alexseanchai | (no subject)

(no subject)

Has anybody read The Bone Doll's Twin et al by Lynn Flewelling? 'Cause—spoilers!—I'm thinking that trilogy is a trans narrative, but I'm not wholly convinced our lead is a trans character. Opinions?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yep. Several times. I would not consider the character to be trans. There's no expressed gender dysphoria, although there's an adjustment period after the change. The character personally does not seem to have much gender identity. The author, honestly, doesn't seem to have much idea that gender identity independent of plumbing is a thing that exists in the world (she's a straight woman who is really, really into slash, with no apparent awareness of the greater issues queer people face). But internal to the books, I'd say the character just isn't strongly gender identified at all.

Nod. Thanks!

My wife, who is trans, disagrees, and says that because the character has no apparent gender identity or dysphoria, it's not a trans narrative, either, but a simple transformation story. Other than a (magical) change of body and social role, the story has no elements in common with trans experience, and so can't really be called a trans narrative, either. She also says she's seen that phrasing debated before, with trans people taking either side, but predominantly the no-it-isn't side. She's not particularly offended or upset by the interpretation, she just doesn't agree.

Nodnod.

I'd say that suits my experience with both the Bone Doll's Twin series and the Darkrunner series.

I'd say that's a fair assessment. As I recall, the main character is kind of shocked to discover she was a girl instead of a boy, but that's about the total of the impact it has on her self-identity.

That's what I was trying to remember. I'm embarking on a reread; it's been a while since the first time through.

I would say that's correct. I've read the entire trilogy that book is part of and while there are sort of references in the final book to dysphoria, it doesn't really go far enough in the exploration.

Nod. Thanks.

I have read the trilogy, and they're excellent, and you're not wrong. As for narrative vs character, I don't know what you mean exactly, but trans themes are definitely present, far more overtly than, say, in a transformational fairy tale.

Flewelling's Darkrunner series, which is set several hundred years later in the same universe, stars a lead canonical queer couple, too. She's one of my favourite fantasy writers.

Ooh there's more? Shiny.

Luck in the Shadows, Stalking Darkness and Traitors Moon are the first three. Then Shadows Return, The White Road, Glimpses (a collection of Flewelling's Nightrunner short stories, illustrated with submitted fanart by readers), Casket of Souls, and the final book (for now, at least) Shards of Time, is due for release in April.

She's

otterdance over on LJ, in case you want to follow her.

OOOOO

But yeah, finish the Tamir Triad first (Bone Doll's Twin, Hidden Warrior, The Oracle's Queen) because that is a couple of hundred years earlier in time, and some things in the Nightrunner series are historical spoilers for current events in the Tamir Triad, if that makes sense.

I'm rereading. But yeah.

That's cool then. I read Bone Doll's Twin first, and then I read the first three Nightrunner books because the rest of the Tamir Triad wasn't published yet, and I was like... well, I know who wins, then. /o\

Like when my brother told me to watch Serenity before Firefly. Stupid brother.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only