An odd, dreamy little novella filled with strange little episodes that push it towards the sci-fi realm, while still remaining rooted in the reality of a trans woman of the 21st century. Our protagonist remains without a name, moving through life and her transition as an older trans woman. I’ve read a few books this year which focus on the ‘older’ trans experience, and I’m extremely grateful that these stories exist. DeNiro explores contemporary issues trans women face such as fetishisation, threats of violence (though she always remains aware of how white privilege tamps down this threat compared to trans women of colour’s experiences), navigating parenthood and a past cis relationship. There’s also a lot of moving parent-child stuff regarding her own parents, how you can love a person even when they do harm, and how to navigate that. As well as these real-world issues, we also have secret societies of trans women pulling the strings, flatpack boyfriends who arrive at your door in suitcases, and a few more otherworldly pieces, some of which left me scratching my head a bit.

I’m never a massive fan of second-person narration, and tbh I’m not sure how much it added here. But a short little piece I devoured in 24 hours with a lot to say!