This book was fascinating and brilliant in an unexpected way. It felt almost akin to Catcher in the Rye. While it is told in the third person and does shift focus some, it focuses primarily on Maria - a trans woman in New York who is at a turning point in her life. There are parts of the narrative and Maria's characterization that are inconsistent - but that inconsistency is essential for the story. While Maria isn't necessarily the narrator, she is still the person whose understanding we have to go through to learn about her as a character - and her dissociation, frustration, and need for self-development clearly comes through in how we come to understand the character.  We can see this mirrored in the way that we see James' character as well . This separation within her character is mirrored by the writing style. 

Maria is not a likable character, but some of the ways in which she is unlikable or confusing, I found relatable. There are areas of the story where she is very clearly selfish, but she also has existed in spaces where she has to fake for the sake of others. These may seem contradictory, but I have found that they can absolutely exist together (though the level of selfishness that she exhibits does get to a ridiculous level as the book progresses). Additionally, the discussion of dissociation - generally, but also how it relates to being trans - is a big point that I found relatable - and is not something people frequently discuss (certainly not within fiction). 

I will say that this book is not for everyone. I could easily see how some people could see this as sloppy or confusing - or at least overly pretensions. But I think that, over all, the parts worked together to say something important about the continuous nature of self-discovery. 

There were parts of it that I think could have been more polished. Some aspects that I read as intentionally casual or rushed could have been editing errors. The second part of the book also felt a lot less finished or polished. I understood the inclusion of James, and I think more could have been done with it. There were some of Maria's monologues that felt more preachy.  I understand the need to discuss the negative ramifications of the framework of autogynephilia - and it was an interesting piece to include. However, I felt like it could have been more effective. Even most of the story had been left as-is, I think following James a while longer could have given us more efficient insight. I also would have liked to see some of the loose ends tied up - however, I di understand and respect why things were left open and unresolved.

This book is a collection of speeches from Greta Thunberg between late 2018 and late 2019. There’s a fair amount of repetition - but it is because her message is so consistent across places that she speaks at. She doesn’t shy away from facts or emotions that are appropriate for the situation. I could feel her righteous anger through each of these as it seemed to grow throughout the book. She has a more complex understanding of climate change than most adults - not just acknowledging its existence or how long we have to act, but acknowledging the inequity of climate change and the role that deep seeded greed plays in perpetuating it. It is hopeful to hear from people so young who are so passionate about something so important - but devastating to know the sort of desperation behind it.

Two things initially drew me in and lead me to purchase this book: The art work and the trans representation. 

This was a quick read with beautiful artwork. The story itself was well-done and interesting. A pair of twins from nobility have to flee from a government coup and disguise themselves in a temple of priestesses and to figure out how to fix the situation that brought them there in the first place. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. I would love to see more about the world and its lore - but also to know more about what comes next. 

The trans rep was really well done. They never use the word "trans"; it would not have made much sense to, considering the setting. There are several things that made this story's representation really wonderful. First of all, it did not rely on suffering. So many trans narratives only focus on not fitting in - never on what it is like to have found your place. Next, the juxtaposition between the twins' experiences was really great to incorporate - to see the difference between what it is like to pretend to be someone vs what it is like to finally be who you are. The next point is a minor spoiler - but not for the main plot.  Finally, (the piece of this that actually made me cry) the way that the character is seen by others after they come out of hiding and she reveals that she wants to continue living as a girl was so seamless. It was weird to her brother - only in that his experience was the opposite. But, she was welcomed back into the priesthood with no qualms. It's so refreshing to see a story without the character dealing with bigotry. It didn't feel fake or unrealistic because it was a fantasy setting in a unique society, so there was no necessary precedence to have transphobia.  

Over all, this was a cute but hard-hitting kid's fantasy story with some wonderful representation.

This was a great beginning to a series. It pulled me in and made me excited for volume 2. The artwork is beautiful and the storyline is intriguing. I don’t have a strong sense of who all of the characters are really. Some have distinct personalities, but it wasn’t clear for all four main characters. I look forward to seeing them develop in subsequent volumes.