Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

57 reviews

madelynfrank's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

I liked a lot of this book. It was definitely stories that are not seen in mainstream media. It introduced a lot of complexities. I appreciated the grey of all the characters although it made it difficult to read near the end, when you don’t quite have someone to root for. The ending choice was smart but hardly satisfying. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abortion, Infertility, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Outing, and Transphobia

emhunsber's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Alcohol, Outing, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Deadnaming, Body horror, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Misogyny, Infertility, Infidelity, Gore, Grief, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Confinement

erint251's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Outing, Dysphoria, and Hate crime

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Homophobia, Abortion, Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder and Death of parent

travelseatsreads's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective tense 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

4.5

Detransition, Baby is a book which will inevitably polarize people. Just like its title, its contents are at times quite challenging. Even at its least provocative there will be someone reading somewhere shrieking in horror at what they just read. It is in that challenging nature of the book that I adore how brave Torrey Peters was in telling a story of gender, of mother & fatherhood, of queerness and overwhelmingly of the prejudice and trauma that everyone carries around regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

It would have been easy and hugely less controversial for Peters to make these 3 women flawless and likeable but rather than take the easy route she showed how deeply flawed and damaged all three of them were in their own ways. There are chunks of the book that reek of misogyny. There are violent, graphic and demeaning sex scenes. There are deeply prejudiced thoughts thrown about on occasion. There are sections where you will think what the actual f*** is wrong with them. And then there are sections full of love, tenderness, fulfillment and a deep yet brutal level of understanding and self awareness. Peters shies away from the fluffy rainbow coloured persona often provided and delves deep into what can be at times an absolute tangle of beautiful destruction.

Towards the last few chapters I longed to know just that little bit more about Reese and her backstory, her character was so full and intriguing I wanted to know more about where all that angst and inner turmoil came from. That and some other lingering questions kept me from that last star.

Overall, while this will not be a book for everyone, I think everyone should at least attempt to read it with an open mind and glean from it what they can.
What Peters showed effortlessly throughout the book is that none of it is easy, being trans, being queer or indeed immersing yourself into those worlds as a straight cis female. It's complicated and I loved Detransition, Baby for that honesty and rawness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Cursing, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Outing, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Drug use

oliviareese's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, Grief, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Abortion, Body shaming, Hate crime, Outing, Violence, Dysphoria, Infertility, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Lesbophobia

typethewriter's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-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? Yes

5.0

I both love and hate this book. I saw so much of myself reflected back at me in the characters. This book has given me new insight into areas I’d never considered, and a different perspective on areas I know. I really feel like I was on a journey of self-discovery with the characters. There’s something about this book that strikes such a chord in me and I can’t help but love it, even while vehemently disagreeing with many of the characters’ actions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Outing, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Abortion, and Transphobia

Minor: Deadnaming, Suicide attempt, and Car accident

lydiaie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Outing, Transphobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Addiction, Grief, Physical abuse, and Suicide

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional funny 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

3.0

This is probably the most unique book I've read in awhile. It tells the story of Reese, Amy, and Katrina - Amy's new girlfriend. Reese and Amy are both transgender women and spent many years in a relationship, during which they lived together and planned to have a family. Things went astray when Amy made the decision to detransition and become Ames, living as a man instead. Things get even crazier when Ames gets his girlfriend pregnant unexpectedly and crazier still when he suggests Reese co-parent with him and Katrina. A lot of messiness ensues! 

I thought this book was overall, impressive. It is whip smart, funny, and often heartbreaking. It offers a window into a situation unlike anything I've ever read. The characters are complex and have diverse points of view and the dynamics between characters are incredibly interesting. The writing is beautiful and extremely smart - often a little too smart for me. 

The issues I have with it don't necessarily have to do with the quality of the book itself and more with me. I thought that the book was going to be faster paced, and that we were going to see more of the interesting throuple-but-not dynamic than we actually got to see. There is a lot of backstory, which was excellent and told me a lot about Reese and Amy/Ames as people, but not a lot of plot to work with in the present day, which became frustrating for me toward the end. Ultimately, I think that this book is great, and reads quickly despite the slower pacing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Racism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Transphobia

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Pedophilia

sarahhj's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective tense 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

4.75

A beautiful portrayal of the meaning and weight of motherhood to different persons. I learned so much about the trans community and I felt so connected to each character and their stories. Loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Outing, Sexual content, Suicide, and Transphobia

storykath's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Outing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Deadnaming, Grief, Hate crime, Infertility, Medical content, Sexism, Stalking, and Violence