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melbsreads 's review for:
I Am J
by Cris Beam
3.5 stars. Also reviewed on my Youtube channel.
Wow. I don't think I've ever come across a book with a transgender narrator before. It's definitely not easy reading. J is full of self-loathing over his body, the way the world sees him, the fact that he can't change the way he looks. It almost comes across as misogyny at times, but it's never directed at women as a whole. It's directed at himself.
J's never mentioned being transgender before, and his parents just assume that his attempts at making himself look masculine are because he's a lesbian. His friends assume the same thing. When he DOES finally come out and says that he wants to transition, there's a lot of confusion from his friends. Many of them seem to think that J is intersex, and misunderstanding results. His parents don't handle the news of his transition particularly well, and that was kind of painful to read.
In the end, it's a book that's full of diversity and the hope that J feels for the future when he has his first testosterone shot is beautiful. It's hard to read, and J can be a pretty abrasive character a lot of the time. But while it's not always an easy read? It IS an important read.
Wow. I don't think I've ever come across a book with a transgender narrator before. It's definitely not easy reading. J is full of self-loathing over his body, the way the world sees him, the fact that he can't change the way he looks. It almost comes across as misogyny at times, but it's never directed at women as a whole. It's directed at himself.
J's never mentioned being transgender before, and his parents just assume that his attempts at making himself look masculine are because he's a lesbian. His friends assume the same thing. When he DOES finally come out and says that he wants to transition, there's a lot of confusion from his friends. Many of them seem to think that J is intersex, and misunderstanding results. His parents don't handle the news of his transition particularly well, and that was kind of painful to read.
In the end, it's a book that's full of diversity and the hope that J feels for the future when he has his first testosterone shot is beautiful. It's hard to read, and J can be a pretty abrasive character a lot of the time. But while it's not always an easy read? It IS an important read.