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charley0796's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A beautiful reflection of queerness in all its forms and one of the first fully queer books I’ve read, definitely the first trans book I read (despite being pan myself). I’m so glad it was my first!
I loved the imperfect characters and the development of Katrina. I learnt so much about trans culture, class and gender through this book - an unbiased lesson. It gives you unapologetic insight into what life is like as a trans person and lets you know the answers to questions you’ve never been able to ask.
The characters hooked me, and resonated with my own queer realisation - so much so that when I realised the last paragraph was indeed the last paragraph I cried out.
However, I was not a fan of the constant jumping back and forth into chapters that weren’t linked to the plot or clearly linked to understanding the characters. At times the language frustratingly descriptive and flowery - I wish bits of this were cut to make room for an ending that didn’t feel rushed, especially given the otherwise slow pace of the book. Perhaps a sequel will answer my burning question?
I loved the imperfect characters and the development of Katrina. I learnt so much about trans culture, class and gender through this book - an unbiased lesson. It gives you unapologetic insight into what life is like as a trans person and lets you know the answers to questions you’ve never been able to ask.
The characters hooked me, and resonated with my own queer realisation - so much so that when I realised the last paragraph was indeed the last paragraph I cried out.
However, I was not a fan of the constant jumping back and forth into chapters that weren’t linked to the plot or clearly linked to understanding the characters. At times the language frustratingly descriptive and flowery - I wish bits of this were cut to make room for an ending that didn’t feel rushed, especially given the otherwise slow pace of the book. Perhaps a sequel will answer my burning question?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, and Alcoholism
stayathomereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Infertility, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence
abitdicier's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Miscarriage, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcoholism, Infertility, and Homophobia
stormwise's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
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
4.5
This book...it broke my heart then gave me hope, made me laugh and then made me sob...so please do not expect this review to be unbiased or logical, or even a proper review to be honest!
It explores so many facets of trans life! Including but not limited to: the concept of queer temporality; the impact of the lost generation on today's queer community; the tradition of motherhood amongst trans women; how perception of your gender can affect your identity; intersectionality in the queer community; the effect of relationship trauma, heartbreak and sex on our identities; unconventional queer families; and the expectations of the trans community versus the needs of the trans individual. Apologies for the long list but I am so excited to have read a book that explores all of these things!
I loved the characters, beautifully flawed as they all were. Reese's self-destructive behaviour broke my heart and Ames' struggle with his identity had me crying on multiple occasions. It was such a treat for me to read about such complex trans characters - I really related to them both. Katrina gets less page-time but is no less important, providing a vital counterpoint of intersectionality.
Top moment that made me laugh: there's a high stakes car chase where one party is in an Uber.
Top moment that made me cry: Ames detransitioning.
I'd definitely recommend this book - it's not an easy read but if you want an unflinchingly honest insight into just a fraction of what goes on in the queer community, this is a good place to start.
It explores so many facets of trans life! Including but not limited to: the concept of queer temporality; the impact of the lost generation on today's queer community; the tradition of motherhood amongst trans women; how perception of your gender can affect your identity; intersectionality in the queer community; the effect of relationship trauma, heartbreak and sex on our identities; unconventional queer families; and the expectations of the trans community versus the needs of the trans individual. Apologies for the long list but I am so excited to have read a book that explores all of these things!
I loved the characters, beautifully flawed as they all were. Reese's self-destructive behaviour broke my heart and Ames' struggle with his identity had me crying on multiple occasions. It was such a treat for me to read about such complex trans characters - I really related to them both. Katrina gets less page-time but is no less important, providing a vital counterpoint of intersectionality.
Top moment that made me cry: Ames detransitioning.
I'd definitely recommend this book - it's not an easy read but if you want an unflinchingly honest insight into just a fraction of what goes on in the queer community, this is a good place to start.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Violence, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Infidelity
Moderate: Abortion, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcoholism, Deadnaming, and Death
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