A review by book_isk
Weekend by Eaton Hamilton

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-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

3.75

Another dissertation read! I chose this work because it was on yet another list of coal for books about queer parenthood. I’d say motherhood is a huge theme in the novel, alongside betrayal, survival, self-realization, self-determination, disability, commitment fears, living “on the edges,” white lies, and more. It also poignantly inspects how sexuality and even particular sex acts can inform/detract from someone’s gender/sexual/familial identity—something I found most interesting in the character of Logan, a trans-non-binary person who accepts labels such as ‘husband’ and ‘boi’ but largely rejects femininity—which causes a bit of a rift with their lesbian lover Ajax.

Overall, I really loved the characterization of Joe since I really felt for her situation (

she ends up getting betrayed and eventually divorced by her wife and partner of 16 years a week after giving birth to their child

). She’s definitely someone you just wish happiness for because they’ve been through so much—as with Ajax, who goes through quite the harrowing medical journey in the latter half of the book.