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Really enjoyed this book, Ash is just the grumpy hermit trans woman I might become one day if all goes... "well". Really enjoyed the trans folks and sex workers fighting the good fight in this dystopian book, and the wisdom sprinkled in. Also really personally hated some of the characters, which doesn't happen that often and makes for some good writing if it does, I think. Real tense read that absolutely didn't pull punches regarding some pretty graphic depictions of bad stuff, but I personally was able to deal with that pretty good in the context of the whole book.

Got a little confused from time to time by the side-by-side storytelling being so omnipresent, it made for some interesting contrasts and "oh fuck" moments during the reading but it got a but much for my personal taste. The nameless, faceless dystopia had it's charms but felt a little too flat and on the nose to me from time to time, compared to some other works in a similar space. My complaining is on a really high level though, and I'll absolutely be buying this book (or the whole trilogy, knowing myself) as a paperback to efficiently bug my friends to read them, and maybe you, whoever's reading this, should too!

This book absolutely amazed me, right from the first chapter talking about how we trannies need some more dangerous stories. It's really quite brutal in its depictions of the gang violence, and didn't feel like it pulled punches elsewhere, but I really enjoyed the emotions and the personal growth in shitty conditions and all the different femmes depicted in this book (most of whom remind me of at least one woman I have the honor of knowing in my own chaotic life). Gonna read more of Kai Cheng Thoms books and keep recommending this one to my friends, or just go on reading the first chapter to people (3/3 success on recommendations so far).