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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm giving this five stars despite the ending
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, so it feels awkward to criticize the trans women’s actions or choices in Detransition, Baby….but the book showed so much misogyny and self-loathing that I didn’t like a single character.The plot sets up interesting questions about womanhood, parenthood, and queer parenting, but chaos, ridiculous decisions, and unnecessary tangents took over. It’s not okay to glamorize domestic violence or fetishize HIV, regardless of gender identity. The book also touches on racism, privilege, abortion, and suicide, but failed to develop any of those topics meaningfully. Detransition, Baby just didn’t live up to the hype for me.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I think the story touches on some important themes, I'm just not sure the way they were presented was coherent at the end of it all. The characters seem to be hinting that they've grown by the end, but we don't really get to see if that sticks, or leads to satisfying outcomes. Really lags after a brilliant first chapter, and then picks back up at the 2/3rds mark. A greater linearity in presentation may have shown character growth more clearly? Not sure. Appreciated that trans people could take center stage in a humanizing way, they so often take a back seat or are presented to be really odd when they're just normal people.
challenging
emotional
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
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes