Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Media Reads for this ARC!

Rating: 4.5 Stars rounded up.

Woodworking tells the stories of Erica, a 35 year old English teacher in a town in South Dakota, as well as her student Abigail, who is the first openly transgender person in their town. They form an unlikely friendship, based on the One Big Thing they have in common, and we follow their lives over the course of the next few weeks as they both try to figure out what they want – and need – their futures to look like.

This was a wonderful, extremely emotional read, but also one that I would personally say is told in an often light-hearted, very "inner voice" type of tone. You can really tell the age difference between Erica and Abigail when you read their POVs, which is very well-done if you ask me. I will admit that in the beginning I struggled a little with the very millennial writing tone that was chosen for Abigail, but once you've gotten used to that it feels like something to give the character a more real-life feeling.

There is one element of this I really would like to say more about but as I don't like putting spoilers in ARC reviews I will stick to what is immediately known; I thoroughly enjoyed reading from the perspectives of two trans women who are at completely different points in their lives and their transitions, and getting to join them as they figure things out together (and for themselves). I honestly really liked this sort of subversion of the "trans/queer elder" trope, with Abigail being the one further in her transition and publicly out, while at the start of the book Erica has only just admitted to herself that she is transgender. In general I felt like this book did a very good job of showing a variety of different ways of life for transgender women, and the ways in which they choose to handle their trans-ness. Obviously one book can never show the full spectrum of ways trans people choose to live, transition, love, but I do think that this is a very good representation of what the experience for many is likely like, although I did also enjoy the (somewhat) focus on older trans women who often transitioned later in life.

I've seen some other reviewers stating that they thought the friendship dynamic between Erica and Abigail was odd, but I find it perfectly reflective of the way that us people in the LGBT+ community will often latch onto others like us, even if our queerness is the only thing we have in common, especially when you live in an area where it is dangerous to be yourself, and therefore not many people choose to show who they are and who they love publicly. As someone who has had many friendships of the sort, this seemed like a very typical, mildly codependent and dysfunctional queer friendship, which is very relatable and was therefore enjoyable to read about.

As the world gets ever more dangerous for transgender people, but especially for transgender women, I think this is a very important read, and one I truly wish I could force every transphobe to read so that maybe they will see: Transgender people are people just like you!

This book is one with a message of hope, love, and how to care for each other at its heart. I truly can only wish that this book finds the right people, both those who need it to better understand themselves and those trying to understand those who are different to them.

These characters will live on in my mind for a long time. Such a harrowing book filled with heart and humor. (Parts of it gave me 'Somebody, Somewhere' vibes!)

I was so exited for this book but I ended up having a very hard time with it. The writing is just not for me. I did not finish, so I will give this a 3 star rating so as to not sway the average in any direction.

This review may contain spoilers, but I will tag the parts with spoilers appropriately. This review will most likely be very incoherent. It's 3am, I apologize.

So, where do I begin. If you watched "I Saw the TV Glow" and came out of the theater an uncontrollably sobbing mess, this book is for you! If "There is still time." written in chalk is forever burned in your memory, you will add this book to the list of unforgettable things. Because this debut novel doesn't shy away from uncomfortable truths, and in this novel, now becomes the time. ESJ knows exactly how to tell different stories of these women and their unconventional friendships and relationships, trans solidarity, family, hell, even the political situation in USA. To go back to ISTTG for a second, if you wished for a story in which Owen got a different ending by the end, you found it! Spoiler alert, maybe? It's the story in which Owen went with Maddy when they were teens. It's the story in which Owen had gotten a little lost on the way, but eventually found it again. But it's also so much more than that.

While reading this book, there were certain points during which I thought: "This part is unnecessary." or "This storyline would've worked without that." I now realize I'm wrong and I was simply unprepared for how larger than life this book is. I'm telling you now, don't judge some characters until the end. And I understand now that those seemingly redundant storylines are necessary to complete the book.

I wish I could share quotes to better demonstrate why I couldn't put this book down until I finished it, in one sitting. I truly tried writing this review without immediately crossing into the extremely personal admissions and comparatives, but this book makes that hard. It forces you to pick out your most deepest truths, deep in the sense of how far you have to dig to find them, and deep in sense of how many layers and skins it contains, and examine them closely. Every single character and how we see them interact with each other and the world will awaken emotions within you, that you, if you're like me, only acknowledge sporadically or not at all. Maybe that's why "Woodworking" hit me so hard. Either way, prepare for an emotional hurricane.

SPOILERS IN THE NEXT FIVE PARAGRAPHS!

Erica is who I am, in every way except I'm a STEM teacher and not an English teacher. At the beginning, her and Abigails friendship made me uncomfortable, simply because I was a teacher too and could never imagine myself crossing any of those boundaries, and because of how heavily Erica leaned on Abigail. I've been Abigail, and I am Erica, except I'm closer to 20 than 30, I figured out my gender a long time ago, and stayed in the closet. Maybe that's exactly like her too lol. When Erica asks why she should she get to transition, when she is paranoid, when she gets so scared of the possibility of the truth being a reality she pushes herself back into the closet, all of that was exceptionally well portrayed. I'm glad at least other characters acknowledged that Erica being so dependant on a seventeen year old was maybe not the best idea (Bernadette and Helen my ride or dies, best side characters everrrrr).

But I also realize being queer and figuring your own stuff out, we all turn to each other. We need to, we have to, we must. We're all we have. Sometimes that's your student, sometimes that's an old trans woman in a nursing home. Idk, this part I need to sit with for a bit longer.

It physically hurt when that one chapter switched pronouns. That was such a brutal move, I can't help but admire how simple yet genius the pronoun switch is. The hidden dead name being repeated over and over and over again in every sentence, as a vain attempt to convince herself that is her name and that is who she is like repeating it will make it real. God.

Abigails character was such a force. Force of what, I'm not sure but a force to be reckoned with indeed. Wanted to scream when she made plans to run away because, I've been there. Her story had a satisfying conclusion I'm very grateful for. I'm glad both her and Erica find friends and hope in this sometimes painful world.

The choice to write Ericas chapter in 3rd person and Abigails in 1st person is more and more incredible the more I think about it. And Brookes chapters? Those were brilliant. Saying just "brilliant" doesn't feel enough. Her story and the way it was written knocked air out of my lungs, and the last chapter with Caleb and better-late-than-never confessions and letters made me breathe again. Decimated me and then put me back together. You get the jist. Emphasis on _other_ women, _other_ girls was such a neat detail. Ugh. I love language.

END OF SPOILERS.


I have sooooooooooooo much more to say. Masterfully crafted novel, incredibly thought out story, with a cast of characters so colorful and alive, because they are. It's me, and you, and your trans colleague, barista, person on the street.

Nothing I say about "Woodworking" will ever be enough. Pick up this book, see for yourself. It will make you feel. By the end of it, you might just find courage to live your life. There is still time, and you're not alone. People need people, and we only have each other.

Last but not least, thank you to the publisher anddd NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Might be a bit too honest.

A beautiful and emotional novel surrounding trans friendships and relationships. I love the different perspectives, because transness is different for everyone. This is such a great book with the found family trope. I will be reading everything else Emily St. James publishes.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is one of the best books I’ve ever read. And I know it will live with me forever. I cannot wait to get a physical copy of the book so I can annotate and tab it up like it deserves.

“We are, none of us, a single set of destinies set by the accident of our birth. We can change and be changed. Our bodies know the language they must speak to make us the people we must become.”

In the author’s note St. James discusses her hopes for this novel: to write about trans solidarity and unlikely friendship and the ways in which women build shadow communities amid oppressive power structures. Which she did, beautifully & masterfully and as a debut novel. She also notes that she didn’t want this to be political, but in this state of the world how it is inherently political regardless of her intention. And to that I want to note that we know that reading is, by its nature, a political act; it cannot be separated from daily politics or societal concerns. Readers are encouraged by what they read. They are given hope and they are angered. They are shocked and dismayed. Some are so moved by the books they read that they take very visible action to promote change in the world. With others, the effects are more subtle, but they are undeniably there. We carry what we read with us. I hope that readers take this book with them. If not to take visible action, but to show empathy, acceptance, and understanding of others. To help forge a new path for society, one that is awake to the injustices around them and works together to create a better future.

The way in which this story is crafted, alternating primarily between Erica’s third-person chapters and Abigail’s first-person chapters, is mesmerizing. St. James illustrates the stark contrast between Erica’s attempts to finally be seen for who she really is to Abigail’s desire for “woodworking,” or disappearing into the woodwork as a sense of normalcy she thinks she needs. This novel is equal parts funny and poignant. Just know that this has been a transcendent experience for me, one that is emotional, yet, beautiful in the awkwardness of growing up & allowing the world the privilege to see who you truly are.

Honestly, no notes. 5 stars.

This debut novel will appeal to fans of Detransition Baby and other readers interested in coming-of-age stories and/or narratives with a focus on the unique challenges transgender women face in a profoundly unsafe world. The characters at the center of this—Erica, a recently divorced teacher who has not come out as trans, and her student Abigail, a seventeen-year-old trans girl who in essence guides Erica through her transition. Set in Mitchell, South Dakota, the story includes poignant moments where each character references instances of passing whether for approval or survival that will resonate (e.g., learning to fish as a way of briefly pleasing a father). The story is told in journals and with such palpable feelings that the reader cannot help but experience their trauma and pain as they come under scrutiny. This is a book to read and share with anyone who might feel unseen—and the people who care about them (or, perhaps the people who do not see them).

I absolutely demolished this ARC. Emily St James has created a beautiful, hopeful but harshly realistic novel that documents the experience of trans people during the political landscape of 2016 (and onwards).

The characters of Erica and Abigail, and all their surrounding family, friends, enemies etc are written so magically I was completely absorbed into the town of Mitchell and their lives. Both the conversations and descriptive passages felt so real and I truly feel that I got to know these (fictional but all too real) women during my time reading.

I will definitely be recommending this book to people I know, and I know the characters will stay with me for a long time.

(4.5 rounded up) - closest i’ve been to crying reading a book in years. woodworking is extremely well written and emotionally charged without feeling like it’s forcing your hand.

the only thing that keeps this from being a true 5 is the nature of Erica and Abigail’s friendship (and some confusion with Erica and Constance). I really do wish Erica had been able to find more adults to connect with as the risk here is too big. despite that, the intergenerational storytelling was good and subverted my expectations.

one twist was a trope i’m not always a fan of but led to my favorite section of the book revealing the meaning of “woodworking.”

thank you NetGalley and Zando for this gem of an eArc!!

Excellent debut with a memorable story that I won’t soon forget. Both of the main characters tugged at my heart strings and I immediately became engrossed in their development. I’ll be excited to read more from this talented author!

GAHHHH this book is incredible. I'm so glad Emily St. James wrote a novel! I have been a fan of her film writing for years, and is my favorite guest on the Blank Check podcast. This novel is next level though. Dare I say, epic? It taught me so much about the transgender experience, the most since Torrey Peters' DETRANSITION, BABY.

Set in chilly South Dakota in 2016 during the lead up to the election, we follow Erica and Abigail in alternating POV chapters. Erica is a high school English teacher who is recently divorced and is in the midst of transitioning, though she hasn't told anyone yet. Abigail is her student, a 16 year old trans girl who just moved to town to get away from her horrible parents and live with her sister. That is a basic level description though, the book is extremely nuanced, smart, and full of lively and well-written characters. St. James does incredible world building and I just got lost in the story. There are also some major twists I didn't see coming, warm and fuzzy feelings, and also rage inducing plot lines that will keep it hard to put the book down.

I can see this being a hit next year, especially in book club circles. There is much to talk about, and is truly eye-opening without being eye-rolling. Reading about different trans experiences from an author who is a transwoman herself was very emotional for me. I'm glad the book will exist in the world because it's an important story that is well-written, which is often hard to come by.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

"Woodworking" is a life-affirming book about trans people. Erika, a mid 30s closeted trans English teacher befriends her trans student Abigail in small town South Dakota. Both have to navigate (family) relationships and their identities so many political forces seek to destroy. It's a celebration of womanhood (yes trans women are women) and friendship as well as found family.

However, I found some of the choices a bit weird. Even though the story never went in that direction, the 'friendship' between a teacher and a student on such a personal level made me uncomfortable. It plays into the fears and narratives of transphobic people. I also absolutely hated Erika's relationship with her pregnant ex-wife (now newly married) and also found that the story of the two of them was super problematic. This is why it is only a 3.5 star rating from me. I really didn't like Erika being so needy when it comes to Abigail & I found Erika's relationship with her ex-wife terrible. I am pro-abortion, but the entire storyline felt overly dramatic and did not convince me at all. In general, the relationships in the book could've been handled with more nuance. They were sometimes a bit extreme.

I liked how the book played with the idea of woodworking & that queer lives are not as obvious as people might think. That was sweet.

I was recommended this by one of its early readers (thanks Megan!), and my god, this is a hell of a novel. The premise is already an eye opener/a possible level of hell - what if the only other out trans person you knew about in your shitty small town was a student you're a teacher to? Throw in an absolute shitbag local politician, dealing with your ex being pregnant shortly after realizing you're trans, and the long term consequences of going deep stealth in the most unexpected ways, and you have a palpable tension throughout this story, and you can feel the walls starting to close in around you at times, especially if you have that small town experience. This comes out this spring, I highly recommend preordering it now.

A book that I imagine will have a lot of appeal to people who aren't me. It felt a little bit like watching one of those teen comedy movies with a poppy soundtrack and snarky voice overs -- which is fitting enough for Abigail, the teenage protagonist, but not so much for Erica, who is thirty five and has a job. That isn't to say that St. James doesn't tackle serious topics -- in fact, in terms of subject matter, it's one serious topic after another, and aside a few moments that didn't land quite right for me, it's all pretty deftly handled -- but there's a certain lightness to the writing itself that left me less than totally satisfied. I never had any real doubt that all would be right for our protagonists in the end, and while Erica and Abigail both experience a bingo card of "trans in 2016 South Dakota" suffering, none of it is dwelt on for more than a page or two at a time. For a lot of people, those are both desirable qualities in a book, but unfortunately for me I prefer the literary equivalent of unseasoned broccoli.

Before reading this, I was unfamiliar with the author but found the premise interesting. I am glad I requested an ARC for this! Our two main characters, both trans women, are on different paths of life. Erica is recently divorced and not yet publicly identifying as a woman. Abigail is a teenage girl, estranged from her parents and an outcast in a conservative town. Through these two characters, St. James tells a story of trans solidarity. I have to admit, I was way more interested in Abigail’s chapters than Erica ( I am closer in age to her so maybe that’s why). I don’t know what to make of the relationship between Erica and Abigail. While I recognize the importance of both women played in each other’s life, I didn’t really like how Erica (the adult) used Abigail as a therapist. At the beginning I felt the relationship between them was a bit one sided, with Erica constantly talking about her life and telling Abigail how much easier it was for her. These issues are acknowledged, thankfully, and I also understand where Erica was coming from. Still, I think this is why I enjoyed Abigail’s chapters more. That being said, I appreciate the author writing the characters as complex and messy!

I loved reading Emily St. James's debut novel, Woodworking. If this is her first novel, I can't wait to see what else she creates.

Woodworking is a story about interconnected lives in a small South Dakota town in 2016. It features multiple trans women in different stages of their lives with varying family dynamics.

Major characters include high school teacher Erika, a recent divorcee who is not entirely out, and her student, Abigail, with whom she forms an unlikely friendship. The story follows these two as they try to figure out their identities and navigate complicated relationships and a toxic political landscape. Erika also helps put on the play Our Town, and St. James does a great job connecting the characters' struggles to the premise of the play. Unlike the characters in Our Town, these characters can break free, question things, find companionship and a chosen family, and live life to the fullest before it is too late.

I loved this book and would love to see it adapted into a limited TV series or film. St. James showcases a spectrum of experiences in a gentle, vulnerable, but witty storytelling style. It's soft, tender, and absolutely amazing! The characters show the courage it takes to live authentically. This book is a lifeline. It has the power to change lives and help people feel seen. Many thanks to Zando and NetGalley for this ARC.