Scan barcode
A review by cheye13
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is one of those books that is technically great but didn't hit my buttons. Primarily, it's just so literary. One of those books that reminds you that you're Reading A Book. I appreciate craft, but the vocab, the time jumps, the absurdist metaphors jolt me out of the story. (Another way I explain this phenomenon is "It reads very NYC," which is always the author's intent but never my cup of tea.)
Conceptually, I loved this story. I loved the characters, well-built and multifaceted; human. I loved the plot, meticulous backstory behind every choice. I loved seeing trans women at the center of their own stories. I loved the nuance of motherhood. More than once, overwhelmed, I whispered a weepy "I love women" to myself. This is a beautifully crafted story.
I did feel a little misplaced by the story, as if it weren't meant for me. Which, since I'm cis, makes sense. But in a way it did seem like it was for straight cis women. If the primary intent was for trans women to see themselves in fiction, the secondary intent seemed to be to slap straight women into reconceptualizing gender/womanhood. As a queer cis woman, I sorta felt like a third party watching a volley back and forth.
Starting the story, I expected more exploration of the in-between, the shades of gray. A negotiation of an unconventional family, a blending of queer fantasy and practical reality. From the first page, I knew I was wrong. Being literary, the plot was predictable but in a good way; in this type of book, you read not for the story, but for the emotion the story delivers. This isn't what I expected or exactly what I wanted, but I'm so glad it exists and glad I got the chance to read it. I'd definitely recommend it, but I'd probably pitch it differently than the synopsis does.
Conceptually, I loved this story. I loved the characters, well-built and multifaceted; human. I loved the plot, meticulous backstory behind every choice. I loved seeing trans women at the center of their own stories. I loved the nuance of motherhood. More than once, overwhelmed, I whispered a weepy "I love women" to myself. This is a beautifully crafted story.
I did feel a little misplaced by the story, as if it weren't meant for me. Which, since I'm cis, makes sense. But in a way it did seem like it was for straight cis women. If the primary intent was for trans women to see themselves in fiction, the secondary intent seemed to be to slap straight women into reconceptualizing gender/womanhood. As a queer cis woman, I sorta felt like a third party watching a volley back and forth.
Starting the story, I expected more exploration of the in-between, the shades of gray. A negotiation of an unconventional family, a blending of queer fantasy and practical reality. From the first page, I knew I was wrong. Being literary, the plot was predictable but in a good way; in this type of book, you read not for the story, but for the emotion the story delivers. This isn't what I expected or exactly what I wanted, but I'm so glad it exists and glad I got the chance to read it. I'd definitely recommend it, but I'd probably pitch it differently than the synopsis does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Abortion, Cursing, Infertility, Infidelity, Outing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, and Violence
Minor: Deadnaming, Grief, and Homophobia