A review by thebacklistborrower
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom

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.