“I mean, why do we have two sexes if we aren’t actually all part...

“I mean, why do we have two sexes if we aren’t actually all part of the two sexes?”

Golden Boy is such an important narrative about an intersex teen who identifies as male. After Max is raped by a boy he grew up with–and the only person his own age who knows his secret–it brings up various repercussions over his identity, sexuality and also family and social dynamics.

This book is important also, because of:

Archie: Abigail Tarttelin was so smart to have chapters of this novel written from Dr Archie Verma’s perspective. Through Max’s doctor, the reader is introduced to the medical side of intersex, as well as some of the history relating to the term and the science of it through the 90s and 00s. Archie works as a bit of a Giles character who does her research and then gets to educate the rest of the cast.

Daniel: Max’s little brother, and the one who’s quite adamant–along with Max, I’ll add–that he wants a big brother, not a big sister. Because of the age gap between these two, Daniel’s understanding of what’s going on around him is patchy at best. Most of the chapters from him are from a purely emotional and reactionary side of things.

Steve: Max’s father. Although we don’t get any chapters written from his perspective, a picture begins to form on the kind of man he is, both from medical records and Max’s mother’s recollections. He is the one who’s adamant that Max doesn’t have to choose a gender and wouldn’t permit surgery to be done before Max was of an age to consent. “Idealogical differences” I believe is the term that’s used.

I’m only halfway through this novel, and I just can’t put it down. I’m so honoured that I’m going to be published with Abigail next year!