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4.49 AVERAGE
4.49 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
Written in alternating view journal-like entries, the story outlines the friendships and lives of Abigail, a 17-yrs told trans student and Erica, her trans English teacher who is finally being honest with herself about her gender. It is heart wrenching, but hopeful and joyful at the same time. A reflection on humanity, community, and being your authentic self.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Outing
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Infertility
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
funny
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
Character driven, multiple POV's, LGBTQIA+
This was a heavy story, but in a good way. I loved Erica and all the side characters. Abigail though was soul of this novel for me.
This was a heavy story, but in a good way. I loved Erica and all the side characters. Abigail though was soul of this novel for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Transphobia
Moderate: Abortion, Suicide attempt
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
dark
emotional
funny
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
oh man. oh man oh man oh man did i love this book. i love the way this book dissects womanhood and all that connects us but also explores all the infinite ways to be trans and the way gender exists but also does not exist (see: currah, paisley, sex is as sex does, 2022 and also judith butler lol). this book was so complex to me because i feel like it really delves into womanhood but also queerness and gender in such a lovely way, talking about what connects us all but also what separates us. like, i am sort of a transmasc lesbian who doesn’t believe gender exists but there is so much in this book that connects me to these women even if i am not one of them.
will talk about this more below (lol what is this, a really shitty essay?) but i was hit really hard by the structure and switches between first and second person in brooke’s chapter. brooke was probably the person i related to the least out of everyone in this book, but the way she had this version of herself pushing through felt like a really well done look into what it’s like to be queer and have complex feelings about your gender. i was left really emotionally bereft by it, wondering what parts of myself i’m not even aware im shutting down and pushing away. i love that this book really encourages you to listen to that voice.
also, i thought abigail’s voice was just spectacular. the teens in this book were just perfectly written, which is an unfortunate rarity in both adult and ya fiction.
ALSO ALSO i really appreciated what st james did with character exploration through point of view in abigail, erica, and brooke’s chapters. switching between the third, first, and second person respectively then even within the same point of view in one chapter was just masterfully done for the narrative and how we should understand that character at that moment and the way they are thinking about themselves. i’m really emotional about abigail’s chapters being all in the first person and the brief first person we get with erica. not sure if that’s a spoiler but i thought it was just such a deftly done fascinating choice.
also, i thought abigail’s voice was just spectacular. the teens in this book were just perfectly written, which is an unfortunate rarity in both adult and ya fiction.
ALSO ALSO i really appreciated what st james did with character exploration through point of view in abigail, erica, and brooke’s chapters. switching between the third, first, and second person respectively then even within the same point of view in one chapter was just masterfully done for the narrative and how we should understand that character at that moment and the way they are thinking about themselves. i’m really emotional about abigail’s chapters being all in the first person and the brief first person we get with erica. not sure if that’s a spoiler but i thought it was just such a deftly done fascinating choice.
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
funny
hopeful
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
ohhhhh this was EXCELLENT and I'm sad that I finished because there's no more book left (even though we do end at a satisfyingly hopeful place for our main characters). Emily nails the small town vibe (which makes sense as she's from South Dakota) and of our narrators, 17 year old Abigail is fucking delightful.
I really enjoyed viewpoint structure, which I didn't clock until the final third or so,when Erica goes to come out to her boss and the chapter changes from third person (as all Erica chapters have been thus far) to first person. After realizing this, I thought about how the Brooke section was entirely in second person which makes sense- she's deeply stealth, performing the titular Woodworking but wondering what she's lost when she considers her younger sister.
There's a sense of dread hanging over it all with this set during fall/winter 2016, and both local and presidential elections looming. Like I said, I do appreciate that our characters end in a positive space, but the author's note correctly recognizes that anti-trans fervor has only increased in recent years, often attacking the most vulnerable community members with legislation against kids participating in sports or their parents making informed medical decisions. If you don't know any trans people (outwardly, anyway), Woodworking will place you in their shoes. Highly, highly recommend.
(and again: Abigail is the FUCKING best; she's mean and hilarious and vulnerable, very much a teenage girl)
I really enjoyed viewpoint structure, which I didn't clock until the final third or so,
There's a sense of dread hanging over it all with this set during fall/winter 2016, and both local and presidential elections looming. Like I said, I do appreciate that our characters end in a positive space, but the author's note correctly recognizes that anti-trans fervor has only increased in recent years, often attacking the most vulnerable community members with legislation against kids participating in sports or their parents making informed medical decisions. If you don't know any trans people (outwardly, anyway), Woodworking will place you in their shoes. Highly, highly recommend.
(and again: Abigail is the FUCKING best; she's mean and hilarious and vulnerable, very much a teenage girl)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Outing
Minor: Deadnaming, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Alcohol