Woodworking, Emily St. James

I stayed up through my entire transatlantic flight to gobble up this fantastic novel about two trans women, a high school teacher and the student who becomes a kind of mentor for her in transition. I don’t know if I would have sobbed as much if I’d been on solid ground, I’m very susceptible to crying on airplanes, but it was that good kind of crying — a welling up of love for the characters. Indeed, (part of) what I loved about the book was its insistent focus on joy and humane kindness, even though there was no lack of hardship and sadness. It’s an incredible book about how people hide who they are, even from themselves, in all kinds of ways, and how sometimes you find yourself through the people who love you. I know that sounds cliché but I’m telling you — it is so so compelling. I loved it.