Reviewing this several months after I first read it, so I don't remember details. A difficult read that spits in the face of fascist violence through dissecting the worst aspects of its protagonists with honesty and understanding. Neither Alice or Ila are particularly likeable characters, and they're not really meant to be. Though equally sympathetic, both characters pander to some of the worst factions of their communities and repeatedly justify their actions to themselves. They were dear friends turned against each other and inside out through fascist violence lingering in their city, and have to return to each other to reassess what really happened and move forward. The prose is unflinching and nearly aggressive at times, though I appreciated how it refused to sugarcoat the ugliness both within and against the transgender community. Rumfitt is an adept and courageous writer, and I look forward to reading more of her work.