A review by vampfang
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i really loved this one! the writing style felt very “by queer people, for queer people,” with perspectives and cultural references that felt familiar to me, but at the same time i think is engaging and worthwhile for everyone to read! the premise is such an intriguing metaphor and when i first heard “a virus turns all men evil” it sounded like something a cis woman cooked up, and was really happy to see the idea executed by a trans woman instead. as a tme person it broadened my horizons and it was just really interesting to read from the perspective of transfemmes. i do wish there were a bit…more to the book. while the characters do undergo growth, there was no real sense of finality to it for me.
everything after the escape from the screw felt incredibly rushed to me, with the sudden introduction of tons of new characters and confusing fight scenes. when the characters emerge from the turmoil, it’s not quite clear what changes have occurred. fran’s apology to beth felt hasty, and i would’ve liked more backstory about the two of them. ramona’s changing perspective on trans women seemed like it didn’t develop properly, though her ending at least made sense. while beth indi and robbie all had whole arcs i still find myself wanting more. i also think the virus metaphor and its implications could be explored a bit more.
all in all, it feels like more of the first installment in a series than a standalone, and i for one would love to read more. 
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