Review:
This book had a really interesting premise about a world in which some people are shifters, meaning they can shift their bodies between male and female. And the story is about what happens when Alex gets stuck in his male form and reveals to his straight boyfriend that he is a shifter.
As someone who has been understanding and exploring my own genderqueerness/thoughts on gender lately and looking for more books about genderqueer and nonbinary characters, this book was the perfect find at the perfect time. It was refreshing and thought-provoking, and I appreciated it. There was so much in this book that I could relate to, as well as things I’ve just randomly pondered about in regards to gender and sexuality.
I felt like the author handled everything about the premise so well. The book explored so much about gender and even sexuality, like how it feels to be genderfluid and/or stuck in one gendered body, how each shifter feels different and handles their gender differently, how every relationship with a shifter is different, how sexuality and gender are completely separate things, how people can’t help who or what they’re attracted to, gender roles and stereotypes, and more. There was also the whole thing about Damon, a straight man, suddenly finding himself in a relationship with someone who was not a woman. I liked that his reaction wasn’t overly perfect but also not bigoted. He still loved Alex, but he simply wasn’t attracted to his male form, and that wasn’t something that he could just snap his fingers and change. *SPOILER* He did eventually realize that Alex was still Alex on the inside, and he found himself attracted to him/her in all his/her forms. *END SPOILER* The only thing that wasn’t really explored was non-binary genders, in the sense that the word ‘non-binary’ was never used, they/them pronouns were never mentioned, and there was no mention of any genders aside from male and female. But keep in mind that this book was written years ago when info and understanding of these words probably weren’t as easily found.
All of the characters’ actions and reactions felt very realistic and believable. Even the difficulties and complications involved with the legal and medical situations seemed realistic.
Also important was the relationship between Alex and Damon. It was an established relationship but also kinda like a new romance in a way. They obviously had a lot to discuss and figure out. Their relationship was so real and sincere and good that it made me emotional reading about it. And aside from Alex keeping the fact that he was a shifter secret, something that was understandable when you learned his reasons, their relationship was a pretty healthy one.
Honestly, this book was mostly characters’ thoughts, feelings, and discussions, as opposed to plot action, but I didn’t mind at all. I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters and their relationship and all the exploration of gender and sexuality kept me completely invested.
And of course the narration was fantastic and so natural. Michael Ferraiuolo’s narration always is.
Overall, this was a low-key kinda book with a lot of realism, a very healthy and sweet relationship, and a lot of great exploration of gender and sexuality, and I loved it!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes explorations of gender and sexuality, nonbinary characters, and sweet, healthy relationships.
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Wow, this is such a unique book!
It really is a cool idea!
This sounds really unique, I love this idea to describe a transgender character 😁
It was a really unique book!
Wow sounds like this explored a lot of things in a really good way. Especially with it being a slightly older read. Such an original premise too- a shifter having to hide (or not) their shifterness from their SO. Nice to see that explored, and their relationship sounds awesome too which is great.
It really did explore a lot of things in a great way, and I seriously loved their relationship!
What a cool take on shifters/shifting.
Yeah, it was!
Wow. This book sounds like no book I’ve read about before. I love the original take on gender and how gender and sexuality is explored throughout the book. I love that gender is much more fluid simply from the shifters who can change their gender and that attraction and sexuality can be examined through those who have a relationship with a shifter because if they identify as straight but are in a relationship with someone whose gender can change how does that affect their sexuality?
It was such a good way of exploring those things! And that’s something I’ve thought about. Like, what if I were in a relationship with someone and thought they were a man, but then it turned out they weren’t? How would I feel as someone who has only ever been attracted to men? Or what if we didn’t get to know people’s gender right off the bat? How would that change things? A lot of food for thought.
Oh wow, it sounds like this book handles the topic of gender wonderfully and really manages to go in detail about some aspects of gendefluidity and genderqueerness so well, as well as so much more. I wasn’t that intrigued when I read the synopsis but your review has me curious about trying it. Especially as it not only deals with such a topical and important theme very well, but is also quite fantasy/sci-fi ish too.
It really does explore them with such a great depth! I’m glad my review could get you to consider giving it a try 🙂
I thought I had already commented on this but I guess not O_o
I’ve read a few of the authors books and enjoyed them but this sounds a little different but interesting!
Karen @ For What It’s worth
It was so good! I’ve read one other book by this author, but it was a two-author book, and I felt kinda meh about it. Thankfully I liked this one so much more.