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Under My Skin #1
Under My Skin
Min Lee is a workaholic who can’t say no. She substitutes sleep with Red Bull and, through a combination of repression and bad habits, has managed to score herself a luxury apartment, a fabulous boyfriend and the approval of her billionaire CEO. Things are looking pretty awesome… well, apart from those body image issues that constantly plague her.
But Min thinks she's got everything worked out. She's arranged her comfort zone and has zero desire to look outside of it… or, so she tells herself.
It’s not until a troubled schoolgirl tracks her down from the Internet, stalks her to her home and noses her way into life that Min begins to admit that something is wrong in her perfect world. Something that she's never thought about before, and doesn’t even want to think about. Something that has the power to ruin all her relationships and dismantle everything in her life she’s worked so very hard for.
What if ‘she’ isn’t the right word for Min at all?
But Min thinks she's got everything worked out. She's arranged her comfort zone and has zero desire to look outside of it… or, so she tells herself.
It’s not until a troubled schoolgirl tracks her down from the Internet, stalks her to her home and noses her way into life that Min begins to admit that something is wrong in her perfect world. Something that she's never thought about before, and doesn’t even want to think about. Something that has the power to ruin all her relationships and dismantle everything in her life she’s worked so very hard for.
What if ‘she’ isn’t the right word for Min at all?
690 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2014
32 people are currently reading
817 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Dooland
4 books111 followersAE Dooland is an Aussie who is 100% certified queer. By day she's a counsellor, by night she's a writer and a gamer. She's married to a wonderful and very grumpy woman, and they have a couple of far-too-cheerful children.
You can get access to free short stories, news and updates on upcoming web serials at aedooland.com.
You can get access to free short stories, news and updates on upcoming web serials at aedooland.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 4, 2019
I didn’t want this book to end and that’s quite the feat for a book that is almost 700 pages. I know there’s a book two out, which I’ve already purchased, but I do need to step away from this story for a little bit because it’s intense. This book elicits so many feelings that it’s almost necessary to bask in the HEA of the ending of book one before jumping into more emotional ping pong.
That said, this book is also funny! I laughed a lot; I also (almost) cried a lot, I felt intense heartache for our protagonist…I just loved this friggin’ book and am left with a book hangover. I can’t even come up with complete thoughts at the moment, so it’s a good thing that the book description is enough (though it doesn't do it justice) and that there are a lot of other reviews that are much more eloquent than anything I can possibly say.
Buy and read this book! That is all. It is worth so much more than the $2.99 that it’s sold for.
That said, this book is also funny! I laughed a lot; I also (almost) cried a lot, I felt intense heartache for our protagonist…I just loved this friggin’ book and am left with a book hangover. I can’t even come up with complete thoughts at the moment, so it’s a good thing that the book description is enough (though it doesn't do it justice) and that there are a lot of other reviews that are much more eloquent than anything I can possibly say.
Buy and read this book! That is all. It is worth so much more than the $2.99 that it’s sold for.
October 28, 2019
Right. I've been letting myself down review wise. So, let's see if I can put anything here.
The story is about Min Lee, a worker at Frost International located in Sydney Australia. Working as a marketer in the diamond division. Somewhat unexpectedly, Min is made a program lead on a secret project with a small team. Highly confidential. Very stressful.
Meanwhile Min's boyfriend, Henry Lee (no relation, Lee's a popular Korean name), works in the HR department at Frost International. Has a psychology degree. Is very patient and understanding. Apparently visits Korea a lot, and while there, visits Min's mother. Min's mother keeps pressuring Min to marry Henry (not that Henry has actually proposed or anything). Henry and Min date, every once in a while see each other at the office, and even less often, about once every three weeks or so, have unfun, disagreeable sex. Because Min feels it's expected to do so.
Min has one friendly acquaintance/friend at the office. One Sarah. Sarah's always trying to drag the workaholic Min out for drinks and the like, but Min is always busy. Too busy.
Not too busy, though, to occasionally paint. And upload paintings to DeviantArt. And interact with users through comments and private messages. Which is important to this story on several levels.
One night, feeling inspired, Min paints. Uploads picture. Min doesn't normally paint people, but did this time. Titling it something like "self-portrait". Goes to sleep. Wakes up to hundreds of comments and notes. Most from women gushing over the painting. Both in how much they like the painting and how handsome and attractive the man is in the painting. Flirting with Min. Since it is Min, right? What with labeling it with the title given.
Course, Min's somewhat confused. Looks at profile picture. Realizes/remembers had, at some moment of this or that, removed gender indications. Min keeps almost deleting the painting, taking it down. Doesn't like how it appears to be misleading people. For Min is in the body of a woman, not that of a man.
A certain amount of mounting tension builds from having uploaded that painting. And then, Min uploads a new profile picture. Clearly showing that Min is a woman. A picture taken by a coworker when a group were out celebrating the end of a project. The picture shows How tall Min is, how serious. Against the backdrop of drinking/drunk coworkers. Oddly the positive comments continue.
And then Min leaves a little earlier than normal. Waits at a crosswalk. Hears two high school aged girls giggling behind her. Looks back at them. Notices they are gazing at her. Min feels quite uncomfortable. Much more so when they start loudly saying things. Then one bubbly chatty one finally bounces over and demands to know if it actually is Min Lee. The artist. Apparently (1) Min uses own name on DeviantArt page; (2) the two schoolgirls had used the internet to track down Min Lee.
One thing leads to another and Min Lee finds herself in a super expensive restaurant with her young female stalker. Who talks a mile a minute. About everything.
I haven't yet noted that Min Lee almost always dresses up. Wears nice jewelry. Make-up. Skirt or dress. Almost never pants. With massive high heels Attempting to look very feminine. Unless at home alone, when she wears comfortable clothing. Which is important on two levels. One, Min hates having to look feminine and drag on the bra and skirt and all that. Two, Bre, the schoolgirl stalker, makes a comment that drives Min to flee the restaurant. A comment about how the super tall woman doesn't look . . . right in the outfit she is wearing.
So, while highly stressed at work, and while being stalked by a bubbly schoolgirl, Min begins to seriously think about how she might really be a he. And, after certain interactions, maybe is attracted to women. I mean, Min accidentally kissed another woman while drunk. Found it quite pleasurable. Much more so than anything she gets from Henry.
The story unfolds. Lives, careers, relationships shift, tense, explode, come together. A quite good story. Several times I thought Min might be too depressing to continue to follow, but I'm glad I did. And, oddly, I came to really like Bre. Despite her baggage, bubbliness, flightiness.
Other than side characters, this is the first transgender novel I've read. First with a lead transgender lead character. I'd recommend the book. Apparently there are other things by this author, well, not apparently, I've seen them, but none up on GoodReads. They are all over on a blog. Including a sequel to Under the Skin. I found it difficult to try to read in that setting, so I hope the sequel finds it's way to published status at some point.
The story is about Min Lee, a worker at Frost International located in Sydney Australia. Working as a marketer in the diamond division. Somewhat unexpectedly, Min is made a program lead on a secret project with a small team. Highly confidential. Very stressful.
Meanwhile Min's boyfriend, Henry Lee (no relation, Lee's a popular Korean name), works in the HR department at Frost International. Has a psychology degree. Is very patient and understanding. Apparently visits Korea a lot, and while there, visits Min's mother. Min's mother keeps pressuring Min to marry Henry (not that Henry has actually proposed or anything). Henry and Min date, every once in a while see each other at the office, and even less often, about once every three weeks or so, have unfun, disagreeable sex. Because Min feels it's expected to do so.
Min has one friendly acquaintance/friend at the office. One Sarah. Sarah's always trying to drag the workaholic Min out for drinks and the like, but Min is always busy. Too busy.
Not too busy, though, to occasionally paint. And upload paintings to DeviantArt. And interact with users through comments and private messages. Which is important to this story on several levels.
One night, feeling inspired, Min paints. Uploads picture. Min doesn't normally paint people, but did this time. Titling it something like "self-portrait". Goes to sleep. Wakes up to hundreds of comments and notes. Most from women gushing over the painting. Both in how much they like the painting and how handsome and attractive the man is in the painting. Flirting with Min. Since it is Min, right? What with labeling it with the title given.
Course, Min's somewhat confused. Looks at profile picture. Realizes/remembers had, at some moment of this or that, removed gender indications. Min keeps almost deleting the painting, taking it down. Doesn't like how it appears to be misleading people. For Min is in the body of a woman, not that of a man.
A certain amount of mounting tension builds from having uploaded that painting. And then, Min uploads a new profile picture. Clearly showing that Min is a woman. A picture taken by a coworker when a group were out celebrating the end of a project. The picture shows How tall Min is, how serious. Against the backdrop of drinking/drunk coworkers. Oddly the positive comments continue.
And then Min leaves a little earlier than normal. Waits at a crosswalk. Hears two high school aged girls giggling behind her. Looks back at them. Notices they are gazing at her. Min feels quite uncomfortable. Much more so when they start loudly saying things. Then one bubbly chatty one finally bounces over and demands to know if it actually is Min Lee. The artist. Apparently (1) Min uses own name on DeviantArt page; (2) the two schoolgirls had used the internet to track down Min Lee.
One thing leads to another and Min Lee finds herself in a super expensive restaurant with her young female stalker. Who talks a mile a minute. About everything.
I haven't yet noted that Min Lee almost always dresses up. Wears nice jewelry. Make-up. Skirt or dress. Almost never pants. With massive high heels Attempting to look very feminine. Unless at home alone, when she wears comfortable clothing. Which is important on two levels. One, Min hates having to look feminine and drag on the bra and skirt and all that. Two, Bre, the schoolgirl stalker, makes a comment that drives Min to flee the restaurant. A comment about how the super tall woman doesn't look . . . right in the outfit she is wearing.
So, while highly stressed at work, and while being stalked by a bubbly schoolgirl, Min begins to seriously think about how she might really be a he. And, after certain interactions, maybe is attracted to women. I mean, Min accidentally kissed another woman while drunk. Found it quite pleasurable. Much more so than anything she gets from Henry.
The story unfolds. Lives, careers, relationships shift, tense, explode, come together. A quite good story. Several times I thought Min might be too depressing to continue to follow, but I'm glad I did. And, oddly, I came to really like Bre. Despite her baggage, bubbliness, flightiness.
Other than side characters, this is the first transgender novel I've read. First with a lead transgender lead character. I'd recommend the book. Apparently there are other things by this author, well, not apparently, I've seen them, but none up on GoodReads. They are all over on a blog. Including a sequel to Under the Skin. I found it difficult to try to read in that setting, so I hope the sequel finds it's way to published status at some point.
September 4, 2017
So looooooooong. Right. Loved it. Even though I had to page flip a lot of really bad feels scenes. Still. Genderqueer Min and the lovable pansexual Bree (fist bump Bree :) So much happens in this book. Not going to go beyond what's in the back of the book. I really loved this book. heh. And diving into the sequal now. I've a feeling Min's mom is heavily involved. Groan. We'll see.
February 27, 2017
There is nothing like "Under My Skin" out there right now. It truly is unique. The way Dooland handles Min going through stress, self-doubt, confusion, insecurity - everything, just... It's a marvel. Min's head is a chaotic mess with work and her personal life pushing and pulling as she tries to figure out who she is and what she wants.
Min is relatable and beautifully flawed, with laugh-out-loud charm when she relaxes. Bree is unexpectedly endearing despite the things she does, and you can't help feeling protective of her. Henry, Min's boyfriend, is /lovely/, hammering home the point that sometimes, no matter how perfect someone is or how hard you try, you just can't love them the way they love you. The entire cast is realistic, complicated and fascinating to watch together.
"Under My Skin" had me worrying about the characters, thinking about them, laughing, cheering, and heart-aching over them even when I wasn't reading. These characters feel real, and the things they're going through resonate with current social issues. There is so much heart in this story, so much pain and love, growth, and ultimately, triumph. Dooland pays attention to the big things and the details. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, do yourself a favour and read this book. The writing is superb and the story and characters will stay with you long after you've finished. It deserves a solid five stars.
Min is relatable and beautifully flawed, with laugh-out-loud charm when she relaxes. Bree is unexpectedly endearing despite the things she does, and you can't help feeling protective of her. Henry, Min's boyfriend, is /lovely/, hammering home the point that sometimes, no matter how perfect someone is or how hard you try, you just can't love them the way they love you. The entire cast is realistic, complicated and fascinating to watch together.
"Under My Skin" had me worrying about the characters, thinking about them, laughing, cheering, and heart-aching over them even when I wasn't reading. These characters feel real, and the things they're going through resonate with current social issues. There is so much heart in this story, so much pain and love, growth, and ultimately, triumph. Dooland pays attention to the big things and the details. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, do yourself a favour and read this book. The writing is superb and the story and characters will stay with you long after you've finished. It deserves a solid five stars.
December 28, 2015
This is a good book. Sweet, honest, sharp and quite intense.
It is a long book, and a bit slow at some points, but I found that this story could not be told in a shorter way. This is not a plain story, it deals with very difficult issues, such as sexual identity, that are not easy to be dealt with, and that need time to be explained in a credible way.
I found that the author succeed at describing the sexual identity crisis very well, although it seemed to appear a bit out of the blue.
Although Bree's character is presented as very open minded, it is a bit difficult to accept that she had no issues at all with the sudden changes in neither the sexuality nor in the sexual identity of her partner. In my opinion she should at least be a bit confused about it.
It is a long book, and a bit slow at some points, but I found that this story could not be told in a shorter way. This is not a plain story, it deals with very difficult issues, such as sexual identity, that are not easy to be dealt with, and that need time to be explained in a credible way.
I found that the author succeed at describing the sexual identity crisis very well, although it seemed to appear a bit out of the blue.
Although Bree's character is presented as very open minded, it is a bit difficult to accept that she had no issues at all with the sudden changes in neither the sexuality nor in the sexual identity of her partner. In my opinion she should at least be a bit confused about it.
July 21, 2016
This book is officialy one of my favorite books. I never wanted it to end but at the same time wanted to finish it badly, so I could move on on the sequel. Which, by the way, is totally cheap as well. I don't get why those books for kindle are so cheap, since they are very long and so so good. But it's not like I'm complaining.
Anyway.
This is a story about a girl named Min Lee. You see, she's tall 25 year old Korean girl living in Australia with a strict Korean mother back in Korea and a sweet boyfriend Henry. She has this perfect job, which will be a huge part of her story at Frost International. She's also an artist. A very good one. But, you see, Min isn't happy. She drinks a lot, she takes too many painkillers too often, she swears a lot, she hates how she looks and she doesn't enjoy sex with her boyfriend. Or, you know, she isn't even in love with him. But he's perfect, her mother loves him probably more than her and they've been together for 5 years.
Then she meets this girl, Bree. Bree is a big fan of her as an artist, she's 18 and is kinda stalking her. And the story goes from there...
I really loved it. It's written in first person point of view, so you see everything through Min's eyes. You know right away she's very unhappy. She literally hates her body. She doesn't realize it first that she wants to be a boy. You're going through the realization slowly with her, you feel her confusion, the pain, the unhappiness and finally the acceptance. Bree is a big part of it all. She supports her, encourages her, even though she's kind of pain in the ass. She acts childish most of the time, I might say she's a walking distaster, but as you find out, she has problems on her own. Still, most of the time I wasn't a big fan of her and I hope it'll change after reading the sequel.
There's also Min's co-worker and friend, Sarah. I think Sarah is my favorite character. She's an amazing, loyal friend and I'm very happy she's not some minor character. She plays a big part in Min's life as well.
Now about Min's boyfriend, Henry. You know, I don't think I've ever read about such a nice man. Henry was perfect. But sometimes it felt like he was too perfect, like a robot. Especially after Min came out to him as a trans. But after that, after we finally knew what was going on in his head everything made sense.
As I said, Min's job is a BIG part of the story, but I wasn't interested in it that much. But I must say, the author handled it perfectly.
Also, before I forget. This books is also very hot at the end. There was one of the hottest sex scenes I've read. I hope there will be more of it in the sequel, haha.
Anyway.
This is a story about a girl named Min Lee. You see, she's tall 25 year old Korean girl living in Australia with a strict Korean mother back in Korea and a sweet boyfriend Henry. She has this perfect job, which will be a huge part of her story at Frost International. She's also an artist. A very good one. But, you see, Min isn't happy. She drinks a lot, she takes too many painkillers too often, she swears a lot, she hates how she looks and she doesn't enjoy sex with her boyfriend. Or, you know, she isn't even in love with him. But he's perfect, her mother loves him probably more than her and they've been together for 5 years.
Then she meets this girl, Bree. Bree is a big fan of her as an artist, she's 18 and is kinda stalking her. And the story goes from there...
I really loved it. It's written in first person point of view, so you see everything through Min's eyes. You know right away she's very unhappy. She literally hates her body. She doesn't realize it first that she wants to be a boy. You're going through the realization slowly with her, you feel her confusion, the pain, the unhappiness and finally the acceptance. Bree is a big part of it all. She supports her, encourages her, even though she's kind of pain in the ass. She acts childish most of the time, I might say she's a walking distaster, but as you find out, she has problems on her own. Still, most of the time I wasn't a big fan of her and I hope it'll change after reading the sequel.
There's also Min's co-worker and friend, Sarah. I think Sarah is my favorite character. She's an amazing, loyal friend and I'm very happy she's not some minor character. She plays a big part in Min's life as well.
Now about Min's boyfriend, Henry. You know, I don't think I've ever read about such a nice man. Henry was perfect. But sometimes it felt like he was too perfect, like a robot. Especially after Min came out to him as a trans. But after that, after we finally knew what was going on in his head everything made sense.
As I said, Min's job is a BIG part of the story, but I wasn't interested in it that much. But I must say, the author handled it perfectly.
Also, before I forget. This books is also very hot at the end. There was one of the hottest sex scenes I've read. I hope there will be more of it in the sequel, haha.
April 26, 2015
Good book, slightly slow for the first two-thirds (and it's not a slim volume) but I suppose that reflects life pretty well. The principal relationship in it made me uneasy at points, but was ultimately quite well dealt with. Interesting exploration of non-binary genders too, although Min identifies mostly with he/him pronouns (or is in the process of doing so), it didn't dodge that subject. Pretty cool and unusual to see something which doesn't follow the "traditional trans* narrative". Always nice to see another piece of fiction about people assigned female at birth too. A lot harder to find than ones about those assigned male at birth, in y experience. The characters were relatable and once I got past the halfway mark I did find it hard to put the book down! Which is generally a good sign.
Wouldn't give it 5 due to the the slow start and some editing issues (but understandable given the publishing method), but I will definitely be checking out the sequel.
Wouldn't give it 5 due to the the slow start and some editing issues (but understandable given the publishing method), but I will definitely be checking out the sequel.
August 4, 2015
A bit long, but some parts of the books are very touching and bleeds truth.
February 17, 2019
Wow! Don't know where to start! VFM fantastic! 690 pages for £2.39 - unbeatable (0.35p a page - Radclyffe 10 times that - 3.74p / page!!) Story? Up to 80% of book, stunning, brilliant, five star, the lot - And really, the lot - if it could wrong for poor Min, it did! Every time - & just as you thought it can't get worse... it did. But it's looooooooooooooong - I started to think, just get on with it, I'm done now. But insightful, educational and entertaining. So book 2 - after a rest! - will follow. And my admiration for A E is spectacular!
November 27, 2014
Come è già stato scritto in qualche altra recensione, sul mercato al momento non c'è niente che possa anche solo lontanamente essere paragonato ad Under My Skin. Perlomeno, nulla che tratti i temi trattati da questo libro con la stessa schiettezza dell'autrice.
Il libro, scritto in prima persona dal punto di vista della protagonista, Min Lee, è diretto, sincero, brutale.
La Dooland ci permette di sedere in prima fila ed assistere e vivere, i pensieri, le paure, i dubbi, le esperienze, le emozioni che vive Min in prima persona.
Devo ammettere che, in determinati punti, questo riuscire ad immedesimarsi con la protagonista porta quasi a sentire fisicamente l'ansia ed il senso di oppressione. Io stessa ho dovuto fare delle pause durante la lettura perchè in certi momenti la tensione era davvero troppa. Diecimila punti in più per questo, visto che non tutti gli autori sono in grado di trasmettere al lettore questo grado di emozioni.
Il tema dell'identità di genere viene trattato senza essere banalizzato, né subire alcun tipo di esasperazione in un senso o nell'altro.
I personaggi sono *veri*. Non sono perfetti, non sono dei cliché. Sono così vivi che è quasi possibile sentirli respirare.
Un'ottimo lavoro, a parer mio, è stato anche svolto nell'inclusione di diverse etnie oltre a quella bianca caucasica che spopola - ahimè- nelle librerie di tutto il mondo.
Insomma, nessuna recensione potrà mai descrivere appieno la bellezza nè la freschezza di questo libro; l'unico modo è leggerlo.
Leggerlo soprattutto perché si tratta finalmente di qualcosa di nuovo, e non della solita trama che con qualche abbellimento fatto un po' qui e un po' là viene passata per nuova.
Leggerlo perché si tratta di uno di quei libri che ti lasciano veramente qualcosa, un libro che difficilmente si dimentica e che, una volta concluso, ti fa rendere conto che, grazie a questa lettura, sei effettivamente cresciuto un po' di più.
Il libro, scritto in prima persona dal punto di vista della protagonista, Min Lee, è diretto, sincero, brutale.
La Dooland ci permette di sedere in prima fila ed assistere e vivere, i pensieri, le paure, i dubbi, le esperienze, le emozioni che vive Min in prima persona.
Devo ammettere che, in determinati punti, questo riuscire ad immedesimarsi con la protagonista porta quasi a sentire fisicamente l'ansia ed il senso di oppressione. Io stessa ho dovuto fare delle pause durante la lettura perchè in certi momenti la tensione era davvero troppa. Diecimila punti in più per questo, visto che non tutti gli autori sono in grado di trasmettere al lettore questo grado di emozioni.
Il tema dell'identità di genere viene trattato senza essere banalizzato, né subire alcun tipo di esasperazione in un senso o nell'altro.
I personaggi sono *veri*. Non sono perfetti, non sono dei cliché. Sono così vivi che è quasi possibile sentirli respirare.
Un'ottimo lavoro, a parer mio, è stato anche svolto nell'inclusione di diverse etnie oltre a quella bianca caucasica che spopola - ahimè- nelle librerie di tutto il mondo.
Insomma, nessuna recensione potrà mai descrivere appieno la bellezza nè la freschezza di questo libro; l'unico modo è leggerlo.
Leggerlo soprattutto perché si tratta finalmente di qualcosa di nuovo, e non della solita trama che con qualche abbellimento fatto un po' qui e un po' là viene passata per nuova.
Leggerlo perché si tratta di uno di quei libri che ti lasciano veramente qualcosa, un libro che difficilmente si dimentica e che, una volta concluso, ti fa rendere conto che, grazie a questa lettura, sei effettivamente cresciuto un po' di più.
May 18, 2016
I really struggled with this book. The romance arcs are so awful about consent; literally every character steamrollers Min's boundaries. At one point she's made to feel guilty by her boyfriend for telling her fangirl stalker to go away.
The marketing storyline got claustrophobic at about 60% of the way through the book, to the point that I ended up finishing the whole thing because it was making me anxious.
But the gender stuff and Min's relationship with her mother and her body hit me right in the heart.
IDK. A bit soapy, weird with consent, deeply satisfying to read her transition as a genderqueer person.
The marketing storyline got claustrophobic at about 60% of the way through the book, to the point that I ended up finishing the whole thing because it was making me anxious.
But the gender stuff and Min's relationship with her mother and her body hit me right in the heart.
IDK. A bit soapy, weird with consent, deeply satisfying to read her transition as a genderqueer person.
January 17, 2016
This book can be defined by the phrase "there's no such thing as too much of good things". It's huge and I bet that hardback can cause permanent injuries due to weight alone. First book of the planned trilogy, but can be read separately.
That said, it IS a good book, not just long. Mostly thanks to very well-written characters, both main and secondary. Min, the main character and narrator of the story, suffers from severe anxiety and it SHOWS. It makes the whole book quite thrilling experience.
The main theme of the book is gender identity and slow realisation that maybe Min isn't exactly "woman". But there's so much more to it - toxic work situation, romance and setting boundaries, toxic families (explored more in the second book)... Really, even if you're not that interested in gender stuff, it's worth a read.
That said, it IS a good book, not just long. Mostly thanks to very well-written characters, both main and secondary. Min, the main character and narrator of the story, suffers from severe anxiety and it SHOWS. It makes the whole book quite thrilling experience.
The main theme of the book is gender identity and slow realisation that maybe Min isn't exactly "woman". But there's so much more to it - toxic work situation, romance and setting boundaries, toxic families (explored more in the second book)... Really, even if you're not that interested in gender stuff, it's worth a read.
November 2, 2014
Beautifully written and almost painfully emotional at times, I have to say this book was the best thing I ever funded on Kickstarter. The character list is fairly slim compared to a lot of things I've read, but each and every one just climbs right into your heart and takes up residence. The writing is fantastic; clear and concise but powerfully evocative, I feel like I can see every character and location as clear as day in my mind without having once been bogged down in verbose descriptions. The ending is quite satisfying, and leaves just the right amount up to the reader. There's enough left unfinished to make a sequel possible (and desirable!), but it still feels polished and definitive. Overall, an excellent read and more than worth the time and money!
February 20, 2017
Wow, what a fantastic read. Well done to the author for writing such a unique story with vivid detail and three dimensional characters. I loved everything about the book, especially the dialogue. I laughed out loud in many places. The book is long in length but it's written so well it goes by fast and I can't wait for a sequel. Buy this book!
May 25, 2018
Read this as its the first of the series. It is out of the usual book type for me but I did enjoy it...it is verrry long. On to book 2.
July 27, 2020
It was good just veryyyyyy long lol.
August 19, 2017
Good cast of characters.
April 22, 2019
As much as I loved reading about an AFAB Asian trans character, I could not get over the disturbung romace between Min, the protagonist, and Bree, her stalker. The lines of consent are blurred in nearly every aspect of Min's life and it's never properly addressed. Stalking is absolutely never okay and when Min expressed how disturbed she was, her concerns were pretty much brushed off despite having completely valid reasoms for being irked and feeling like her personal space was violated. There was nothing in the book that made me feel the slightest bit okay with how their relationship developed. The romantic interest is also 17 when they first meet. I'm aware that this book is set in Australia and Google tells me the age of consent is 16 over there (correct me if I'm wrong), but there's an added amount of disturbing when the protagonist is 25 and the love interest is still in high school.
I did, however, adore Min and I thought she was a wonderfully written character and her struggle to accept herself and come out as trans was relatable for much of the story. Min's character was the only reason I stuck it out for this incredibly long book. (I use she/her pronouns for Min because she still goes by them by the end of this book and it's never made clear where exactly her comfort level is with pronouns)
If it weren't for the inappropriate romance, I would've enjoyed this book a lot more.
I did, however, adore Min and I thought she was a wonderfully written character and her struggle to accept herself and come out as trans was relatable for much of the story. Min's character was the only reason I stuck it out for this incredibly long book. (I use she/her pronouns for Min because she still goes by them by the end of this book and it's never made clear where exactly her comfort level is with pronouns)
If it weren't for the inappropriate romance, I would've enjoyed this book a lot more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2022
DNF - I had to stop at 200 pages.
I got this book and the second for $1 each when they first went live on Amazon. I followed the author on Tumblr and thought I would support their work.
I cound not finish this book. It is a relic of Tumblr and DeviantArt culture circa 2013, but not in a good way.
I dislike the main two characters, and I am very uncomfortable with their age difference - Min, who is 25 but acts like an out of touch boomer who doesn't understand teenagers (Min is only 25 for chrissake), and Bree who is 17 when you meet her. The author justifies the age difference by comparing Henry's 7 years older age gap with Min, but that is also uncomfortable ESPECIALLY since he met her at their workplace and he is in HR.
Much of Min's character is dry, flat humor that every one of the other characters find hilarious. The first 200 pages is Min complaining about everything and then numbing it all with alcoholism.
Despite Bree being 17 year old school girl in a uniform, she is already sexualized for having a DD breast size and a voluptuous body.
I can see where this book could help people stuggling with their gender identity, sexuality, and find empathy in their own questioning, but good lord this book is packed with enough red flags for me I'd think I am at a sports game.
I got this book and the second for $1 each when they first went live on Amazon. I followed the author on Tumblr and thought I would support their work.
I cound not finish this book. It is a relic of Tumblr and DeviantArt culture circa 2013, but not in a good way.
I dislike the main two characters, and I am very uncomfortable with their age difference - Min, who is 25 but acts like an out of touch boomer who doesn't understand teenagers (Min is only 25 for chrissake), and Bree who is 17 when you meet her. The author justifies the age difference by comparing Henry's 7 years older age gap with Min, but that is also uncomfortable ESPECIALLY since he met her at their workplace and he is in HR.
Much of Min's character is dry, flat humor that every one of the other characters find hilarious. The first 200 pages is Min complaining about everything and then numbing it all with alcoholism.
Despite Bree being 17 year old school girl in a uniform, she is already sexualized for having a DD breast size and a voluptuous body.
I can see where this book could help people stuggling with their gender identity, sexuality, and find empathy in their own questioning, but good lord this book is packed with enough red flags for me I'd think I am at a sports game.
January 10, 2015
I was afraid to get my hopes up with this book, but to say it exceeded my expectations is the understatement of the year. There are a couple of subplot points and one particular character that make me think "meh." But on an emotional level... Holy cow. It is. Spot. On.
I can honestly say that I've never come across a trans/queer character as authentic as Min Lee. It admit I probably feel this way just because I identify very strongly with Min; my own experience and process of self-discovery was (and still is!) alarmingly similar. Although I normally try to avoid projecting too much, I'm happy to make an exception for this one. Everything from the anxiety and depression to the pronoun issue and "Ken doll" body image is so freaking dead on.
Long story short, I'd never before come across a character whose self-discovery of gender and sexuality so accurately reflects my own. I never thought I would be so happy to find such a character. I didn't realize how much I'd wanted to find a character like Min until it actually happened. I'm still a little surprised by how happy it made me. And because of that, I adore this book.
I can honestly say that I've never come across a trans/queer character as authentic as Min Lee. It admit I probably feel this way just because I identify very strongly with Min; my own experience and process of self-discovery was (and still is!) alarmingly similar. Although I normally try to avoid projecting too much, I'm happy to make an exception for this one. Everything from the anxiety and depression to the pronoun issue and "Ken doll" body image is so freaking dead on.
Long story short, I'd never before come across a character whose self-discovery of gender and sexuality so accurately reflects my own. I never thought I would be so happy to find such a character. I didn't realize how much I'd wanted to find a character like Min until it actually happened. I'm still a little surprised by how happy it made me. And because of that, I adore this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2016
Great reading material
I love how the story deals with body issues and a person who has no knowledge about genders and all. It was refreshing reading from that point of view. Defiantly recommend reading this if you are insecure about gender or if you want to understand what someone you know is maybe going through. I love how light and smooth the writing is and how there are curse words in it. It just made it seem even more real. Great book. Love it.
I love how the story deals with body issues and a person who has no knowledge about genders and all. It was refreshing reading from that point of view. Defiantly recommend reading this if you are insecure about gender or if you want to understand what someone you know is maybe going through. I love how light and smooth the writing is and how there are curse words in it. It just made it seem even more real. Great book. Love it.
March 12, 2016
Very realistic and relatable for me. Character arc and development all made sense and was right on key. Well written. Definitely a fiction vibe and easy reading. No heavy handed lecture, but a very complex story told in a credible and page-turning way. Recommended reading for anyone who is or might be or might know someone who is FTM transgender and hasn't stereotypically 'always felt like a boy in a girl's body.'
May 27, 2016
It offers a fascinating look into the perspective of someone struggling to navigate concerns about their gender while their seemingly perfect life begins to crumble. Although the topics of gender and intersectionality raised in this book are serious, they are well-balanced with humor and romance. Every character feels complex and relatable.
January 12, 2015
Not something that I would normally read, but it was worth a change in genre! This book was amazingly written and held me to the very end! I laughed, cried, and even hyperventilated at the appropriate times! it is definitely something I'd recommend to other readers!
January 10, 2016
I don't know if I have ever felt so stressed reading a book. Being inside Min's head can be agony, which makes the brighter parts so much sweeter. It's a bit long; I skipped a lot of the work stuff, but definitely worth the read.
November 16, 2014
Amazing
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I highly recommend buying this one, the author did an amazing job.
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I highly recommend buying this one, the author did an amazing job.
January 9, 2015
It was exceptionally crafted and is definitely worth reading. It took me on an emotional roller coaster, which is what is exactly what I expected from the author, and I enjoyed the ride.
February 21, 2016
I LOVE IT, I JUST FUCKING LOVE IT! <3
August 6, 2016
Review to follow
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