1.3k reviews for:

Woodworking

Emily St. James

4.5 AVERAGE


I think it’s a moving, funny, and timely story about a closeted trans teacher and an outspoken trans teen navigating life in small-town South Dakota. Emily St. James writes with heart and wit, capturing identity, fear, and unexpected connection. Smart, emotional, and quietly powerful.
adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
emotional funny 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
emotional reflective sad 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: Complicated
emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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
emotional hopeful reflective 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

PHENOMENAL. Fully realized characters and the perfectly surprising, yet inevitable plot. Can’t wait to see what St. James does next. 
adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

An excellent debut novel from Emily St. James. Following a trans teacher (new to her identity and not out to really anyone yet), and her openly trans student, we get to explore the ins and outs of being trans from two starkly different POVs. It is moving, and emotional and devastating, but also hopeful and restorative.