Torrey Peters has written more than a novel in this carefully plotted exploration of queering the traditional nuclear family structure. It is bold and daring to reimagine a foundational pillar around which modern society builds its infrastructure, makes its assumptions about healthcare, navigates its politics system-wide. In reimagining the reworking of filial relations, parental responsibilities, caretaking, domesticity, and inheritance, she is honest with not having all the answers. In many ways, she writes its possibility on the page. She writes imaginatively for all the gender-queer folks who have not abandoned their desires for a family – for progeny. She demystifies for readers, if any hold the antiquated conceptions of a stigmatized LGBTQ+ culture, the dehumanizing, hypersexualized derivatives of queer folks. The story itself is more than fiction. It is a blueprint and I hope it blows open rigid binary structures within and without the queer community to pave the way for lineage and futures for gender-queer families. And hopefully for gender-binary to see that the release of the nuclear family structure is good for them/us too. That queering families for all is the future.

The faultless writing, the rare perspective, and the humanity on display are perfect. I am sadly possessed of a pandemic brain, though, and can't seem to handle anything but fluff at the moment. I'll be buying this one to read at a later date.

This is one of those books that leaves me feeling a bit mixed. As a trans reader I’m delighted to see more stories that show the layers to our existence, there certain isn’t a universal experience but it’s rarely a cake walk for even the most supported and loved individual.
However the main characters were so thoroughly unlikeable that I was tempted not to finish… I read to the end simply to see if either of them learned anything from their behaviors - a bit disappointed but the supporting characters were likeable. And the world is full of self absorbed @**holes no matter how they identify so that is certainly realistic too.
Not a bad read overall and still a welcome addition.

I had a feeling that this would be a polarizing book, but I was not prepared for my own reactions while reading. At certain points in this book, I felt sad, angry, outraged, and even repulsed. I would remiss to not note trigger warnings for abuse because I was triggered as well. I set this book down a couple of times and circled back to it. I am very glad that I did not get upset and walk away entirely.

First, honesty time: I am a cis-gender, heterosexual, liberal, white woman who lives in a small town in Michigan. This is not an excuse for my feelings, but it is to point out that this is the only lens I possess from which to view the world and from which to understand this book. I am not an own-voices reviewer and cannot speak to how well the trans rep in this story is. What I can say is that this book called me out. I approached this book with all my “I’m not a transphobic person. I’m an ally.” liberal spirit. This book challenged me. Repeatedly, this book directed me straight back into my lane and made me confront my own assumptions. I needed that and I need it more of it.

These characters are messy and flawed. The story is more of a character study than a plot-driven narrative and the thoughts and emotions that are explored are raw. There are times where the writing style is a little over-the-top, but to me, that tone just really works for this book. I can see that people might call this overwritten, but there was something just right about the words sounding the way things sound when emotions run high. It intensified the reading experience to me. I do not know how accurate or logical the representation and story was, but it was graphic and did cause me to see things (and by things, I mean myself and my own biases) more clearly.

I will be upfront and say that my exposure to trans-women is minimal even in my reading life. After reading this, I see a gap in my reading that I would like to work harder to address. I will certainly be watching for more from Torrey Peters.

Detransitioning (i.e. switching genders and then going back to the gender you were assigned at birth) is a controversial topic, and I was curious how Torrey Peters would deal with it. The novel’s main characters are Reese, a trans woman, and Ames, formerly Amy, and before that, James. Reese and Amy were a couple; after their breakup, Reese started dating a succession of married men, and Ames (three years after his last estrogen dose) is sleeping with his (female) boss. Ames assumed his treatments had rendered him sterile, until Katrina tells him she’s pregnant.

Reese has always desperately yearned to be a mother. Even though she and Ames haven’t spoken in two years, he reaches out to her and suggests that perhaps she could become involved in co-parenting his future child. That, of course, first requires convincing a skeptical Katrina; Reese’s self-destructive tendencies and the messy aftermath of her relationship with Amy/Ames may also stand in the way of achieving this very modern version of domestic bliss.

“[Ames] hadn’t understood how little sense he made as a person without Reese until after she began to detach from him, until the lack of her became so painful that he started to once again want the armor of masculinity and, somewhat haphazardly, detransitioned to fully suit up in it.”

This is a fascinating, beautifully written novel, and one which, it is important to acknowledge, shows us one version of the trans experience; Peters notes that her lead characters are both white, which grants them a certain amount of privilege even in a community which often faces a constant barrage of discrimination. While this is arguably the most high-profile work of commercial fiction written by a trans author to date, I hope the success of Detransition, Baby helps open the floodgates to more work by trans and nonbinary writers.

I started this book a few times, but would always stop for another book. Then I just picked it up for one more try and read over half in one sitting. I absolutely fell in love with every character.

This book really caught me by surprise. It has a unique and interesting premise and is utterly unpredictable in every way. The author did not try to craft a story that is politically correct and socially acceptable. It is crass but refined; brutally honest, and extremely vulnerable. It portrays the challenges that transgender people have in a completely new light and provides a lens into the actual lives of people who have transitioned or are transitioning. It is a reality that many of us have no insight into, and it is pivotal in helping the cisgender community truly understand and be an ally to the transgender community.

This book is a game-changer. This was my first 'own-voices' trans book, and it was beautiful, sad, heartwarming, hopeful, and absolutely critical to anyone who considers themselves an LGBTQIA+ advocate. Please, please read it.

This is a story about women, both trans and cis, navigating the complexities of a (potentially) parenting a child in a non-nuclear, non-heteronormative way. Torrey Peters excels at writing flawed, complex characters, that you cannot help but root for. As a trans person myself (but more so on the other side of the spectrum), I felt deeply for both Reese and Ames and their struggles both past and present with their identities and complicated lives. Reese is a beautifully unapologetic character, and Ames' character really helped destigmatize the concept of detransitioning. There were many emotional moments that I found myself connecting with, maybe getting a bit teary-eyed at times. I loved Peters' deep dive into both of these characters experiences and psyche, they were gorgeously written. I highly highly recommend this book. I definitely plan on buying my own physical copy for many rereads to come. Already anticipating Torrey Peters' next work. Loved everything about this.

"Detransition, Baby" is like a quietly contemplative friend; you want to introduce her to all your other besties, and you know that if they just had the patience to get to know her they’d be better for it and would really love her, but at first their outgoing nature will make for too many awkward silences and they’ll struggle not to grow bored.

That’s because "Detransition, Baby" has almost no plot. Following a man who recently detransitioned and rejoined the boring business world, his accidentally impregnated girlfriend, and his trans ex-girlfriend, "Detransition" is an exploration of trans life in a way you’ve probably never seen it before.

The definition of a character-driven story, "Detransition, Baby" is honest, poignant, and unafraid as it meanders through the three characters’ decision-making process of figured out whether to become a family unit buffeted with explorations of all the baggage that comes with their backstories. Each has plenty of flaws and partake in their fair share of disagreeable discussions, making them hard to love at times while being completely sympathetic, interesting, and understandable.

However, even without much of a storyline, the different perspectives and many flashbacks are anything but boring, especially thanks to Peters’s prose—a picture-perfect type of writing that only comes from many years of studying, careful selection, and cultivation of the craft. Even the deep-dive asides into minor characters are engaging and beautiful, albeit completely unnecessary when—in many cases—we never see them again.

That being said, "Detransition, Baby" doesn’t feel wordy so much as it sometimes feels overexplained in a way that I couldn’t help thinking was often a burden of being a trailblazer in a world where adult trans literature is only just beginning to emerge in mainstream media. At times, concepts and characters’ decisions seemed drawn out and described in ways that felt overly careful, edged with a fear of being misconstrued or misunderstood and the dire desire for readers to understand all the lingo and language. This widens the audience by welcoming in those willing to learn who don’t yet understand all the ins and outs of all the complex issues expressed in "Detransition, Baby" but also unintentionally draws attention to the greater issue of the lack of literature we have on the subject in a way that I hope readers will recognize and feel as sad about I was, leaving us with a feeling of hope for the days when writers like Peters can just, well, write without worrying so much about context.

This impression will last far longer than any given by the ending of the novel itself, which by no surprise gives very little closure, something that will be thoroughly aggravating to many. The story doesn’t need much in the way of a conclusion, since the focus is on meeting and getting to know the three main characters and stepping into their world for a time, but I still would have liked at least a crumb. As it was, there wasn’t much to show for all of our time together, and any growth or change that might have emerged felt incomplete or scrubbed away by us ending up in a place that was, in many ways, not so different than where we started.

A must-read for the character-driven story lover like myself, I encourage even those who feel this may be a bit out of their comfort zone to try it out. I rated "Detransition, Baby" 4 out of 5.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Such a well done novel explaining the complexities of trans relationships. The author hit on so many different areas of current events/concerns in the trans community. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in LGBTQIA+ literature. Can't wait to see this book as a TV series and the author receive the praise that she deserves!

What could I say about this book that hasn't already been said? It's important. It's unique. It's gripping.

Dishy as it is devastating. Compulsively readable. Characters whose voices won't get out of your head. Loved the ending. Reese can absolutely choke the life out of me anytime she likes.

Detransition, Baby was fascinating to read, but overall I found it uneven. The first 1/3 of the book is gripping and immersive, but at some point the story starts to lose itself. The story would slip off into preachy/educational inner monologues quite often, and what I wanted was more of the quick-fire, electric writing that filled the early pages. Solid debut and I'm glad I read it, but wish the writing were stronger, and the book a bit shorter.

I enjoyed this one overall, but I wish it was more plot driven and less character driven - not a knock on the author or the book, but just the kind of reader I am. I appreciated the way it made me think about motherhood and what it means in general to be a woman and embrace that. I found the writing a little over complicated sometimes when it didn't need to be but again, I generally prefer to read tightly paced, plot driven novels. I am glad this one took me out of my comfort zone though.

I liked the plot, but was incredibly frustrated by the ending. I also thought the book was too pedantic and those moments affected my appreciation of the book as a whole.

Thank you, Penguin Random House, for a digital copy of this book!

Detransition, Baby is unique story on the relationship between three women --or rather, 2 women and a former woman.

Reese almost had it all: a loving relationship with Amy, and a job and apartment in NYC. The one thing she wants the most is to be a mother. But then Amy 'detransitions' to Ames and begins to live his life as a biological male again, shattering Reese's heart.

Ames was fed-up with being Amy. Too hurt and humiliated, he pours himself into his job and starts a relationship with Katrina, his boss.

Katrina does not know that Ames used to be Amy (and formerly James). One day, Katrina finds out she is pregnant with Ames' baby. She has to make a decision on what to do and who to do it with.

In order to make sense of what happened, Ames realizes he cannot be father in the traditional sense and offers Reese her dream of becoming a mother: Ames needs Reese to be a co-parent so he doesn't unravel.

The novel is at times a stream of consciousness, part-flashbacks, and part exposition into the politics of gender and identity. Peters delves into each major character. The story does not necessary follow a linear, chronological structure and that's what makes it so effective. The reader is offered many viewpoints, tangents, and even forays into other characters. I thought it was effective and was fascinated with the inclusion of the elephant article (you'll know once you get to it; not a spoiler).

They all come together to convey the stark realization of trans life. The end result is an inspiring, unique, and imperfect story --which I think is the author's intent.

In her acknowledgements, Torrey Peters explains that this book is a story of trans feminine culture in the new millennium. Peters also likens transgender women to divorced cis women --women who had to face starting their life over without either reinvesting in the illusions from the past, or growing bitter about the future.

Peters does an excellent job of conveying her point of view, but also acknowledging that there are many other facets to the trans story (and that there is no singular trans story).

This story is a witty exposition on life as a white, transgender woman in a cosmopolitan setting. I suggest pairing this with Janet Mock's Redefining Realness.

I enjoyed this for the educational aspects. It definitely opened my eyes and made me aware of what detransitioning is, and the types of things that the Trans community faces. I'm also very impressed by Random House for adding this as a title! We need more books like this from #OwnVoice authors so that we can educate!

After living as a transgender woman, Ames transitions to life as a man. Believing that he is sterile because of the hormones he took, he is surprised to find his girlfriend (and boss) pregnant. He hatches a plan for his former girlfriend, a transgender woman, to become a co-parent with him and his reluctant current girlfriend. I loved the great writing and the way the narrative goes between the past and present. Ames is almost two characters with him as a male and his female self another character, Amy. The book brought up lots of interesting questions about gender. I wish the pregnant girlfriend would have had voice in the novel. We end up hearing her point-of-view through very articulate monologues which felt unrealistic.

This novel deserves all of the hype it's gotten. DETRANSITION, BABY is a really ambitious, beautiful and thoughtful novel about trans women and queer families. It made me second-guess a lot of the assumptions I tie into my ideas around family and community. There are difficult, heavy parts of author Torrey Peters' story that allow for incredibly nuanced, complex characters. It's heavy, but I could not put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and One World for the ARC.