beanie
one of those books that I kept wishing I'd written the entire time I was reading it. andrew joseph white gets it.
due to the evidence that has surfaced regarding freydis' abusive behavior and fraudulent identity, I do not recommend their work.
more information can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VDvDujeoisTBddhXYaWGi-8V0EUdFZ5Uc00f4tnWpSY/edit?pli=1
not officially rating this one because I'm glad young queer people get to read books about themselves and I am starting to recognize that I, personally, need to stop reading books for teenagers. there was a lot I appreciated here from the perspective of a queer trans dude, but Oliver's experience is pretty far removed from my own and I honestly found being in his head a little irritating sometimes. grateful that this exists though.
This was not really picking up for me and I particularly wasn't enjoying how frequently I had to read about Pyotr raping Anna. I'm going to try one of Arden's other books later.
As a queer trans guy, I see so much of my own journey in Lou's. He wasn't perfect, as none of us are, but he was honest and he was human. He cared so much for others and worked so hard to ensure that people like me could exist, unashamed, in the world. I feel such gratitude for the love that he showed himself in his lifetime, and such grief that the world lost him too soon. Thank you, Lou.
I really liked Khaw's prose but I think that the story could've benefited from another hundred pages or so. the ending wasn't what I expected, nor hoped, it would be, and it came far too soon.
This may be coming from a part of my mind still processing Lou Sullivan's We Both Laughed in Pleasure, but Monstrilio feels so remarkably transmasc (and autistic!) to me. I'm utterly fascinated by Sámano Córdova's mind and how, whether he intended to, he has so succinctly managed to capture the insatiability that comes when you've tasted the truth of your being and the ache of diminishing yourself for those you love.
They are happy to believe I forgot how they maimed me.