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minniepauline's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book is a beautiful portrait of a time and a place, as well as being a beautiful and painful coming-of-age story. The unnamed protagonist is a little girl in a little boy’s body, who watches and learns from the women around her. Five at the beginning of the novel, as she grows and her body develops her experience of her life begins to split more firmly into two pieces. In telling her story, she describes the people along the way who have helped her to define herself, either by giving her examples of ways she’d like to be, or by pushing her firmly back into her closet, as she says. She is a keen observer, and her language, poetic and lyrical at first, becomes more clear as she becomes more clear in herself.
I feel that I’ve gained a lot of insight into what it’s like to grow up as a trans woman. Especially in a working-class neighborhood in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. As painful as it is, at times, to read, it’s never over-the-top or gratuitous, but simply feels true.
There is no plot here, and I think a little bit of one might have helped me to feel less bogged-down toward the middle of the novel, but the beginning and end make up for it.
Thank you to HarperVia for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel.
I feel that I’ve gained a lot of insight into what it’s like to grow up as a trans woman. Especially in a working-class neighborhood in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. As painful as it is, at times, to read, it’s never over-the-top or gratuitous, but simply feels true.
There is no plot here, and I think a little bit of one might have helped me to feel less bogged-down toward the middle of the novel, but the beginning and end make up for it.
Thank you to HarperVia for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Hate crime
torismazarine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Alcohol, Cancer, Addiction, Classism, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
Minor: Rape, Lesbophobia, and Murder
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