This was a collection of interviews conducted by the author over the course of many years. It was really great to read the wide spectrum of experiences and opinions from people with different gender identities and expressions.

Throughout the book the author's own gender identity journey is explored, and the most impactful thing I found from reading everyone's experience was just how important it is to find community and safe spaces to have open, honest, and in depth conversations about gender identity and expression. It highlights how harmful and limited looking at things through a binary lens can be.

I would highly recommend this everyone, but especially to my fellow parents so they can provide a supportive environment for their kiddos and peers.

***Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company & Liveright for providing a free copy of the eBook in exchange for an unbiased review.

I think this is such a good comic/ graphic novel for anyone of any age. It is important and the art style and imagery used I loved

Rhea Ewing has created a graphic novel about gender. They interviewed tons of people about their gender and their views on it. The drawings for this book were fantastic and Rhea did a great job discussing the issues around gender with nuance and delicacy.

I think that the content of Fine is incredibly important. I really loved that Rhea involved interviews from an extremely diverse population as far as race, gender identity, sexuality, and age.

While I think the work is important, the structure of the book left me confused. Sorting parts of the interviews thematically was a creative choice that ultimately left me flipping back and forth trying to piece together the experiences of each individual. I also found the art style to be a bit jarring at times and really wished that color had been used to further tie together storylines.

Wow this was really amazing. So heartfelt and thoughtful and hella inclusive. It really left everything up for interpretation for yourself. If you’ve ever wondered about where you stand on the sexual and/or gender spectrum this is the perfect safe space introduction. 100% would recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘Fine’ is a non-fiction graphic novel memoir which follows the author as they interview a diverse range of people about gender as well as their own story that is intertwined throughout. It was absolutely incredible, and as my first memoir it demolished any expectation I could have had when starting this.
‘Fine’ delves into so many different topics, including but not limited to femininity, masculinity, gender, race, expression, culture, hormones, healthcare, language (pronouns, etc…), homelessness, and the queer community. Ewing makes sure to interview as wide a range of people as they could which helps to bring to light the many different experiences, challenges, and ideas that differ from person to person.
This book was amazing and is 100% one that I would class as a must-read novel. Ewing made sure to research and source everything which just goes to show how much this means to them, and how much I undoubtedly know it will mean to so many others. I cannot wait to bombard everyone I know about this book so do yourself a favour and note down the date (5th April for kindle and 6th May for paperback) so you can grab yourself a copy.
PS. This is definitely a book that would be amazing for having a lengthy discussion in your book club.
Content warnings are stated at the start of the book.
Gender dysphoria, transphobia, racism, ableism, and body-image issues are discussed throughout the book. Drug use, sex work, and suicidal ideation are mentioned briefly in some stories. There is one depiction of a suicide attempt that may be especially challenging to some reader (there is a warning on the page before letting you know where to skip to in order to avoid this)

I thought this book was super interesting. As someone who is studying gender in school, I am constantly asked by professors to define gender and it is a very hard question so I really liked how this book tackled that question. I loved the diverse stories that were told in this book and how open and accepting the author was to everyone. Queer literature as a whole is really lacking in books that identify with a gender outside of the binary and this book is all about that. It was really refreshing to see stories like this when they are often excluded on bookshelves. Another thing I really liked about this book was how it was made very clear that not having a specific label for yourself (or more specifically your gender) is completely okay. As someone who is not exactly sure how to label my gender at the moment this book makes me feel incredibly seen and okay with myself. Overall I loved this book and when it comes out I will definitely be recommending it to everyone I know!

As a queer young Asian American, finding the meaning of gender that fits for me has always been difficult. This book has been a breathe of relief, of excitement, and of understanding that we are all struggling with what gender is. That this battle we are not alone in our journey and that journey is different and similar to each other. The people that we meet in these interviews are real and honest about their stories on gender.

I'm not going to lie, even though this is a graphic novel, it's a decently dense book to read. There is a lot of points of views, lots of stories, and lots of questions asked that are neatly put into different sections. The differing sections help immensely on understanding what Ewing is trying to share with the world. Of course gender is confusing and difficult to digest, but this book gives lots of different ways you swallow the understanding. Some of the interviews/answers you can relate to, others don't really give that to you. And that's okay, it's a story for everyone to find themself in.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, 100%. Especially, to those who don't have a grasp on their gender to give them that validation and give that sense of community that I felt throughout this book. Its a story that gives you the answers or more questions that you didn't know you wanted to get or give.

A really fun way to read about something so important. It was definitely a slow burn and as a cis female I did feel sometimes patronised and sometimes overwhelmed with information. It took me a while to complete and although my understanding is better it’s definitely not a binge read.

I read this book in two sittings, and took a much needed break because this book was a lot for me to process as a gender fluid person. It stirred up so many feelings and memories and fears of my own as I read about the varied experiences people of all genders experience. The social exclusion and finding community part of this graphic book hit me the hardest. I’m fortunate to have queer friends online thanks to Twitter and Instagram, that I consider very dear friends. But I’m intimidated to make queer friends IRL, because I don’t feel queer enough (even though I’m Demi-pan). I also don’t feel I can use trans to describe myself since I can easily pass as a cis woman, despite being genderfluid. I also don’t feel like I belong to the “straight cis” world either. In either setting, the queer or the straight, I have to hide something of myself. Thankfully, I do have a few online friends that I can be myself with completely, which really keeps me going.

FINE is quite the powerful graphic memoir that I highly recommend to everyone willing to read with an open mind and heart. Gender and expression are not easy to define, and they can mean different things to different people especially when one considers race, cultural background, socioeconomic status, even location. FINE did a great job of progressing through the years with the interviews and became more intersectional and inclusive regarding gender, sexuality, race, and cultural background, too. There are opposing views in this book because the author interviewed a wide variety of people, but it illustrates the different ways people experience gender and expression. We don’t always have to agree to understand. We just need to be open and to listen, especially to the voices who tend to be silenced and ignored such as the voices of trans women of color.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC. This is my honest review.

In a search for the author's own identity and understanding around, "What is gender?" they interview 56 different participants discussing everything that encompasses one's experiences surrounding gender.

This is an important read. Part summer project, part research and part memoir, I could not fault it. It is poignant, eye-opening and the illustrations are just amazing. It emphasises that everyone's relationship and experience around gender is different and unique. This book also highlights how factors such as race, religion, support (or lack thereof) or upbringing can affect this.

Everyone who is human can take something valuable away from this book, and this will definitely be an asset in any library.

An ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review..

"This book is dedicated to everyone who wonders if they are enough. You are enough."

This is amazing, phenomenal, fantastic, great, wonderful, and so many other words. This entire book was a heart punch. It was also a memoir, a journey, a conversation, and a damn good graphic novel. It touches on so many topics that it makes it hard to list them all but I'm going to try: masculinity, femininity, race, culture, gender, identity, language, privilege, expression, healthcare, housing and so much more.

I believe everyone should read and discuss this book. It's such an amazing look into the complexities of gender. Definitely do yourself a service and pick this book up when it comes out. You won't be disappointed.


*Note: I am a white non-binary queer individual

Fine is a beautiful graphic novel about the complexities of gender, and how different people experience it. There are interviews with so many different people, and it was great to be able to read about so many different peoples perspectives, and relationships with gender. Some of the interviews are from a decade ago, but they're still relevant today. I'm sure I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come.

This was a really interesting look into the diverse identities and expressions experienced across a variety of people. I especially appreciated the perspectives of older trans people, because they are not a demographic I've heard from very often. This book covers gender identity in a pretty complex way and also explores various issues that affect the trans community, such as healthcare, housing, and community support. It covers a span of quite a few years as well, so it was interesting to see how the language somewhat changed and evolved since Ewing began these interviews.

I really liked how the author weaved their personal gender discovery and exploration into the narrative. This book felt unique in that it did follow one narrator, but the reoccurring people they interviewed were also complex supporting characters; it felt like watching a documentary.

Thank you, NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to become a text we can share with the world. I just know it. This comic explores gender and its many facets and influences. Rhea has really done something here. This book will inform not only those outside the community, but also those inside it who may not understand some of the other feelings and identities. Bravo!!

An amazingly informative and sweet graphic novel that explores gender in an educational way. I found the interviews really enjoyable and this aspect of the book really helped me connect and drew me in deeper. Highly recommend!

Thanls to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this graphic novel.
This was such an amazing read.
Despite being an ally, this provided me with a more in depth idea of gender fluidity, and the different aspects and issues that arise within the individuals journey with gender and acceptance 0f themselves.
I am so grateful for the chance to read this great graphic novel and become better aware of what I can do to consistently improve my language around gender identity, and to create a safer space for the amazing people embracing their truth.
I recommend this book even if you are not a fan of graphic novels, because the illustrations created a connection to the people. I particularly love that Rhea added their own experiences through this journey of discussing gender and the resulting thoughts.
This was very cleverly created, respectful to the interviewed people, and very informative.

A well-constructed and expressive dive into the diversity of experiences surrounding gender identity, told in a strong voice that acknowledges the author's subjectivity while centering those interviewed.

I've read a handful of similar graphic novels exploring queer experiences related to gender or sexuality, but this one was a pleasant surprise. I won't title drop - I think all literature genuinely exploring LGBTQ issues is useful - but I often came away feeling like something was missing. I'm grateful for easy to understand pocket books that I can slip to my mom, who's still wrapping her head around the word "nonbinary." But I want more complicated literature that acknowledges that gender is a messy topic! It's hard to write about! It's fluid! And that's where Ewing really nails it.

They don't try and explain away the messiness or intersectionality of gender. In fact, they embrace it! I related to their confusion, because even deciding what pronouns to use requires tackling much larger questions like, what even is gender? Sometimes that gets watered down for cis readers. I loved seeing the different language people used to describe their gender and experiences.

The medium works really well too - you don't expect to find an oral history in the form of a graphic novel, but Ewing's drawings bring the interviews to life and do them justice.

I also really appreciated Ewing's pages exploring their intended role of "researcher" and how that position of distance related to their whiteness. It shows how much research and careful thought went into this project. There weren't just a few pages at the beginning mentioning gender-diverse cultures: there were discussions about navigating gendered languages, the effects of white colonization on gender discussions, societal views of Black masculinity vs. white masculinity, etc. And ableism! How ableism relates to gender!

The only thing I was disappointed by was how quickly the novel switched between interviews. I wanted longer with each person! But as I kept reading, I came to appreciate that the purpose of this book isn't to create one single narrative. While I still wish some of the interviews were longer, I know that probably would have been at the expense of a perspective or two, which doesn't feel right either.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This is such a great book! I loved how Rhea's own tale of cracking their egg was interwoven with the wider project of interviewing people about gender. What was also fabulous was that there was no attempt to make gender seem like a monolith - there is no single gender narrative.

What people share about their experiences of gender, and what it means to them, are different for every person.

The art style of the book is also really engaging, and Rhea's art brings genuine warmth and character to the people she draws. A lovely book, and totally recommended!