Casey Plett

A novel about memory, family, and identity in which a trans woman learns her grandfather may have been trans himself.

Little Fish

Ryan Mateyk

I think the synopsis of this book is a little misleading. Yes, it is about a trans woman and yes, she does discover her late grandfather may have been a trans woman as well, but the bulk of this book is the daily life of Wendy living in Winnipeg. A bulk of this story was super dark and upsetting, yet it always remained hopeful and there were many happy moments as well, particularly surrounding Wendy and her friends, as well as her well-meaning father.

absolutely incredible book, and the fact that so many people didn't like this book is kind of insane to me.  the sentence "Every morning, Wendy woke and felt normal for five, ten, fifteen, thirty seconds, then remembered, Sophie is dead." is never going to leave me alone for the rest of my life

ophi

ivan

challenging emotional reflective 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
4.5 

This is the type of book I need to revisit when I'm older. I picked it up during a trip and put it down instantaneously because it felt too personal. It was reading a letter of someone I barely knew but desperately wanted to get to know. Though a lot different from her situation, I found myself in Wendy. Her relationship with her father, her love for her grandparents, her and religion, it felt like looking at someone that could have been me in a different life. Maybe I'll write something more concrete when I've got a little life more in me, but until then, I'll forever be thinking about this book.

Brook

Outstanding and devastating. This is a book full of people I've known, slept with, and smiled at across the room. Family is a tenuous thing, and Little Fish finds space for it throughout. I'm not sure what I would've made with this years ago, but now, it's a sad and good ache. I hope Casey keeps writing, and sharing her work with us for years to come. I read this in one go, and it was a wild ride that had me laughing and crying.

Little Fish

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