Shaun's rating:
While I normally review erotica here, this week I'm stepping away from that and and reviewing a piece of transgender fiction.
Loosely Women is a tale of several transgender women. It chronicles a period of time when their lives intersect and the two main characters, one transsexual and one cross-dresser, are struggling with the need to come out to their families and friends so that they can lead a more authentic life.
This is a well written and interesting story that delves into some of the fears, and emotional conflicts, that are a part of the transgender experience. The story flows smoothly, keeps the reader's interest, and is peppered with a bit of humor. I thought the author did an excellent job of allowing the characters to express the emotional conflict that is a part of being closeted and having to live in a way that is not authentic to one's self.
I did find the character development to lag a bit at first, perhaps because the author is introducing us to several characters who play a big part in the story very quickly, and I had a bit of trouble keeping track of them all at first. As the story went on I was able to get to know all the characters and came to like (or dislike) them as familiarity grew.
With the above said, this story never truly gripped me. I enjoyed the book, but for some reason I was never really emotionally involved with the characters or story.
The editing was so-so in this book. It was well enough edited to be readable, but there were problems and times where the problems were serious enough to pull me from the story. This was, perhaps, a contributing factor to my never being able to become truly involved in the story.
I'm giving Loosely Women three paddles out of five. I do recommend it if you are interested in transgender fiction, while not a great book is certainly worth reading.
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