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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an enjoyable, if frustrating, read. Just like the cover promised, it really did make me both laugh and cry, in public, on the bus. I didn't think it would be for me (and I know I'm not the target audience) but I really genuinely enjoyed it, and my problems feel like nitpicking, but what are book reviews for, if not to nitpick?
This is a character-driven book about how motherhood and pregnancy interact with transfemininity. The characters are compelling and frustrating in the ways they almost see the totality of their flaws and yet refuse to change - but that's part of what makes them compelling. In other words, they act like real people and are annoying in the way real people are - they're well-written. The timeline skips around from chapter to chapter, but it's not difficult to follow. The author wrote her characters to have personality and not to be Positive Trans Representation or aspirational, which is a breath of fresh air. Characters who are allowed the space to be messy or think nasty thoughts just feel more real.
It has an easily fixable problem - a transmasculinity-shaped blindspot. Trans men exist in the story, but for a book about "transness and pregnancy", no one seeks their perspective on the central issue. There IS a conversation with a trans man, but it's set in the past and it's about Reese's behaviour. Ames could have spoken to him again during the detransition/pregnancy/triad situation; even if it didn't change the outcome, it would have added to the story.
But other than that, it was a fun read! I'm glad my book club picked this, because I would never have read it of my own accord.
This is a character-driven book about how motherhood and pregnancy interact with transfemininity. The characters are compelling and frustrating in the ways they almost see the totality of their flaws and yet refuse to change - but that's part of what makes them compelling. In other words, they act like real people and are annoying in the way real people are - they're well-written. The timeline skips around from chapter to chapter, but it's not difficult to follow. The author wrote her characters to have personality and not to be Positive Trans Representation or aspirational, which is a breath of fresh air. Characters who are allowed the space to be messy or think nasty thoughts just feel more real.
It has an easily fixable problem - a transmasculinity-shaped blindspot. Trans men exist in the story, but for a book about "transness and pregnancy", no one seeks their perspective on the central issue. There IS a conversation with a trans man, but it's set in the past and it's about Reese's behaviour. Ames could have spoken to him again during the detransition/pregnancy/triad situation; even if it didn't change the outcome, it would have added to the story.
But other than that, it was a fun read! I'm glad my book club picked this, because I would never have read it of my own accord.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Pregnancy
Moderate: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Grief, Abortion, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Classism
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-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
2.5 stars
I feel it’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me” with this book.
When I read a book I usually need either an entertaining plot or good characters and I just found this novel a bit boring and I wasn’t really interested in the characters.
I feel it’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me” with this book.
When I read a book I usually need either an entertaining plot or good characters and I just found this novel a bit boring and I wasn’t really interested in the characters.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes