Scan barcode
tamsinsays's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
rheah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Welcome To Dorley Hall is a transfeminine reclamation of the forced feminisation trope/fetish and a book that defies genres. It is a dark and challenging (uncomfortable for some) read that explores trans feminity. (do not read this through a transmasculine lense that was not made for it)
It follows Stef, a closeted trans girl, who attempts to infiltrate a secret underground forced feminisation programme (both to find her best friend she lost to this programme and to get a free medical transition because she lives in the UK. Yes the horrible transition process in the UK is called out many times)
The book doesn't shy away from the darkest element (see CWs) of the story and always endup calling out or reflecting on elements youthought it had omitted.You could think:
- but what about nonbinary people? There are several nonbinary people in this story and the"binary" of the basement is reflected upon but this comes later in the book
- but the girls are taught to behave "feminine"and "act like girls" that's misogynistic! indeed this book is calling out patriarchal standards and a MC is explicitly struggling with feminity
-kidnapping + medically transitioning people against their will is mutilation/torture! Yes! And the characters tell you that themselves! This fucks them up and this is explored
-this basement turning misogynistic boys into girls seem like a TERF concept! yes this is a plot point actually, that's why I said this was areclamation.
What fascinates me is that this book plays with the idea that a lot of people do not have a strong sense of their gender. A lot of cis people do not think deeper than "I am in this body and perceived as a man therefore I am a man" and the book challenges that with people like Stef who already knows she is a girl vs the girls who grow into their womanhood after their body was changed against their will (or maybe somewere eggs all along? The story throws a lot of gender theories at you)
Last note: Almost almost the basement girls are white and I'm glad because I don't think theauthor should be the one to explore this intersection (feminisation of misbehaving non-white men in a colonial nation).
It follows Stef, a closeted trans girl, who attempts to infiltrate a secret underground forced feminisation programme (both to find her best friend she lost to this programme and to get a free medical transition because she lives in the UK. Yes the horrible transition process in the UK is called out many times)
The book doesn't shy away from the darkest element (see CWs) of the story and always endup calling out or reflecting on elements youthought it had omitted.You could think:
- but what about nonbinary people? There are several nonbinary people in this story and the"binary" of the basement is reflected upon but this comes later in the book
- but the girls are taught to behave "feminine"and "act like girls" that's misogynistic! indeed this book is calling out patriarchal standards and a MC is explicitly struggling with feminity
-kidnapping + medically transitioning people against their will is mutilation/torture! Yes! And the characters tell you that themselves! This fucks them up and this is explored
-this basement turning misogynistic boys into girls seem like a TERF concept! yes this is a plot point actually, that's why I said this was areclamation.
What fascinates me is that this book plays with the idea that a lot of people do not have a strong sense of their gender. A lot of cis people do not think deeper than "I am in this body and perceived as a man therefore I am a man" and the book challenges that with people like Stef who already knows she is a girl vs the girls who grow into their womanhood after their body was changed against their will (or maybe somewere eggs all along? The story throws a lot of gender theories at you)
Last note: Almost almost the basement girls are white and I'm glad because I don't think theauthor should be the one to explore this intersection (feminisation of misbehaving non-white men in a colonial nation).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Medical content, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
More...