Detransition, Baby

A must-read! Pretty much everyone in my book club agreed that this novel is both a compelling, beautiful story in addition to an informative read that gives insight to the vibrant, nuanced, and yet also heartbreaking trans community/experience. This novel interrogates what it means to be a woman, mother, and trans (amongst myriad other identities). With all of these incredible themes, ideas, etc. it's no wonder words like “conflicting,” “tense,” and even “messy” were used to describe this book in our discussion. And I want to emphasize those words were used in the BEST way possible— because Peters masterfully walks the line of tense, “uncomfortable” topics in a way that is accessible, informative, and even funny, while highlighting the depth and variation in experiences felt by many trans people. Apologies for run on sentences lol - there are just so many things to say!

Each character was well thought out, imperfect, yet sympathetic all at the same time! Their motivations were clear and consistent throughout the story. Every character went through some sort of transformation, or, at least changed/learned something. The book club really enjoyed Rees' dark sense of humor and again, found Peters' ability to weave comedy into all-too-often “sad” theme to be masterful! (that is, transness and queerness in fiction often being portrayed as really sad as opposed to hopeful).

I think it is very important for all potential readers of Detransition, Baby to recognize that this book is NOT some panacea or one-stop-shop for all things trans. I found myself needing to check myself on this throughout the reading process– I found that my critiques (mainly, lack of more BIPOC characters) were often the result of me putting too much pressure on Peters to be this mastermind woke repository of knowledge instead of what she is — an incredibly talented author telling an #ownvoices story based on her own knowledge and experiences.