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A review by bandysbooks
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
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
I came across Nevada on Netgalley as I was scanning for books to read. Once I read the description, I requested the book and was very excited to receive an e-copy.
Nevada follows a trans woman named Maria as she is essentially figuring herself out. She starts out in a relationship that has already run its course, a job that does not fulfill her, and a lot of residual emotional baggage that is preventing her from living her best life. After things implode a bit, she makes a life altering choice and heads out on a roadtrip to Nevada where she meets a young man who may be trans.
I loved this book for a multitude of reasons, but one of the things that was best about it was the way that it delved into how Maria became who she is. Talking about trauma can be extremely heavy and sometimes that can make it a bit hard to absorb from a character, but Binnie wrote about the trauma in short reflections and balanced it often with humor. I found it very easy to understand, take in, and even at times relatable.
I also really enjoyed Maria's sense of adventure. Sometimes that's what we need in life to figure out who we are....a spontaneous crazy decision that forces us out of our comfort zone. I really related to this part.
I didn't find James as relatable and I did find some of the conversation between he and Maria to be a bit uncomfortable, but I feel that that is an intentional choice. I think that questioning one's gender identity and coming of age are not necessarily the most comfortable experiences, so it makes sense that we as the reader might feel some of that discomfort.
I know some people will not appreciate the open ending, but I thought it was sort of fitting. I don't know that character studies necessarily need a concrete ending as people are constantly developing and changing.
All in all, I thought this was very eye opening in some ways, realistic, and a detailed portrayal of what a trans person might experience post-transition and pre-transition. If you enjoy character focused novels, coming of age stories, and explorations of trauma, then this book might be a good fit for you.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This in no way affects the objectivity of my review.
Nevada follows a trans woman named Maria as she is essentially figuring herself out. She starts out in a relationship that has already run its course, a job that does not fulfill her, and a lot of residual emotional baggage that is preventing her from living her best life. After things implode a bit, she makes a life altering choice and heads out on a roadtrip to Nevada where she meets a young man who may be trans.
I loved this book for a multitude of reasons, but one of the things that was best about it was the way that it delved into how Maria became who she is. Talking about trauma can be extremely heavy and sometimes that can make it a bit hard to absorb from a character, but Binnie wrote about the trauma in short reflections and balanced it often with humor. I found it very easy to understand, take in, and even at times relatable.
I also really enjoyed Maria's sense of adventure. Sometimes that's what we need in life to figure out who we are....a spontaneous crazy decision that forces us out of our comfort zone. I really related to this part.
I didn't find James as relatable and I did find some of the conversation between he and Maria to be a bit uncomfortable, but I feel that that is an intentional choice. I think that questioning one's gender identity and coming of age are not necessarily the most comfortable experiences, so it makes sense that we as the reader might feel some of that discomfort.
I know some people will not appreciate the open ending, but I thought it was sort of fitting. I don't know that character studies necessarily need a concrete ending as people are constantly developing and changing.
All in all, I thought this was very eye opening in some ways, realistic, and a detailed portrayal of what a trans person might experience post-transition and pre-transition. If you enjoy character focused novels, coming of age stories, and explorations of trauma, then this book might be a good fit for you.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This in no way affects the objectivity of my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Deadnaming