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cthrnmrtn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
A wonderfully powerful recount of Sarah McBride’s life experience this far. I loved hearing her story told in her voice. Her fight for trans rights, for her love and against Andy’s cancer, and for a better society is woven throughout the book. Highly recommend!
karlynrose's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
fieldsandfeels's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, so…I think Sarah McBride is a wonderful advocate for trans rights, which is why I wanted to kick off my trans rights readathon with her memoir. However, I found myself disengaged from it in many ways. From the beginning, she is clearly very ensconced in the traditional political machine, which I find both disappointing (though admittedly that’s on me, as I knew that going in) and entirely uninteresting. I was hoping for a little more person in the storytelling, but instead we got a well organized but boring account of her coming out followed quickly by her early career days, which actually appeared to have been smooth and easy, without rancor. While that is a great story worth telling - let’s hear it for trans joy! - the narrative fell flat. Even walking through *SPOILER ALERT* her partner’s cancer diagnosis, becoming a caretaker to him, and ultimately his death, was told with clinical precision and little heart. As a political candidate she has my support, but this memoir is clearly just a cog in the engine fueling her political career.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Minor: Transphobia
melissamcallisterbookishgirl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
silkyfrack's review against another edition
5.0
This is probably the best memoir I've ever read. It is both a heartbreaking and motivational book. Her story is heartbreaking, and it is also sad that this world still discriminates against people who are simply just trying to live. People like Sarah have made society a better place than it was just a few years ago. There will always be setbacks in any movement but it is important to not give up.
katerintree's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
I gave this 5 stars bc of the way the experience of reading this felt, it was positive and heartfelt, like a hug from the maternal director at the LGBTQ center. I loved the image in the last chapters, trans kids watching McBride’s address on tv, trans kids growing up as their true selves. I liked tragic romance, and the hallmark movie progression from beginning to end. McBride’s life was not perfect, but I would shelve it with cozy reads.
I struggled with the privilege McBride describes without realizing she is describing it. Oh they just GOT an apartment in DC? Oh her boyfriend just happens to drive an expensive car? Oh of course they are vacationing in Aruba.
I appreciate that she addressed her privilege- white cis & economically stable - but she definitely does not seem to be aware - at least I did not see awareness in this book - of how her wealth insulated her from the kind of difficulty she would otherwise have experienced.
I would recommend this as a starter book for someone just starting to learn abt the experience of trans ppl, or to parents of trans kids who need a hopeful story.
I struggled with the privilege McBride describes without realizing she is describing it. Oh they just GOT an apartment in DC? Oh her boyfriend just happens to drive an expensive car? Oh of course they are vacationing in Aruba.
I appreciate that she addressed her privilege- white cis & economically stable - but she definitely does not seem to be aware - at least I did not see awareness in this book - of how her wealth insulated her from the kind of difficulty she would otherwise have experienced.
I would recommend this as a starter book for someone just starting to learn abt the experience of trans ppl, or to parents of trans kids who need a hopeful story.