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booksjessreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A Dream of a Woman is a short-story collection, largely about trans women trying to live their best adult lives, navigating complicated friendships, relationships, identity and the idea of home. I really enjoyed the way that Absolution was a longer story and intertwined throughout. For me, this was an incredible coming-of-gender story with great character arcs and developments and multi-dimensional, believable characters.
I thought Plett told her stories so vividly and the imagery used to convey thoughts, feelings and behaviours was so striking, graphic and raw. Plett does not hold back on anything - so do bear in mind that there is graphic love/sex, transphobia etc. so do check out the content warnings. In places, I also thought the audio did some of the stories incredible justice - listening to these made it even more immersive. There is absolutely no doubt that Plett is a really talented writer and writes very evocatively.
I think the thing that most let me down was the format with which I listened. Despite the audio working really well in places, I felt really disjointed between all the stories at times and I only really followed what happened with Absolution and the first story or two. Towards the end, I definitely lost the flow of the book and felt a print book would have afforded more clarity to me, personally. I think I would like to re-read this in a different format to see if my thoughts are still the same.
I thought Plett told her stories so vividly and the imagery used to convey thoughts, feelings and behaviours was so striking, graphic and raw. Plett does not hold back on anything - so do bear in mind that there is graphic love/sex, transphobia etc. so do check out the content warnings. In places, I also thought the audio did some of the stories incredible justice - listening to these made it even more immersive. There is absolutely no doubt that Plett is a really talented writer and writes very evocatively.
I think the thing that most let me down was the format with which I listened. Despite the audio working really well in places, I felt really disjointed between all the stories at times and I only really followed what happened with Absolution and the first story or two. Towards the end, I definitely lost the flow of the book and felt a print book would have afforded more clarity to me, personally. I think I would like to re-read this in a different format to see if my thoughts are still the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Transphobia
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
booksthatburn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am familiar with framing devices in short story collections, but the second time "Absolution" appeared I was surprised because I thought it had been a one-off story of a person navigating a relationship and the possibility that it wasn’t quite what he wanted. Then, a couple of stories later, "Absolution" appeared again with the next chapter of his life. It formed a refrain, a transformational core, running through the heart of this collection, allowing for a slow unfolding and twisting of story in a single character. I let each of the various segments of what eventually is her life get to stand alone, having room to breathe, allowing for a transformation across decades in a way that would normally be harder to get across in a short story. There are many ways of being trans, and of being a trans woman. Most of these stories focus on trans women navigating relationships and interpersonal interactions in a way that’s very focused on their underlying thoughts and feelings to whatever degree they’re able to process or express them. Some stories take place over years or even decades, and others occur in just a few days.
Some of the stories convey the shifting weirdness of existing in a body that changes in ways which other people aren’t expecting, and the range of reactions to that reality. People living lives that are shaped by this thing that they have in common, told in a manner that allows for meandering meandering and blurriness around the edges. This is an absorbing and fascinating collection, and I highly recommend it.
Some of the stories convey the shifting weirdness of existing in a body that changes in ways which other people aren’t expecting, and the range of reactions to that reality. People living lives that are shaped by this thing that they have in common, told in a manner that allows for meandering meandering and blurriness around the edges. This is an absorbing and fascinating collection, and I highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, and War
"Hazel and Christopher" - Moderate CW for grief, sexual content, alcohol, alcoholism, homophobia, transphobia, lesbophobia, violence. Minor CW for vomit, suicide, parental death, death. "Absolution" - Moderate CW for cursing, sexual content, sexual assault, homophobia, transphobia, alcohol, vomit, drug use. "Perfect Places" - Graphic CW for sexual content. Moderate CW for dysmorphia, dysphoria, transphobia. Minor CW for vomit. “Couldn’t Hear You Talk Anymore” - Moderate CW for transphobia, misgendering, alcohol, eating disorder, self harm, suicide attempt. “Rose City, City of Roses” - Moderate CW for grief, sexual content, pandemic, death. “Enough Trouble” - Graphic CW for sexual content, alcohol, alcoholism. Minor CW for transphobia, war, rape.wenwanzhao's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
3.75
Interesting collection of short stories about trans women. Really opens your mind and makes you think.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, and Dysphoria
Minor: Drug use, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
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