book review: detransition, baby by torrey peters

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

(no star system)

STORY ✔️

CHARACTERS ✔️

PROSE ✔️

Synopsis: Detransitioned trans woman impregnates a cisgender female coworker but is not interested in parenting without his former girlfriend being a co-parent. (a very, very dumbed down summary as it is so much more than this “plot”)

One-sentence review: this brilliantly written novel forces us to ask some essential questions: what do we know about the fluidity of sexuality, ours and conceptually? how do we define womanhood and motherhood? if we could create a perfect group of caregivers for a child, who would that be? can we just say no and not have to do the hard stuff if we don’t want to? 

Overall storytelling/structure: the story jumps from main character to main character all tracked by the time of conception, through meandering through years of memories and identity-formation. 

Writing style/prose: it is well-written, a little chaotic and messy, but it works. 

Characters: well developed, honest, endearingly emotional and passionate. 

Mood: not a “beach read” but not as heavy as genocide (I know, that is a wide range). there are a lot of boundaries and ignorance that have inhibited queer culture, particularly trans, from being understood and accepted by our hegemonic society, this novel looks into those issues as they weave into the characters lives. So some heavy issues but also some laugh out loud moments. TW: sexual and physical abuse.

Best quality of this read: the spectrum of sexual identity explored. Good intro for cisgendered readers to challenge their presumptions on identity, womanhood, and parenthood.

Books Similar/Read if you like: You Exist Too Much; Girl, Woman, Other; The Vanishing Half; and others as I think of them! 

Goodreads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️