The comparisons are like Bridget Jones or a Sally Rooney novel, but trans, and I think that’s sort of fair? It lives in that genre of dissecting women's relationships, it is equally funny and poignant. But I would add that this book is more than that because it so deeply lives in the complicated world of being trans in ways that doesn’t patronise the reader with “intro to queerdom” bits of exposition, or stereotypes that dilute experiences to make them palatable. It’s not Bridget jones but make it queer, it’s queer, but make it Bridget jones.

I’ve been thinking about this recently, and I wanted to get some other perspectives on this!

There are so many books out there that I want to read and my TBR is always growing, which isn’t necessarily a bad problem to have, but I find myself feeling like I’m rushing through books to meet my goals or so I can move onto the next one. I feel like I absorb a pretty good amount of what I read, especially since I take notes on or annotate most books, but I still feel like I don’t always give books the time or attention they deserve. Or I will read a book and really love it, but I’ll be so focused on starting the next one that I don’t give myself time to sit with it.

Do you guys have any input on this or any strategies for balancing the desire to read every single book with the need to uncover every ounce of meaning in a book?

Hey everyone! Right now I'm reading "Replaceable You" by Mary Roach. Each chapter is exploring different medical marvels and ways that we as humans have done sometimes cool and sometimes kooky things to our bodies. I love sharing quotes and details and I would love to get some discussion going, but I'm curious- do you guys think its worth tagging spoilers on nonfiction? Like, if I want to discuss Gaspare Tagliacozzi who is mentioned in Ch1, would you guys consider that a spoiler?

I lean towards not tagging them as spoilers, but I still want to be respectful of others.

The entitlement of a character who can afford to take a year off with all her bills paid and never worry about money is so gratingly different to the reality of everyone I know I cannot continue with this novel.

I think "How to Kill your Family" by Bella Mackie would be a good fit for this challenge! Immediately thought of it when I read that title. Also, I haven't read it so I can't say for sure, but based on the summary I think "How to kill men and get away with it", by Katy Brent, would also work.

Not to be prudish but the most disturbing thing for me so far is whatever the hell is going on between Spanel and Marcos

Regarding the discussion of Fully Automated Luxury Communism, I always want to shout every time I see an argument that places the blame for climate change on overpopulation. This is inaccurate and eugenist logic that overlooks the true causes of over-consumption and climate catastrophe.

Edited to add: the author was not advocating this view. He was quoting someone else’s views to deconstruct them ❤️

Is anyone else completely unable to decipher what Joseph is saying in any of his lines? I've tried reading them out loud phonetically as best as I can but I absolutely cannot understand him. Is there anywhere I can find a "translation" of his dialogue?

Is anyone else completely unable to decipher what Joseph is saying in any of his lines? I've tried reading them out loud phonetically as best as I can but I absolutely cannot understand him. Is there anywhere I can find a "translation" of his dialogue?