Queer, dystopian autofiction - futuristic and depressing. This is definitely sci-fi, even if it blends some aspects of autobiography. A cool concept but definitely weird.

I really enjoyed this book. I've not read many auto-fictions before but this was so imaginative. I absolutely devoured this book.

This was absolutely brilliant.

Written as a dialogue between a woman and a machine this perfectly blends reflections on growing up with technology to reflections on how society view gender.

A marvellous engrossing work.

I had high hopes for this book but I just could not get into it. It was well-written and the story line was compelling enough but it is just not for me. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of its target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wanted to love this but found it very tough to get through. Possibly an issue with translation I’m not sure. The premise sounded great but it just don’t work for me.

When I saw this described as dystopian auto-fiction about a trans woman, I knew I had to read it. It was such a unique concept, and the book definitely delivered. The book was heart-breaking, and what was worse was that the fiction it described is so scarily realistic and easy to imagine it coming true. Highly recommended.

I have conflicted feelings about this book and my rating for it. On the one hand, I highlighted A LOT of quotes and passages - whether it was because of beautiful writing or a particularly insightful reflection on the trans experience. On the other hand, I wouldn’t necessarily say that I “enjoyed” reading this book.

When I say that I didn’t “enjoy” reading Valid, it isn’t because the subject matter was overly sad or traumatic. You could argue that is indeed the case… but Queer dystopian fiction is my favorite combination of genres. I’m used to the often depressing vibes because they are dystopian bread & butter.

Unfortunately, I somehow think that my preferences may have become a hinderance in this case. Yes, Valid is described as “dystopian autofiction” and that is technically correct. But it’s also a 248 page monologue interspersed with bits of code and brief responses from the artificial intelligence system. It doesn’t FEEL like reading dystopian fiction. It ends up feeling more like a philosophical trans treatise combined with a memoir.

And honestly, perhaps that’s the point. (As the sometimes annoyingly verbose writing was.) In the end, it just wasn’t what I expected and I struggled to immerse myself in the narrator’s story. The format removed any real action from the plot, making a relatively short book feel much longer. So despite Valid being unique and making important statements, I couldn’t help but feel like so much potential power was left bubbling beneath the surface.