This book had me from the start. A transgirl is prepping to run away from her California childhood home where she isn’t free to be herself to LA. She double checks that she has what she needs and that includes her most prized possession, her violin. What follows is a story that weaves science fiction with fantasy and some magical realism; Katrina encounters the Queen of Hell, some space aliens running a donut shop called Starrgate, a demon, and some mean assholes in the form of transphobic shits. I’m not going to apologize for my language.
While this story is fantastical, I more often than not found snippets from my life in the pages; people commenting on my clothing, shoulders or voice, someone grabbing my crotch to see what I have between my legs, all the self-doubt and feeling undeserving of anything good because I’m broken.
But also, like in my life, Katrina finds a home where she belongs, she finds family who loves and accepts her, but most importantly she finds love for herself.
One thing I love about this book is the diversity of the cast of characters, calling out the racism and sexism that you find in historically white and male activities and arts while not shying away from the harsh realities that one would find when trying to break into these worlds. Ryka does not shy away from the horrors of being trans and the hardships that we endure, and while this book covers topics that many conservative leaning people would feel are not appropriate for children. I disagree. This book should be available for children, especially high schoolers. Sure this book deals with sexual violence, sex work, bullying, and abuse. But children already get exposed to that in real life, sometimes at much younger ages than in high school, but this book can help kids either process what they are going through or help them empathize and sympathize with those they know who are experiencing these things. And honestly, this book is tame in comparison to the violence portrayed in movies, TV, video games, and in the halls of the very schools where this book is almost certainly banned in some districts but our puritanical views on sex in the US sadly rule the day.
What Ryka did with this book is make me feel seen and for that, I am forever grateful. But more importantly, she’s making some baby-trans kids out there feel a little less alone and perhaps saving their life.
Rating – 10/10
(I was torn as to whether to start off my reviews with a perfect rating but decided I wanted to plant my flag)
Ooo sounds good!
I hope you enjoy 😊