Novels that treat transgender side characters in a good way
In a new post we take a look at novels that include transgender side characters, and discuss whether the author has managed to treat the person with compassion and respect.
To give one example:
J.J. Campanella's Eddy Bratenahl crime/thriller series features well-written and researched books with touches of horror.
In the second book, Summon the Angels, police psychologist Bratenahl searches for the missing Amanda Richards, a transgender woman.
The book parallels Bratenahl's investigation with Amanda's backstory, including her training as a glass artisan in Japan, for which Campanella has clearly done extensive cultural research.
What stands out is Campanella's respectful and nuanced portrayal of Amanda as a fully realized human being. Her transgender journey feels authentic and avoids stereotypes.
Beyond being entertaining, the book explores existential themes like evil and suffering. Summon the Angels is a gripping page-turner that humanizes Amanda's transgender narrative within a tapestry of love and hate in an often incomprehensible world.
You can read the whole article over at Crossdreamers, which also includes reviews of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty and When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger.
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It’s not as popular as it should be, but Shira Glassman’s *The Second Mango* and its sequels center queer characters. The sequels also have trans side characters who are treated with complete respect. It’s also about an all-too-rare Jewish fantasy kingdom.
There are also a few nonbinary characters in Ursula Vernon’s writing under the pen name T. Kingfisher.