Reviews

admittedly, on a rec list this initially caught my eye because of the author's name (no relation), and then because of the creative premise. it was sweet, and I enjoyed dosing out the vignettes over time, one here one there. the last page caught my heart.

trans_mediocrity's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is a beautiful book.

justabean_reads's review against another edition

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funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

(I realised one of my library books is the "eagerly awaited follow up" to another book, and I couldn't tell if that meant sequel or just happy the author wrote something else or what, so since the first one was inexpensive and short I just bought it and read it.)

Following the death of her best friend (and unrequited love of her life), a trans woman living in Vancouver tries to organise her grief by writing a fannish encyclopedia to her friend's favourite show.

I would say the show is impossibly bonkers, but I've seen enough CanCon to believe in a 2001-vintage quickly-cancelled ten-episode contemporary drama set on a small island, wherein every single character is either method acting running amuck and/or largely metaphorical. Plante could give the mob-movie-invented-by-a-shoe tumblr people a run for their money with tie in music, actor interviews, behind the scenes drama, fans wanking about sub plots, etc.

The show is so bananas that it's perfect fodder for the kind of meaning making exercises that fans love, and the author can pull from years of discussion in various fansites and zines. Because the main character is attempting to make meaning while wrapped in grief, and she always watched the show with her dead friend, talking about the show means talking about her friend. As the attempted encyclopedia grows, we learn more about their relationship, and how she's attempting to make sense of life without her friend.

I enjoyed the made up show, and how her mind connected everything, even from the most tenuous connections, especially the last four letters in the alphabet where she often had little or nothing to write about from the show, and her grief became more open and raw. I did find some of the earlier sections a cool and restrained, but it came together in the end. Apparently this won a Lammy, in its year.

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