undeniably succeeds at this. 

It does still have a few rough edges, especially how it left me wanting in its various conversations around ethnicity and race. Admittedly, I almost DNF'd it because the many explicit sex scenes were almost too much for me. I don't regret finishing it though. I saw myself so much in these characters, despite the fact that they're very different kinds of trans people compared to myself.

Don't expect perfection, expect a journey. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Transphobia, Infidelity, and Hate crime

Moderate: Outing, Abortion, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Racism, Deadnaming, and Physical abuse

sundayfever's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was an incredible read. A book written for trans people, not to explain trans people to the world. Deeply flawed but loveable characters who make mistakes and hurt each other, but with an undercurrent of love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia, Infidelity, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Hate crime

Moderate: Abortion, Deadnaming, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Toxic relationship

withlivjones's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An unapologetic and eye-opening book about the trans experience (although, as the book demonstrates, there is no one way to be trans). The premise was so niche and different but nonetheless it was dealt with in a very realistic way, and the three main characters were all flawed and vaguely unlikeable but written in a way where you could still sympathise with them. Be warned: in order to enjoy the book you need to be comfortable with taking the scenic route to the plot, but Torrey Peters’ writing - if a little meandering - is so brilliant that I got a couple hundred pages in before realising that not much had actually happened plot-wise. I suspect that I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Outing, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Transphobia, and Infidelity

Moderate: Violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Deadnaming

Frequent use of transphobic and homophobic slurs

snoopy_jay's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Transphobia, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Suicide

lareinamags's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Outing, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Transphobia, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Suicide

lira_the_recluse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Dark at times, but thought provoking about what it means to be a mother and some of the experiences of being trans women. Writing style seems good. Dual POV. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Infidelity, Violence, Outing, and Deadnaming

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Miscarriage

sweaterdad's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Loved the book. Nice to see queer family being discussed so dynamically. 

Would be interested in a sequel to see what the characters decided and how they stay connected.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Suicide

Moderate: Abortion

ez_heath's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Medical content, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Abortion, Medical trauma, Outing, Rape, Homophobia, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

zeus_strider's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I find it hard to describe this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it but wouldn't recommend lightly.

This book uses the word

"transsexual"

a lot and frankly a lot of slurs, and if that is going to upset you I might recommend you skip this one.

With that being said this is a book about two terrible people who engage in self-destructive behavior that shows little indication of changing by the end of the book, Reese throws herself into abusive relationships seeking validation, 
while Ames seeks to disassociate themselves because the pain of being present is too much for them to bear.

As a queer individual myself it is interesting to see queer characters who they themselves are not allies as counterintuitive as it is it does happen, Reese in particular is downright hateful of those around her, of those in her community and those of adjacenting communities, and quite frankly anyone who might treat her decently, I suspect that she believes everyone to be as hateful as she is which is what causes her to have such disdain in them which at times can be very difficult to read. 

But overall it's very well written and an interesting view into a very different perspective. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Infertility, Sexual content, Dysphoria, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Abortion, Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Outing, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Self harm

Moderate: Cultural appropriation and Suicide attempt

Minor: Suicide

sestout's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Alcohol, Death, Sexual content, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Cursing, and Homophobia

Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, and Infidelity

Minor: Suicide