Reviews
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom
autumnalreads94's review against another edition
There's a sex scene with a ghost. 13% of the way in. Book jail. Now.
ezravarley's review
5.0
This was so, SO good. I felt like I was there. I loved the fantasy and the realism and the pain and the unconditional love. I loved the dreamy trans guy. I loved the sisterhood. I loved the whole thing!!!
biblihas's review
4.25
car trip listen. cute and good but don’t get why lou (or was it kyle?) compared this to light from uncommon stars… they r so diff imo. a more accurate comparison: tatty ratty in the city X tfatfbr
tmpucylo's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
thebacklistborrower's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“I wanted to protect you, but I'm starting to think that the best thing you can do for people is teach them how to protect themselves. Every girl needs to be at least a little dangerous.”
Grimm’s Fairy Tales meets the 21st century in Fierce Femmes. There are grey oceanside towns where it is always rainy, where you can catch a perfectly normal bus to take you to what seems like a perfectly normal city, except the city has the Street of Miracles where it is always night. There are mermaids and sex work, trans people, and magical fountains.
I was entranced by this book. It truly felt like this story is meant to be heard orally, from a friend, who maybe embellishes a little differently, or more, every time. And frankly, because I listened to it, that’s exactly what it felt like. Our narrator is telling us her story, without the filter of a third-person view, or self-references.
It isn’t a Disney fairy tale though. If you’ve read Grimm’s, you know they have blood and death, true fear and violence, and this book is no different. It has beauty and trauma, so please check the CWs before reading.
But I would absolutely recommend it - and listen if you can. I’ve never read anything like it, and I’m not confident I’ll read anything like it again.
solenophage's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The genre bending and unreliable narrator were intriguing and came together very well. The main character's struggles with her rage and violence were tragic and understandable. There was a lot packed into a short page count, but I still found it all satisfying and not rushed.
lumpialibrary's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0