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lindy_b's review against another edition
1.0
Yeah, I take issue with portraying a fifteen year old Puerto Rican trans woman/drag queen as a seductress.
curmiens's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-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
isabelreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.25
A fascinating novel about passing across all sorts of lines, a novel about transfeminity that falls into a lot of traps common in literature about trans people written by cis writers. Yet, something about the ambiguity and gorgeous writing transcends these tropes for me, allowing an interesting exploration about queerness, gender, and colonial Caribbean existence that entranced me. A kaleidoscopic novel of queer community I'll probably eventually read in Spanish as I think some of the gender play will be even more interesting in a language with grammatical gender.
medianoche's review against another edition
Se necesita estómago para aguantar tanta infamia.
Este libro está escrito con mucha belleza, mar, tristeza y dolor reales, y ahora no puedo seguir.
No sé si lo retome a posterior
Este libro está escrito con mucha belleza, mar, tristeza y dolor reales, y ahora no puedo seguir.
No sé si lo retome a posterior
mushimilda's review against another edition
3.0
Un roman sur les drag-queen à Porto Rico, qui traite surtout de pédophilie honnêtement.
Les chapitres sont entrecoupés de discours, monologues de personnages inclus ou non dans l’histoire que j’ai trouvé assez intéressant car ils enrichissaient la narration. Par contre c’est justement du côté de l’histoire en elle-même que j’ai trouvé ça faible : c’est beaucoup trop long à se mettre en place pour une situation extrêmement plate et sans surprise. L’alternance du style (factuel, lyrique, poétique avec des mises en page travaillées, narrative) était un peu maladroite aussi à mon goût, comme si différents bouts de roman ont été collé ensemble.
Les chapitres sont entrecoupés de discours, monologues de personnages inclus ou non dans l’histoire que j’ai trouvé assez intéressant car ils enrichissaient la narration. Par contre c’est justement du côté de l’histoire en elle-même que j’ai trouvé ça faible : c’est beaucoup trop long à se mettre en place pour une situation extrêmement plate et sans surprise. L’alternance du style (factuel, lyrique, poétique avec des mises en page travaillées, narrative) était un peu maladroite aussi à mon goût, comme si différents bouts de roman ont été collé ensemble.
sssnoo's review against another edition
4.0
First, the cover. What a cover. Gloved hands, in costume, masquerading as a mermaid. Those hands, that cover, captures the essence of this novel better than any words.
But I’ll try some words. Santos-Febres captures a universe I’ll never experience in real life. The news reports the statistics of growing up trans, but this book helps a reader to a far deeper exposure to the pain and exploitation of vulnerable trans children. But it’s not all pain; there is the joy experienced when families form, friendships are made. There is joy when a child, finding her trans community can be free to her nature.
Sirena Selena was originally published in 2000, so more than 20 years ago. It’s written by a non-trans, non drag queen author. With those caveats, the book may stray from today’s nomenclature and understandings. In the novel, drag queen and transgender women are combined, meaning the drag queens are self described trans women, with the drag community the only place they can feel at home. Today it seems there is a lot of conflict between the drag and trans communities. I am no expert on this, but it seems like there is now a lot of backlash by trans women directed to the drag community and vice verse. I’m happy to be schooled if I’ve misspoken. That all said, this book is not dated in showing how trans and drag women are marginalized, abused, and perhaps the most at risk people in the world.
I was mesmerized by the prose. Seduced by the imagery. And ripped apart by the tragedy. This is a good book. My only fault with it were a few oddly discordant chapters where I was confused by the author’s intent. But those moments didn’t distract from the overall strength of the story.
Sirena Selina is told through multiple perspectives and points of view and that too a bit of adaptation, but the style worked. I strongly recommend this novel. It is my choice for Puerto Rico in my read-around-the-world challenge.
But I’ll try some words. Santos-Febres captures a universe I’ll never experience in real life. The news reports the statistics of growing up trans, but this book helps a reader to a far deeper exposure to the pain and exploitation of vulnerable trans children. But it’s not all pain; there is the joy experienced when families form, friendships are made. There is joy when a child, finding her trans community can be free to her nature.
Sirena Selena was originally published in 2000, so more than 20 years ago. It’s written by a non-trans, non drag queen author. With those caveats, the book may stray from today’s nomenclature and understandings. In the novel, drag queen and transgender women are combined, meaning the drag queens are self described trans women, with the drag community the only place they can feel at home. Today it seems there is a lot of conflict between the drag and trans communities. I am no expert on this, but it seems like there is now a lot of backlash by trans women directed to the drag community and vice verse. I’m happy to be schooled if I’ve misspoken. That all said, this book is not dated in showing how trans and drag women are marginalized, abused, and perhaps the most at risk people in the world.
I was mesmerized by the prose. Seduced by the imagery. And ripped apart by the tragedy. This is a good book. My only fault with it were a few oddly discordant chapters where I was confused by the author’s intent. But those moments didn’t distract from the overall strength of the story.
Sirena Selina is told through multiple perspectives and points of view and that too a bit of adaptation, but the style worked. I strongly recommend this novel. It is my choice for Puerto Rico in my read-around-the-world challenge.
bren_rp's review against another edition
4.0
A different but amazing story about the gay community in Puerto Rico. So fabulous and real. Erotic, sad and funny... all that in the same book!
aimeereadsthebooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0