4.5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

True to the title, this story is actually four stories in one, wrapped up into its own novel. Out of the stories in this book, from my understanding two of which have been previously published, those being Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones and The Masker. With those being the first and last stories respectively. The other two stories presented are The Chaser and Stag Dance.

To start off with, I want to have a little bit of a discussion surrounding Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones, because after reading through other reviews from the 2016 publication of this story, I feel like some perspective is needed.
First, a common complaint with this story that I noticed a lot was that there was only one trans man in this story, and that he wasn't exactly a good person. To other reviewers, they had described this as being "internalized transphobia" but lets be real here - trans men have a tendency to see trans women as Enemy #1. It's really no secret. And, if you are as involved in trans spaces as I am, you witness so frequently all the subtle ways in which transmasculine folks tend to paint transfemmes as over-reactive, talk down to them, and project their own insecurities onto them. In recent years, with trans issues coming into mainstream media more and more, I have witnessed first hand the way that trans men will turn on trans women at the drop of a hat whenever a bill is passed that restricts trans rights. More than ever, I have had to help in protecting trans women from the absolute vitriol that transmascs will send their way about how its "all their fault" that we're all losing rights. It's disheartening, but that's how it is. Especially now that the term "trans-misandry" has caught on, it's very grating to have to share spaces with people who posture themselves the same way that cis males might, and harping on about how men have it just as bad as women if not worse, but specifically directing this behaviour towards trans women in order to shame them into feeling bad about... what, being women? So, no, I really do not think that Ms Peters' portrayal of the singular trans man in the story as being dismissive of her emotions is "internalized transphobia."

The second point that I saw mentioned, although not as frequently, was the fact that the only other male character that actually has a role in the story is a violent swol-bro Alpha male, and how this depiction must mean she is demonizing testosterone and saying that it makes people violent, but I really don't have much to say about this one. I mean, come on, he is a cis man who has decided after the outbreak of a disease which stops hormone production - in a dystopian society where hormones are incredibly hard to get anyway, mind you - that this is his chance to take crazy amounts of steroids that surpass the average testosterone production rate in order to position himself as a machismo type who can boss around women or people who he deems are on the same level as women. I don't think I need to spell it out for you what the real criticism is here.

Now, moving on to The Chaser, I feel like out of all the stories on this list, this is the one that turned out to be the most emotionally draining. There is one scene in particular where I had to put the book down several times while reading because the descriptions were just so vivid and I had not prepared myself for anything like it so it totally blindsided me when I read it. For anyone thinking about reading, know that there is a MAJOR trigger warning for this one involving animal death; for those that want to know what to expect specifically, (view spoiler) You have been warned.

The longest story on this list, Stag Dance, which the book is named after, was not my favourite of the bunch but was a solid story. I should mention, all the stories in this lineup have a different overall writing style to them, but this one is by far the most difficult to read due to the fact that it uses a lot of uncommon language that would not enter the average English speaker's lexicon. There are whole pages worth where it feels like I am reading another language all-together, and I only know through context clues a very faint idea of what doodads and contraptions and doohickeys and techniques are being used to chop this lumber. Though, I imagine somebody who is more familiar with this sort of job would have a better idea of the more specific tree-chopping language is being used, but the rest of it can be chalked up to a regional dialect. If you can go this whole story without looking anything up, I applaud you, because I could not. I was a total fish out of water with this one.

The last story, The Masker was the other one that had been published previously, and is a story which I can only describe as a horror on gender. It leans more on the sad side, and there's this feeling of inescapable gloom above it all, and all you can do is watch powerlessly as these three characters lives crash into each others in such a destructive way. I think, above all, the story is tragic in the way that it presents three different perspectives which all clash so dramatically - with one character being optimistic in her fight for the future, another who is more self-serving and does what (s)he must to get by, and finally the antagonist, who wants to have his cake and eat it too. Really depressing stuff, and very vivid, too. That's definitely one constant throughout all the stories, is that even when the style itself changes, the descriptions always shine through.

A very, very solid read. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for some trans fiction, and especially for people who enjoyed Nevada by Imogen Binnie, specifically.

Stag Dance is fabulous. I have no words. My heart broke and burst all within these four stories. The writing and storytelling is phenomenal. I will be selling this title to my peers and customers alike.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This collection includes 3 short stories with a novella sandwiched into the middle. Each of stories collected within vary greatly from each other in genre, tone, and content. They really speak to Peters broad ability as a writer and storyteller, as each was incredibly unique. I really enjoy the genre shift in each story as the author writes about different nuanced experiences that fall under the trans umbrella. Motif-wise, I thought it was funny how 3/4 of the stories included a pig theme (some in more violent ways then others). I almost wish a pig was shoe-horned into the final short somehow.

What didn't quite work for me was the formatting. I don't think 2 short stories, novella, and a final short story was conducive to a reading experience that flowed together. Ending on a short story made it seem like an extra-short afterthought?
I'm not going to rate each story individually but overall this felt like a solid 3.5 or 4 stars out of 5 for me!

Torrey Peters remains one of the most singular voices in contemporary literature. This collection of stories and a novella address the complexities of human relationships, the impact of long-internalized feelings, and the social phenomena of gender roles. “Infect your friends and loved ones” is an essential piece of transfuturism and can be a corner stone of a sci-fi unit.

Stag Dance is a big departure from Detransition Baby for me, with stories that felt more experimental. I found the final story, The Masker, to be the most interesting of the bunch.

Infect Your Friends and Loves Ones: 3/5
The Chaser: 3/5
Stag Dance: DNF (Couldn’t get into this one)
The Masker: 4/5

I was so excited to see Masker and Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones featured in this book! Back when I read Detransition, Baby, I put both those previously self-published titles in cart only to find them soon gone! Plus the inclusion of two new stories was exciting! Overall, I thought Stag Dance was the better of the three stories, although each held my attention. So glad Peters is still at it! She's cemented herself as a "must read" author in my mind!

I requested and received an eARC of <b>Stag Dance: A Novel & Stories</b> by <b>Torrey Peters</b> via NetGalley. I haven’t read <i>Detransition, Baby</i> but have often encountered the title when perusing lists of queer readings recs and read a few pieces about the novel. Although Peters is a new-to-me author when I read the blurb for <i>Stage Dance</i> I was instantly interested. The titular work, the novel of the volume, follows a Lumberjack as he recalls a dance the lonely woodsmen host, with some of the men volunteering to attend as women. Beneath the excitement runs an undercurrent of darkness as the Lumberback grows increasingly envious of the prettiest man in the camp. <i>Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones</i> imagines a future in which a virus created by a trans woman forces people to choose their own gender. <i>The Chaser</i> follows a toxic romance between a pair of roommates at a Quaker boarding school. <i>The Maker</i>...

I liked <i>Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones</i> and thought it served as a great opening to this collection of stories. Although, this story didn’t do much for me personally, I really appreciated some of the messaging in this story and the nuanced take on transess that Peters offers. Also, I’ve definitely met a Lexi or two. I was absolutely down for the idea of this sort of pandemic queer justice this story shows and I’m not going to lie, it made me cackle.

<i>The Chaser</i>, which comes second in the collection, was a strangely thrilling and charming read. What a ride. This one really made me feel a combination of things. The way Peters navigates being both sort of sweet and gruesome in the story was very satisfying. It also had an air of queer justice and was filled with other little details that really made it feel cohesive with the first story in the collection. I also began to appreciate the moral complexity that Peters gives her characters while reading this particular story. I found both boys to be sympathetic and distressing in turn, much like Lexi.

I couldn’t decide if I enjoyed <i>The Chaser</i> or <i>Stag Dance</i> more! I really thought the titular story in the collection was an exceptionally well-written and interesting read. I most connected with the protagonist of this story, the giant lumberjack who is all too aware of their shortcomings. I really enjoyed the folklore/Argopelter aspect of this story and thought it served as a nice centerpiece for this particular book. The way Peters explores the thinness of gender, how we construct gender, transness/gender exploration in this story is especially satisfying.

<i>The Masker</i> was almost as unsettling as the two stories that preceded it. The story maintains a level of tension that erupts in a way that differentiated it from the others and to me felt a bit more devastating. Although all of the stories are linked thematically, but I think <i>The Masker</i> is where things are delivered a bit more clearly. I love that this collection has a lot to say about gender, transess, and the nature of desire through characters who aren’t afraid to delve into morally gray area.

This collection of stories was so unique, I really appreciate Torrey Peters' voice and overall really enjoyed the collection. The novella between short stories was harder for me to shift out of short story mode and into novella mode while reading, but overall each of these stories had merit and provided really fascinating and worthwhile examinations of gender and sexuality. If you liked Detransition, Baby you'll really enjoy this book too!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

With this collection I felt that some dragged on and some were over as soon as they started.

Stag dance was the longest and my least favorite. Although it was my least favorite I appreciate the exploration of how these loggers explored gender/sex.

I like The Chaser the most. It was a narrative that we’re all familiar with. It humanized both sides and provided a good depiction of the complexity of emotions.

The Masker was another story that we’re familiar with from Peter’s previous novel, Detransition Baby. We have a person who explores the trans part of themselves in a primarily costume/sexual way. We see the way in which the character is judged by those who live as transwoman. This story was very short but punchy.

I absolutely adored this. I have historically found it difficult to rate and review short story collections simply because the criteria is so murky for me. Do I base it off of the average number of stories I enjoyed? Do I base it off of the content of the stories? Do I contemplate the message of the collection? All of the above?

I loved all four of these stories. Some more than others. But I loved them all. There were portions of each of the stories that droned on regarding trivial aspects of some kind of trade or profession or tidbit. Logging. Farming. Trains. Genetics. I think that each was matched to their story due to setting or circumstance, but I think it was a bit monotonous at some points. Especially in Stag Dance, the title novella.

I love how each story deals with the question of what or who dictates who belongs in the larger trans and/or queer community. I also love that each individual story plays with genre to explore that question. We have science fiction and historical fiction and a campus story and horror. It’s all here. It’s all so good. You may even learn a thing or two about timber.

Here’s my rankings of the stories based on my personal enjoyment of them:
1. The Masker (thrilling, loved the conversation about the fringe of sexuality, gender, and fetish/kink).
2. Stag Dance (the title novella, despite the fact that some portions regarding the ins and outs of logging were monotonous and boring to me, the last third of this story kept me so engaged).
3. The Chaser (atmospheric boarding school novel dealing with forbidden love, revenge, and outside opinion)
4. Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones (what if we lived in a world where everyone had to choose their gender?)

I loved them all. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the long paragraphs detailing the ins and outs of trades and trivial stuff. I loved the meat of the collection though, and the questions that arose throughout.

First off, the formatting of this book (2 short stories, novella, short story) was nice. My favorite was Loved Ones. The novella, Stag Dance, was also great. I love the way Peters explores gender and queerness, I get so pulled in. Her writing is so beautiful. I loved Detransition Baby but enjoyed this more.

Stag Dance is a genre-defying look into transness, identity, community, gender exploration, and sexuality. In "three novellas and one novel" Peters take us on a wild ride with a varied cast of main characters - a contagion survivor, a Quaker student, a giant lumberjack, and a young crossdresser. The settings, plots, characters, and tones are all unique, but essentially each story deals with a character exploring their identity and how they themselves and others perceive them. The collection doesn't shy away from uncomfortable truths - violence, transphobia, misogyny, homophobia, etc. - but it also doesn't shy away from exploring the beauty in someone being able to express themselves and be seen (maybe for the first time) as that expression.

In the acknowledgements, the author says these stories were written to "puzzle out.. the inconvenient aspects of my never ending transition." I gobbled up every single story and would honestly read each of these as expanded standalone novels.

My personal ranking of the stories:
1. The Chaser (menacing, uncomfortable, sweet, violent, frustrating)
2. The Masker (honestly, same as above lol)
3. Stag Dance (intriguing, dangerous, thrilling, unique. I think I'd benefit from a re-read, especially in the tall-tale / Agropelter symbolism)
4. Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones (conceptually interesting, not a personal favorite because I've read and seen tons of contagion stories. Reminded me a bit of Gretchen Felker-Martin, although I believe this story was written first)

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, thank you for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I do appreciate it.

Second, I want to stress that I am a queer ciswoman. I have not experienced what it is to be trans, I have not lived through transphobia, and everything that comes with it.

That being said, I had to DNF this book. I got 20% of the way in and I just couldn't go any further. This book was very reminiscent of Lord of the Flies to me, except with trans women and in all the worst ways possible. Now, this may change later on in the book, but the vibes I got by 20% was, interestingly and unfortunately, transphobic. I had to look up the author and knowing that she is trans makes me very uncomfortable writing this review with such a thing to say about her work. It was like she chose the worst trans women in the world and ran with it. It almost felt like validation porn of a republican man, like it was saying "look how terrible trans women are, they shouldn't be allowed!" I 100% know that's not what this is but it came across like that to me (a cis woman). Again, maybe this would change later on in the book, but I could not force myself to continue further.

Other than that, the main character felt hollow. But the writing itself was amazing. The formatting was really interesting and I was enjoying the jumping around in time. Stag Dance was really well crafted. I just couldn't continue with the content I was seeing.

I'm very sorry. I hope to read another Torrey Peters piece later on as I did enjoy her writing rather immensely.

The novel and three stories that comprise this book offer a view into a world that I had no previous experience with: the boundaries of sex and gender, love and hate, and desire that contorts human will.

Such a unique collection, covering different genres from dystopia to horror. Torrey Peters is a talented writer. I have a lot of respect for the way she tackled these stories; going all in on the nuances within transfeminity, the trans community, and more, even if it's uncomfortable!

I know for a fact I wasn't able to pick up on all these nuances myself, so not all of these were a hit for me personally. But I know others are loving this and I anticipate many more will too upon release. I highly recommend if any of the stories sound at all interesting to you. My absolute favorite was "Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones"!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc!

This was a super interesting collection of short stories. I appreciated that they each had an element of queerness, and that the storylines were all jarring/unsettling. The author has a very distinct and identifiable writing style as well’

I love that we're getting a collection of Peters' earlier work because of her success with Detransition, Baby. There's also a new novella included that is the bulk of this collection that focuses on a bunch of fuckup lumberjacks and their messy interpersonal business, along with some accidental amputations. Read this mostly over a long weekend, and definitely worth your time.

Superb-- one of my all time favorite short story collections. No one does it like Peters. The Chaser is wonderful.

As a collection WOWWOWOW.
Everything I appreciated about Torrey Peters and the way she writes is here yet againnnnn. I love the way I effortlessly move through her prose and how enthralled I am by the just general plot/creativity that make me envious I would've never thought it up myself.

Also never thought I would care so much about lumberjacks but Peters just knows what she's talking about and so I"ll gladly have her take me wherever.

But I will never shut up about Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting collection of four short stories of varying lengths that make you think about the nature of transition and gender in general.

Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones: 3/5 Pretty interesting concept- this tells of a man-made pandemic that results in everyone needing to take hormones, and what that might mean for society and its ideas about gender.

The Chaser: 4/5 I liked this story the most, but definitely warning for animal cruelty- it tells of a twisted love story between young students at a boarding school.

Stag Dance: 3/5 This was the longest story and also pretty interesting, if dark- about a camp of loggers in the woods who decide to hold a dance and competition ensues about those who want to go as the 'ladies'. I liked the perspective in this story from one of the loggers and their disconnection between how they are seen by others and how they have always wished to be seen.

The Masker: 2/5 I did not like this one and it was really creepy... this one is shorter and is about the differences between fetish and trans*ness, and how the line can sometimes be thin.

Overall this was a good mix of short stories that got me thinking about transition and the concept of gender but I don't think any of them really stood out to me as fantastic 5 star reads.