basil_touche's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
However, the modern parts, while they could be philosophical at times, treated the trans protaganist, Ry, abysmally. The
Spoiler
sexual assultI can appreciate the novel's exploration of AI and what makes us human, but I feel like I can find a better book that covers the topic without the transphobia.
Graphic: Misogyny, Deadnaming, Sexual assault, and Transphobia
Moderate: Child death and Death
the_tridentarii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
waterbear0821's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Rape, and Hate crime
Moderate: Sexual violence, Child death, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Misogyny
gaygothiccowboy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Transphobia, Rape, and Misogyny
brechtian's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Ableism
There are quite a few graphic sex scenes.marissab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Medical content, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Mental illness, Antisemitism, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing
Minor: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, and Pedophilia
thereadingscorpios's review against another edition
1.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Transphobia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gaslighting, Racism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Antisemitism
schnanko's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Medical content, Transphobia, Hate crime, Outing, and Sexual violence
kshertz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Minor: Transphobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Homophobia, Dysphoria, Body shaming, and Toxic relationship
hannahbailey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I've read several reviews of this novel in which people describe Winterson as transphobic. In this novel specifically, I don't see the ignorant views of the characters as a reflection of her own views. However, there is very crude language used throughout which focuses on the anatomy of the characters. I don't feel that this narrative focus on bodily features has aged well (I know this book is only 3 years old but even then) in response to present ideas of gender, sex and identity. The characters around Ry are consistently transphobic, denying their identity, misgendering them and deadnaming them. This is a book to read if you're interested in the future of AI and human relationships, but not if you're looking for a story with good trans rep. Had this book not featured Frankenstein but a different cautionary tale, such as Brave New World, I probably would've hated it.
Alternative reads with trans rep/trans authors:
https://bookriot.com/best-trans-fantasy-books/
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/126482.Novels_by_Trans_Authors_with_Trans_Protagonists
Jeanette Winterson//transphobia:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-lgbt-books/no-rush-to-change-gender-uk-writer-joins-trans-debate-idUSKCN1T028R
Non-exhaustive list of TW: sexual assault, transphobia, homophobia, child death, miscarriage, misogyny, body horror/gore
Graphic: Gore, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Medical content, Death, Child death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Miscarriage