I can't read a book this long with a writing style that makes me grind my teeth 😭

I'll say my not giving this 5⭐ isn't do to the content, although I do feel like the content could do with framing the trans experience a bit less ethnocentrically. But it's a great resource if you're trans in the U.S.! I took a ⭐ off because of how I felt the hardcopy version itself was not very friendly to persons with disabilities, in my opinion. I get and appreciate this book would like to be a introductory textbook type of resource for trans and allied youth and individuals, but I cannot for the life of me understand why they had to use the rigid hardcover that typical textbooks use. I have poor circulation in my hands and feet due to medication I need to take, and it was pretty difficult and almost painful to hold open the book. The book is just not thick/heavy enough to keep such a hard binding open with ease. On top of this, the glossy textbook paper makes it so frustrating to use a book light. I just feel it was a questionable choice with no paperback alternative, that I know of anyways. Otherwise, I thought this book had so many positives in terms of the content, including trans youth voices, and trying to make the topic of gender identity more accessible for our kids!

My heart aches for Dex. My life yearns to make a switch flip in my brain to follow Mosscamp's words. As someone who struggles every day with mental health, this book was moving, validating, meditative, and a beautiful fresh cup of tea. I see so much of myself in Dex and thought on several occasions that the words they said could very well have been my own in their position.  I can't wait to read book 2 holding Dex's hand so that we both might learn to love ourselves more together. Instantly a new favorite.

I loved this story from beginning to end. The opening chapter is so perfect, it throws you into the world seamlessly. The writing is in third person, but takes the worldview of our beloved monster Shesheshen, giving it the feel of an alien's perspective, which I found to be very endearing and relatable. If you are neurodivergent, I feel like this book will particularly speak to how you navigate the world, as I constantly related to Shesheshen as an AuDHD person. I also loved little details like Wiswell using "enby" so casually, which makes me so hopeful for casual gender representation in the future of writing! The characters, main and side, are represented so well. You will love those you love with all of their flaws, you will hate who you hate while also understanding why they are the way they are and their motivations. I like that there's an entire epilogue part to tie up the forever after and see what the future may look like for our sweet couple. This book is sweet, horrifying, heartbreaking, angering, therapeutic, immersive, and unexpectedly hilarious in the most perfect way. So looking forward to future stories by Wiswell!

Review contains spoilers!

It was honestly difficult to decide how to rate this. First and foremost, I think it's fantastic. The world, the characters, the unique twist on familiar fantasy elements. There is a lot going on in this book. And it happens quickly at times. Events that seem major enough to go at the end of a trilogy rather than the beginning. Puzzles solved out of the blue. The pacing is a bit questionable as a result. But I feel it's all a catalyst to set up bigger mysteries of the past in the rest of the trilogy, so I can forgive that a bit if the trilogy lives up to it. My biggest grievance about this book is Yeeran and Furi's relationship. Enemies-to-Lovers is one thing. But they went from wanting each other dead to being helplessly in love. There wasn't much, if any, of a messy and HOT in between that I like from EtL tropes. I think they should have had a heated encounter that shows their mutual attraction and built from that in the next book. Because here it just feels forced and a bit unbelievable. Overall, I was drawn into this world and can't wait for the next book!