Included in a blog post and resource list at https://booksbeyondbinaries.blog/2019/06/10/non-fiction-about-gender-and-trans-e...

Well I certainly learned more about what it is like to be transgender and transitioning. It is in-your-face honest, describing Lily's challenges in all things emotional, physical and social. She also goes through sex reassignment surgery which involves considerable after-care. Educational and revealing for allies and the curious; for those embarking on their own transition journeys, Lily's story may just be a lifesaver. Her new boyfriend Peter comes off as waaay too good to be true. But perhaps transgender girls just want their Prince Charming, too. ( )

Symington's graphic novel contains a lot of great information about gender transition but it's not seamlessly woven into the narrative here. Story lacks nuance and narrative detail and felt like a list of trans issues were being checked off as I moved to the end of the book. Worth a read but not outstanding. ( )

Not my usual reading - I stopped in the local library and picked this up off their theme shelf (the theme seems to be graphic novels that are semi-non-fiction). The art is excellent - each person is clearly distinct and equally clearly the same person over time - including the times when Lily sees Darren in the mirror. The subject is one I've wondered about a little, and never had anyone I could ask; Lily is a transwoman, dealing with the physical, emotional, social, and romantic aspects of her switch. In discussions with her mother (who starts out dismissive, and learns quite a bit) and her supportive but somewhat confused friends, plus some friends she's made since the switch, Lily (and the author, through her voice) lays out a lot of the why of gender changing; she learns, and we learn along with her, how difficult some things are and how much easier others are now that she's expressing her true gender. And she seriously lucks out with her romance - he's amazingly open to her and her new experiences (not tolerant, a lot warmer than that). I like the fact that it ends kind of in the middle - Lily is still on her journey, she hasn't reached (and may never reach) a complete ending. But she's in a good place, with good people to support her. And I learned a lot. Worth reading, if you've ever even vaguely wondered why someone would try to change their gender, or how such a thing would work, or how to be supportive if someone you know does it. And for all that valuable information - it's also a good story, with interesting people in it; I may read it again, I would certainly read a sequel. ( )