A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett is a collection of short stories that delves into the lives of trans women, showcasing their everyday struggles and moments of resilience. The stories are emotionally impactful, offering a glimpse into the diverse experiences of trans individuals. The writing style is unique and immersive, drawing readers into the characters' lives and capturing both the beauty and challenges they face.

The interconnected stories in A Safe Girl to Love provide a varied portrayal of trans women's lives, touching on themes of gender identity, relationships, and self-discovery. The book offers a poignant exploration of the mundane realities and profound emotions experienced by its characters, making it a relatable and engaging read for those looking to understand different facets of the trans experience.

Characters:

The characters represent various trans identities and experiences, though some readers feel they share similarities.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is distinctive and emotional, though some readers find it tiring due to stylistic choices.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative revolves around the experiences of trans women, exploring their struggles, identities, and interconnected lives.

Setting:

Settings reflect the everyday lives of trans individuals, often highlighting challenges they face.

Pacing:

The pacing allows for quick reading but can vary in emotional depth, leading to mixed feelings.

My mom picked me up fresh off the red-eye and we went for donuts. It was the day before Christmas Eve. I told her all the fun parts about living in Portland and she listened and hummed and marched her...

Notes:

The book contains a collection of short stories focused on trans women.

Each story features a trans woman as the main character, showcasing different sexual orientations such as lesbian, bi, and straight.

Some stories include trans side characters and a notable mother-daughter pair both identified as trans.

There is a mix of heavy topics including trauma, harassment, and abuse, which may be triggering for some readers.

The writing style may feel exhausting at times due to lack of clear dialogue separation.

The collection features a shared universe where characters from one story appear in another, creating interesting connections.

Readers have expressed strong emotional impacts from the stories, with varied responses ranging from enjoyment to feeling overwhelmed.

Some stories are praised for their humor and relatability, reflecting the everyday lives of trans women.

The book has stories set in Manitoba, adding regional diversity to the narratives.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include sexual assault, harassment, harsh language, and discussions of trauma related to being transgender.

Has Romance?

Romance exists in the stories but is not the central focus; it varies in intensity and significance across the collection.

From The Publisher:

Eleven unique short stories that stretch from a rural Canadian Mennonite town to a hipster gay bar in Brooklyn, featuring young trans women stumbling through loss, sex, harassment, and love.

These stories, shiny with whiskey and prairie sunsets, rattling subways and neglected cats, show growing up as a trans girl can be charming, funny, frustrating, or sad, but never will it be predictable.

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What can you read after
A Safe Girl to Love?

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About the Author:

Casey Plett wrote a column on transitioning for McSweeney's Internet Tendency and contributed to the Topside Press anthology The Collection: Short Fiction From The Transgender Vanguard. Her work has been featured in Plenitude, Two Serious Ladies, Anomalous Press, and other publications. She is from the Canadian Prairies and the Pacific Northwest and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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A Safe Girl to Love

Casey Plett