Becoming Nicole

4 stars

For what it is, this is a fascinating book using one family's journey to look at a broader issue currently being discussed anywhere discussions take place. It lacks knowledge, and thus presentation of the pertinant points, that government hurts transgender people as much as it helps them, but that doesn't overly detract from the overall tale told here. Highly recommended.

Both deeply moving and heartbreaking, Nicole's story is the echo of so many other transgender children who had to pave their way through a world that just didn't seem ready for them. I wanted to cheer at times and other times I wanted to scream at the unfairness of life. It simply baffles me, the behavior of people like the grandfather of Jacob who tries his best to turn his grandson into a bully. Nicole is one of the lucky ones. A supportive, fiercely protective family, friends who love her and a very strong sense of self, but her fight for others too shows what a truly good person she is.