A review by alexture
Bellies by Nicola Dinan

sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This novel is told in two points of views, Tom and Ming's. The narrator isn't always clearly identified from the start, so it sometimes took me a paragraph or two to realize that a new person was talking.

I liked the way that the same thing was shown from two very, very different points of view. And I can relate with both characters: Ming, terrified that she's giving up on being lovable and desirable by transitioning, Tom, a gay man who loves his girlfriend but just cannot love women.

It's a very slow trainwreck, with some hope still, in some ways. It's horrible and painful, and really good (and realistic).

Special shoutouts to Cass who deserved better than whatever all this was.