A review by augusthoney
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.5

I was, frankly, disappointed by this. The premise is cool, and it's hard not to compare it to Andrew Joseph White's Hell Followed With Us, which I love. This narrative, though, felt almost leering, lingering endlessly on the infinite self-loathing of every one of its characters. It felt mean, for a lack of a better word. I think things improved towards the end of the book. Maybe the overt self-hatred was a tool for character development, but it just fell really flat. Instead of any arc, it produced a story that seized every opportunity to communicate an endless list of the faults and shortcomings it found in any trans body. The narrative didn't misgender any of its characters except for in the last few chapters, but I am left feeling like it did at every turn, just because of that leering feeling.
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