Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - The Craft of Love

Read during the #TransRightsReadathon March 20-27, 2023. A gentle character study of a courtship in antebellum NYC between a skilled silversmith (trans man) and an expert quilt maker (bi cis woman) who is also a political and social activist supporting abolition, women's rights, and workers' rights.

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wilybooklover's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

A lovely, cosy novella featuring a trans hero and bi heroine. The story is mostly about their connection and getting to know one another, without any real angst or conflict. Just tender and sweet.

I love that both of the main characters crafted things for a living (the hero is a silversmith and the heroine a quilter). You could feel the love of craftsmanship shining through the pages. There was also inclusion of women’s rights and other social issues that still felt very grounded in the era and accurate to the time period.

The ending felt a bit rushed though; the book ends right as they get together and I would’ve loved another chapter or two to see them settle into the relationship.

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displacedcactus's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

This is a very short romance story between a cis woman and a trans man. Both characters are highly skilled craftspeople: Remembrance is a quilter and Benjamin is a silversmith, and they have a great appreciation for each other's work. Also, Remembrance is trying to get the needleworkers of NYC to unionize, so that was awesome.

While this story has a lot of delicious longing, it only gets as far as kissing. If you are looking for something as steamy as Ottoman's The Companion, you will be disappointed. But if you would like a couple of competent people falling in love, this is a quick, sweet read.

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wardenred's review

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hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

You are my dearest friend. Whatever else you could be or might be to me will never be as important as that.

A beautiful, quiet story about two people—a trans man and a bisexual woman—gradually coming together. I really loved how the leads, upon encountering the initial spark of mutual attraction, kind of take a step back and take the time to build a solid connection first. The book is really short, being a novella, and yet the plot unfolds very gradually, showing Remembrance and Benjamin open up to each other and forge a friendship step by step before they delve into something different. (I hesitate to say, "something more"; it's my firm belief that romance isn't inherently more important, more valuable, or otherwise more than friendship, it's just different).

I really liked how while the story intimately focused on the two main characters, it also remained firmly grounded in the setting at all times. The 19th century New York wasn't just a backdrop or a decoration; both characters were fully integrated into the world around them, as well as keenly aware of its problems and challenges. The latter is especially true for Remembrance. Her passion about basically improving the society really made me invested in her journey. It was also wonderful to see how Benjamin's gender was handled; I found the portrayal really relatable and sensitive. Another thing I very much enjoyed were the leads' interactions with their families.

All in all, an excellent quick read for a rainy night.

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