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She's My Dad
"Don't hate, Nicholas. Hate destroys everything. Don't let it destroy you..."
For decades, ultra-liberal Windfield College has been a thorn in the side of Northern Virginia's hidebound elite. When a teaching position unexpectedly becomes available, the school hires a former male graduate - now a transsexual woman named Nickie Farrell - as an assistant professor of English. Hoping to find peace, Nickie keeps her secret under wraps until ambitious lesbian student reporter Cinda Vanderhart outs her. And Cinda has noticed something else: both Nickie and a young townie waiter named Collie Skinner have a genetic quirk which causes their eyes to be different colors. Convinced that the similarity is no coincidence, Cinda begins an investigation to discover the connection between them.
Meanwhile, in a death-bed confession as she succumbs to years of brutality at the hands of her disgraced cop husband, Collie's mother Luanne reveals that his birth resulted from an illicit affair she had with a long-vanished Windfield college senior named Nick Farrington. Shattered by his mother's death, Collie turns for comfort to Robin Thompson, a gentle-hearted Christian co-worker at the upper-crust Foxton Arms restaurant. As Nickie is stalked by a pair of homicidal sociopaths, Robin finds herself entangled not only in Cinda's investigative machinations but also a murderous plot by former U.S Ambassador and tycoon Eamon Douglass to eradicate the hated college with a suicide detonation of a Cesium 137 dirty bomb. Lives and secrets hang in the balance until everything comes to a head on the morning of Windfield's annual spring picnic: April Fools Day.
Filled with richly-drawn characters and building to a stunning climax, SHE'S MY DAD is a story about the destructiveness of hate, the power of love, and the redemptive triumph of good over evil.
Like her title character Nickie Farrell, Iolanthe Woulff is a transsexual woman. A fifty-nine-year-old Princeton-educated English major, she lives in Palm Springs, CA, where for several years she wrote a column in a local magazine about the challenges of gender transition. As the eldest child of author Herman Wouk, storytelling has always been dear to Ms. Woulff's heart. Her hope is that besides providing a suspenseful read, SHE'S MY DAD will help to dispel some of the widespread misconceptions about transsexual people.
For decades, ultra-liberal Windfield College has been a thorn in the side of Northern Virginia's hidebound elite. When a teaching position unexpectedly becomes available, the school hires a former male graduate - now a transsexual woman named Nickie Farrell - as an assistant professor of English. Hoping to find peace, Nickie keeps her secret under wraps until ambitious lesbian student reporter Cinda Vanderhart outs her. And Cinda has noticed something else: both Nickie and a young townie waiter named Collie Skinner have a genetic quirk which causes their eyes to be different colors. Convinced that the similarity is no coincidence, Cinda begins an investigation to discover the connection between them.
Meanwhile, in a death-bed confession as she succumbs to years of brutality at the hands of her disgraced cop husband, Collie's mother Luanne reveals that his birth resulted from an illicit affair she had with a long-vanished Windfield college senior named Nick Farrington. Shattered by his mother's death, Collie turns for comfort to Robin Thompson, a gentle-hearted Christian co-worker at the upper-crust Foxton Arms restaurant. As Nickie is stalked by a pair of homicidal sociopaths, Robin finds herself entangled not only in Cinda's investigative machinations but also a murderous plot by former U.S Ambassador and tycoon Eamon Douglass to eradicate the hated college with a suicide detonation of a Cesium 137 dirty bomb. Lives and secrets hang in the balance until everything comes to a head on the morning of Windfield's annual spring picnic: April Fools Day.
Filled with richly-drawn characters and building to a stunning climax, SHE'S MY DAD is a story about the destructiveness of hate, the power of love, and the redemptive triumph of good over evil.
Like her title character Nickie Farrell, Iolanthe Woulff is a transsexual woman. A fifty-nine-year-old Princeton-educated English major, she lives in Palm Springs, CA, where for several years she wrote a column in a local magazine about the challenges of gender transition. As the eldest child of author Herman Wouk, storytelling has always been dear to Ms. Woulff's heart. Her hope is that besides providing a suspenseful read, SHE'S MY DAD will help to dispel some of the widespread misconceptions about transsexual people.
469 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2009
About the author
Iolanthe Woulff
2 books54 followersIolanthe "Lannie" Woulff came into the world as a male during the fifth year of the Truman presidency, which means that she is rapidly acquiring the status of an antique. In 1958 her family moved from Manhattan to the island of St. Thomas, which in those days was a sparsely-populated tropical dot in the Caribbean. There "Nate", as Lannie was known in those days, spent several idyllic years gleefully swinging from jungle vines and swimming on the world's most beautiful unspoiled beaches. She treasures many poignant memories of that lost paradise, which, alas, is no longer.
Moving back to the mainland in 1964, Lannie attended The Maret School in Washington, D.C. As the Vietnam War raged and protest movements convulsed the nation, she gained admission to Princeton, and after escaping the inaugural Selective Service lottery by a scant fourteen points, graduated in 1973 with a degree in English. For several ensuing years she lived in New York City and worked for her uncle, who was then developing an early prototype hybrid vehicle. That was during the Studio 54 era, the so-called "Me Decade", which Lannie experienced at full throttle while writing a coming-of-age novel which remained unpublished.
In 1980, at the urging of her younger brother, she moved to Israel, where together they opened a diving business on the Red Sea. When the Lebanon War wiped out the tourist trade and with it their business, she returned stateside to raise pedigreed Black Angus cows on a family farm in northern Virginia's famous Hunt Country. The rolling hills and pastoral beauty of that area provide the setting for SHE'S MY DAD.
Succumbing to the lure of the West in 1987, she finally settled for good in the California resort town of Palm Springs. Ten years later, fulfilling a lifelong imperative, Lannie commenced the complex and emotionally turbulent process of gender transition. During the process she authored a column called "The T Dance" in one of the local LGBT magazines, before turning her attention full-time to fiction writing.
Lannie is the proud parent of a beautiful and accomplished daughter,a new grandparent, loves to tease her generic tabby cat Xena, and enjoys spending time with her eminent father, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Herman Wouk.
SHE'S MY DAD is Lannie's debut effort. Believing that one must always retain a sense of humor, she is writing another novel.
5/30/2017 UPDATE: Forty-some years after she threw it in her trunk, Lannie has disinterred, rewritten and published her very first novel, a coming-of-age tale called STAINER. Set in 1970s New York, it is about a nice but naive Jewish college boy's struggles to navigate the risks and temptations of that freewheeling time known as the 'Me' Decade.
Moving back to the mainland in 1964, Lannie attended The Maret School in Washington, D.C. As the Vietnam War raged and protest movements convulsed the nation, she gained admission to Princeton, and after escaping the inaugural Selective Service lottery by a scant fourteen points, graduated in 1973 with a degree in English. For several ensuing years she lived in New York City and worked for her uncle, who was then developing an early prototype hybrid vehicle. That was during the Studio 54 era, the so-called "Me Decade", which Lannie experienced at full throttle while writing a coming-of-age novel which remained unpublished.
In 1980, at the urging of her younger brother, she moved to Israel, where together they opened a diving business on the Red Sea. When the Lebanon War wiped out the tourist trade and with it their business, she returned stateside to raise pedigreed Black Angus cows on a family farm in northern Virginia's famous Hunt Country. The rolling hills and pastoral beauty of that area provide the setting for SHE'S MY DAD.
Succumbing to the lure of the West in 1987, she finally settled for good in the California resort town of Palm Springs. Ten years later, fulfilling a lifelong imperative, Lannie commenced the complex and emotionally turbulent process of gender transition. During the process she authored a column called "The T Dance" in one of the local LGBT magazines, before turning her attention full-time to fiction writing.
Lannie is the proud parent of a beautiful and accomplished daughter,a new grandparent, loves to tease her generic tabby cat Xena, and enjoys spending time with her eminent father, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Herman Wouk.
SHE'S MY DAD is Lannie's debut effort. Believing that one must always retain a sense of humor, she is writing another novel.
5/30/2017 UPDATE: Forty-some years after she threw it in her trunk, Lannie has disinterred, rewritten and published her very first novel, a coming-of-age tale called STAINER. Set in 1970s New York, it is about a nice but naive Jewish college boy's struggles to navigate the risks and temptations of that freewheeling time known as the 'Me' Decade.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 27, 2010
This was such an intense read.
I cried, screamed, laughed, smiled and worried throughout this book. Being a lover of exploring the human mind, this book was perfect. Woulff has a way of putting thoughts on paper that make you live them while reading.
This book is not for the weak of mind or heart. It has a lot of controversial characters and topics which will shock and embarrass. And it's about time someone wrote about it. There is no sugar coating on character ethics in this book as the point it show real reactions to circumstances that happen every day.
I recommend this book to everyone. You don't need to be part of the GLBT community to enjoy or even understand it. There were no inner jokes, everything was laid out on the table. Every emotion, every heartache, every empowerment. Everyone will take something away from it. This is one of those rare books where once you are done reading it, you will become a better person by better understanding others.
I cried, screamed, laughed, smiled and worried throughout this book. Being a lover of exploring the human mind, this book was perfect. Woulff has a way of putting thoughts on paper that make you live them while reading.
This book is not for the weak of mind or heart. It has a lot of controversial characters and topics which will shock and embarrass. And it's about time someone wrote about it. There is no sugar coating on character ethics in this book as the point it show real reactions to circumstances that happen every day.
I recommend this book to everyone. You don't need to be part of the GLBT community to enjoy or even understand it. There were no inner jokes, everything was laid out on the table. Every emotion, every heartache, every empowerment. Everyone will take something away from it. This is one of those rare books where once you are done reading it, you will become a better person by better understanding others.
February 20, 2010
She’s My Dad
By Iolanthe Woulff
Outskirts Press, Inc.
ISBN: 9781432743772
457 Pages
"Reverend Shorr sipped a glass of water. 'Sometimes I think that the scientific community has taken us all much too far, much too fast. Life was complicated enough before...But we mustn’t second-guess our Lord...'"
What a powerful suspense drama! She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff is a provocative hold-no-bars book that successfully illustrates the power of both love and hate. Woulff does this through characters that are so alive with their emotions that readers are immediately caught within the honest reality portrayed. Fascinating!
By nature of the material covered, readers should be aware that some content might be offensive. Personally, I didn’t find it so because the characters that were offensive were those I enjoyed hating! Then, too, as Reverend Shorr admitted in the book, there is too little written and taught about today’s sexuality and our technological world. I believe this type of fiction is one of the ways by which it can be shown how love can triumph over hate. The novel is somewhat based upon the true experience of the author. She has my admiration for her courage.
Nickie Farrell graduated from Windfield College and then came back many years later to apply for a temporary position replacing an English professor. During her college years, she had participated in an affair with a local resident and a child had come from that relationship. Nickie was the father of that child.
During her absence, Nickie had undergone a medically monitored sex change and was now a beautiful woman. At least Alex Steward thought so since upon their first meeting, Nickie and Alex had been immediately attracted to each other.
Beautiful love story? Not!
There was an excessive amount of town-gown tension between Windfield students and local residents. There was sufficient history that was still remembered by residents, especially, Ambassador Eamon Douglass, of how the free-thinking liberal college had been started and the students who arrived in town were either ignored, hated or worse.
As Nickie became involved in teaching, one particularly zealous journalism major started noticing and wondering about Nickie’s background and started to investigate. In many ways, her news article set off much that occurred, but it was hate and fear that fed the major events, which finally culminated in a terrorist plan to bomb the College!
This book is about hope. Hope for a time when those who are different in some way are not automatically hated. There will always be evil people, but they cannot be stereotyped. They could be your neighbors or your supposed friends. As proclaimed several times in the book, “Hate destroys everything. Don’t let it destroy you.”
Thank you Iolanthe Woulff for She’s My Dad—a highly recommended, truly remarkable book!
G. A. Bixler
By Iolanthe Woulff
Outskirts Press, Inc.
ISBN: 9781432743772
457 Pages
"Reverend Shorr sipped a glass of water. 'Sometimes I think that the scientific community has taken us all much too far, much too fast. Life was complicated enough before...But we mustn’t second-guess our Lord...'"
What a powerful suspense drama! She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff is a provocative hold-no-bars book that successfully illustrates the power of both love and hate. Woulff does this through characters that are so alive with their emotions that readers are immediately caught within the honest reality portrayed. Fascinating!
By nature of the material covered, readers should be aware that some content might be offensive. Personally, I didn’t find it so because the characters that were offensive were those I enjoyed hating! Then, too, as Reverend Shorr admitted in the book, there is too little written and taught about today’s sexuality and our technological world. I believe this type of fiction is one of the ways by which it can be shown how love can triumph over hate. The novel is somewhat based upon the true experience of the author. She has my admiration for her courage.
Nickie Farrell graduated from Windfield College and then came back many years later to apply for a temporary position replacing an English professor. During her college years, she had participated in an affair with a local resident and a child had come from that relationship. Nickie was the father of that child.
During her absence, Nickie had undergone a medically monitored sex change and was now a beautiful woman. At least Alex Steward thought so since upon their first meeting, Nickie and Alex had been immediately attracted to each other.
Beautiful love story? Not!
There was an excessive amount of town-gown tension between Windfield students and local residents. There was sufficient history that was still remembered by residents, especially, Ambassador Eamon Douglass, of how the free-thinking liberal college had been started and the students who arrived in town were either ignored, hated or worse.
As Nickie became involved in teaching, one particularly zealous journalism major started noticing and wondering about Nickie’s background and started to investigate. In many ways, her news article set off much that occurred, but it was hate and fear that fed the major events, which finally culminated in a terrorist plan to bomb the College!
This book is about hope. Hope for a time when those who are different in some way are not automatically hated. There will always be evil people, but they cannot be stereotyped. They could be your neighbors or your supposed friends. As proclaimed several times in the book, “Hate destroys everything. Don’t let it destroy you.”
Thank you Iolanthe Woulff for She’s My Dad—a highly recommended, truly remarkable book!
G. A. Bixler
January 8, 2010
She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff
In today’s society, absolutely no one is immune to the forces of hate in the world. Terrorist attacks, hate groups, and xenophobic neighborhoods, towns, and even nations are all appalling reminders that citizens of the world live daily with fear. But, how often is the hate within ever addressed? Due to blind prejudice, it doesn’t take much for an average working American, or even a well respected financial baron, to build a bomb and “set it off like some primitive Arabian towel-head,” as evidenced in this book and the news every night.
She’s My Dad brings this terrifying hate to the forefront and a spell binding and dynamic way. It starts with a small town in Virginia. A wealthy man disowns one of his sons because of his homosexuality, only to have that very son be his only surviving heir. In an effort to shine a light on the inherent hate within our society, that son turns his vast fortune, and even his home, into a university whose ideals are integration and acceptance. Despite his noble efforts, the small town this university rests isn’t enlightened enough to deal with its existence, thus the locals harbor a hatred for the institution and everything it stands for.
Flash forward. An intelligent and engaging woman returns to the university 25 years after graduation to take up the mantle of professor. A journalism major discovers the secrets of this woman’s past; that she is a transgendered woman and, through a youthful indiscretion with a married local woman, is the father of a local boy. This boy had been raised in a home of hatred and intolerance. The new professor’s appointment to the university’s staff forces the staff, the students, the town, and her own son to finally address the prejudice inherent within themselves.
She’s My Dad is an action packed story with a great deal of insight into the human heart. Woulff creates a cast of characters that are fascinating and cause the reader to care about what happens to them. She’s My Dad is more than just a novel, it is an experience.
In today’s society, absolutely no one is immune to the forces of hate in the world. Terrorist attacks, hate groups, and xenophobic neighborhoods, towns, and even nations are all appalling reminders that citizens of the world live daily with fear. But, how often is the hate within ever addressed? Due to blind prejudice, it doesn’t take much for an average working American, or even a well respected financial baron, to build a bomb and “set it off like some primitive Arabian towel-head,” as evidenced in this book and the news every night.
She’s My Dad brings this terrifying hate to the forefront and a spell binding and dynamic way. It starts with a small town in Virginia. A wealthy man disowns one of his sons because of his homosexuality, only to have that very son be his only surviving heir. In an effort to shine a light on the inherent hate within our society, that son turns his vast fortune, and even his home, into a university whose ideals are integration and acceptance. Despite his noble efforts, the small town this university rests isn’t enlightened enough to deal with its existence, thus the locals harbor a hatred for the institution and everything it stands for.
Flash forward. An intelligent and engaging woman returns to the university 25 years after graduation to take up the mantle of professor. A journalism major discovers the secrets of this woman’s past; that she is a transgendered woman and, through a youthful indiscretion with a married local woman, is the father of a local boy. This boy had been raised in a home of hatred and intolerance. The new professor’s appointment to the university’s staff forces the staff, the students, the town, and her own son to finally address the prejudice inherent within themselves.
She’s My Dad is an action packed story with a great deal of insight into the human heart. Woulff creates a cast of characters that are fascinating and cause the reader to care about what happens to them. She’s My Dad is more than just a novel, it is an experience.
March 20, 2010
An excellant story about a transgender woman named Nicki Farrell , who returns to her home town to teach English at her alma mater to a new generation of scholars. unaware she has a son living near by, from an illicit love affair she had when she attended that school. The towns people hate the college and the students dislike the town people its a total web of bigotry and distrust. It,s a truly remarkable story. a must read for anyone who loves a good story it is so true to life.
March 16, 2010
Iolanthe Woulff, She's My Dad (Outskirts Press, 2009)
Iolanthe Woulff is the child of Herman Wouk, and the promotional materials for She's My Dad, Woulff's first novel, make no secret of this fact. It's worth keeping in mind as you read the book, for it may soften your reaction to a number of the book's shortcomings—things that, at the time Wouk was writing his best-known novels, were more a part of the literary landscape than they are today. Ah, but more of that in a minute; I'm getting ahead of myself. First, the plot.
She's My Dad centers around Windfield College, an institution of higher learning in Virginia that's a bastion of liberal thinking in a mostly backward rural setting. (Those of you wondering whether it's based on a real place, given many of the other thinly-veiled things in this book, who are not familiar with the area should note that “Stuarton”, the town where Windfield is, has a name very close to that of Staunton, VA, which does in fact contain an institution of higher learning often thought to be more liberal than many other colleges connected to it.) Windfield is at the center of two distinct plots. The first involves Nickie Farrell, a transsexual English professor who is hired as a sub for a professor suddenly taken ill. Farrell, while still male, was a student at Windfield during the first years of its existence, and had an affair with a local woman, the wife of a police officer. The fruit of that union is named Collie Skinner, and is, if anyone can be said to be such in this ensemble drama, the main character; he's a townie in a place where town-gown is not so much a rivalry as a bloodsport, and while he's a sensitive soul thanks to his mother, he's grown up inhaling so much of his father's bigotry that he spouts it without thinking. His mother and new girlfriend are trying to break him of that habit, but you know how these things go. In any case, I have diverged from the summary of the first plot; Farrell is trying to keep her transsexuality a secret, at least until she feels it's the right time to let the campus know, but a young lesbian journalism student decides to make Farrell her pet project. Meanwhile, Eamon Douglass, a very rich old coot whose mansion overlooks the college campus, finds out he has terminal cancer and is not long for this world. He decides to leave a lasting legacy: the complete destruction of the Windfield campus with a dirty bomb.
I mentioned the book's shortcomings above, and I figure I'll start there. (The decision of whether to begin with shortcomings and end with strengths, which gives an overall positive review, or vice versa, is one I don't normally spend a great deal of time thinking about, and I should; it seems especially important for a book like this, which does have flaws, but ultimately deserves a much wider audience than it has found to date.) Again, these are things that in the time of Woulff's celebrated father were not, in the main, considered shortcomings. For example, the makeup of the characters. While by and large they are well-drawn, complex characters, they're two-dimensional in the sense that the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad; there's an almost Dickensian naming scheme going on here. You can just tell that a guy named Eamon Douglass is going to be a vile toad of a creature. And Collie's father's name is Jay-Bo (with the obvious slide over to the no-longer-used derogatory term “gaybow” that was flung around with abandon when I was a tyke). Jeez, how much more troglodytic can you get? I would have liked to see a little more soul-shading here, with the good guys maybe having a stain or two on their reps, but you take what you get. Similarly, the situation is constructed with the same black-and-white feeling, with the neanderthal townies up against the open-minded collegiates. That said, Woulff inserts a scene right up front to tell you that this relationship is more complex than it suggests (a foursome of drunk, gay Windfield students assault Collie in the parking lot of a bar where he works), but that's still pretty much it. I felt like more could have been done with the complexity there, but it does the job of setting the stage for its characters capably enough.
As well, there's one place here where Woulff pushes one of my hot buttons, the use of “to coin a phrase” before spouting a cliché. (And with Nickie Farrell being an English professor, you'd think she wouldn't make an elementary-school error like that.) And there's the predictability factor to consider. You can probably guess within five pages of each piece of the puzzle being introduced how it's going to fit into the larger story. That's not necessarily a bad thing all the time, but it does lead to some of the suspense being blown away with the first stiff breeze. I did admire the way Woulff tied some of the more disparate pieces together, though; she is very, very good at introducing something that looks like local color or character-drawing initially that turns out to be a salient plot point later.
Ultimately, the book's flaws are minor in the grander scheme of things because the book is, quite simply, readable. The pacing is usually spot-on, though it does drag (in a very, very small way) on occasion. The characters, while not exactly balanced, really are well-drawn, and many do evolve over the course of the novel (especially Cinda, the journalism student). The one exception to this is Robin, Collie's girlfriend, who seems to exist here as a moral yardstick by which we can gauge the actions of the rest of the characters. It's a bit Victorian in its execution, but I'm not going to complain about that; she's still a lot of fun to be around, and when the pedal hits the floor in the last third of the book, Robin is faced with some tough questions that cause her to ponder her faith. At least as much as one can ponder one's faith in the situation she ends up in. (I don't want any spoilers in here, which makes some aspects of this a bit difficult to discuss.) The two plots start off as stock plots for a family drama and a fifties-era techno-thriller, but Woulff combines the two in ways that both enhance and subvert the conventions of both. It's good stuff. Check it out. *** ½
Iolanthe Woulff is the child of Herman Wouk, and the promotional materials for She's My Dad, Woulff's first novel, make no secret of this fact. It's worth keeping in mind as you read the book, for it may soften your reaction to a number of the book's shortcomings—things that, at the time Wouk was writing his best-known novels, were more a part of the literary landscape than they are today. Ah, but more of that in a minute; I'm getting ahead of myself. First, the plot.
She's My Dad centers around Windfield College, an institution of higher learning in Virginia that's a bastion of liberal thinking in a mostly backward rural setting. (Those of you wondering whether it's based on a real place, given many of the other thinly-veiled things in this book, who are not familiar with the area should note that “Stuarton”, the town where Windfield is, has a name very close to that of Staunton, VA, which does in fact contain an institution of higher learning often thought to be more liberal than many other colleges connected to it.) Windfield is at the center of two distinct plots. The first involves Nickie Farrell, a transsexual English professor who is hired as a sub for a professor suddenly taken ill. Farrell, while still male, was a student at Windfield during the first years of its existence, and had an affair with a local woman, the wife of a police officer. The fruit of that union is named Collie Skinner, and is, if anyone can be said to be such in this ensemble drama, the main character; he's a townie in a place where town-gown is not so much a rivalry as a bloodsport, and while he's a sensitive soul thanks to his mother, he's grown up inhaling so much of his father's bigotry that he spouts it without thinking. His mother and new girlfriend are trying to break him of that habit, but you know how these things go. In any case, I have diverged from the summary of the first plot; Farrell is trying to keep her transsexuality a secret, at least until she feels it's the right time to let the campus know, but a young lesbian journalism student decides to make Farrell her pet project. Meanwhile, Eamon Douglass, a very rich old coot whose mansion overlooks the college campus, finds out he has terminal cancer and is not long for this world. He decides to leave a lasting legacy: the complete destruction of the Windfield campus with a dirty bomb.
I mentioned the book's shortcomings above, and I figure I'll start there. (The decision of whether to begin with shortcomings and end with strengths, which gives an overall positive review, or vice versa, is one I don't normally spend a great deal of time thinking about, and I should; it seems especially important for a book like this, which does have flaws, but ultimately deserves a much wider audience than it has found to date.) Again, these are things that in the time of Woulff's celebrated father were not, in the main, considered shortcomings. For example, the makeup of the characters. While by and large they are well-drawn, complex characters, they're two-dimensional in the sense that the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad; there's an almost Dickensian naming scheme going on here. You can just tell that a guy named Eamon Douglass is going to be a vile toad of a creature. And Collie's father's name is Jay-Bo (with the obvious slide over to the no-longer-used derogatory term “gaybow” that was flung around with abandon when I was a tyke). Jeez, how much more troglodytic can you get? I would have liked to see a little more soul-shading here, with the good guys maybe having a stain or two on their reps, but you take what you get. Similarly, the situation is constructed with the same black-and-white feeling, with the neanderthal townies up against the open-minded collegiates. That said, Woulff inserts a scene right up front to tell you that this relationship is more complex than it suggests (a foursome of drunk, gay Windfield students assault Collie in the parking lot of a bar where he works), but that's still pretty much it. I felt like more could have been done with the complexity there, but it does the job of setting the stage for its characters capably enough.
As well, there's one place here where Woulff pushes one of my hot buttons, the use of “to coin a phrase” before spouting a cliché. (And with Nickie Farrell being an English professor, you'd think she wouldn't make an elementary-school error like that.) And there's the predictability factor to consider. You can probably guess within five pages of each piece of the puzzle being introduced how it's going to fit into the larger story. That's not necessarily a bad thing all the time, but it does lead to some of the suspense being blown away with the first stiff breeze. I did admire the way Woulff tied some of the more disparate pieces together, though; she is very, very good at introducing something that looks like local color or character-drawing initially that turns out to be a salient plot point later.
Ultimately, the book's flaws are minor in the grander scheme of things because the book is, quite simply, readable. The pacing is usually spot-on, though it does drag (in a very, very small way) on occasion. The characters, while not exactly balanced, really are well-drawn, and many do evolve over the course of the novel (especially Cinda, the journalism student). The one exception to this is Robin, Collie's girlfriend, who seems to exist here as a moral yardstick by which we can gauge the actions of the rest of the characters. It's a bit Victorian in its execution, but I'm not going to complain about that; she's still a lot of fun to be around, and when the pedal hits the floor in the last third of the book, Robin is faced with some tough questions that cause her to ponder her faith. At least as much as one can ponder one's faith in the situation she ends up in. (I don't want any spoilers in here, which makes some aspects of this a bit difficult to discuss.) The two plots start off as stock plots for a family drama and a fifties-era techno-thriller, but Woulff combines the two in ways that both enhance and subvert the conventions of both. It's good stuff. Check it out. *** ½
November 15, 2020
It’s a beautifully written story of love, honesty, life decisions that can never be taken back, and pride in who you are and what you are, no matter who says you can’t be or shouldn’t be. It’s also… unfortunately…a story of hate, and the destructiveness of intolerance and betrayal. The author shares so much of her real life experiences with her fictional character of Nickie Farrell. There are parts of the story that will make you laugh and smile… parts that will make you want to scream… parts that will make you cry …and parts that you will smile at the courage shown by this professor who dared to say “I am who I am and proud of it”. Not a book that everyone will enjoy, or agree with… but it brings a message that will stay with you forever. One of the most unforgettable books I have ever read.
December 20, 2017
Great character study of racism, homophobia, and general all around hate with no real reason except a distaste for differences. A college boys fling with a married woman comes full circle when he, now she, comes back two plus decades later. This story has everything-a little romance, a terror plot to bring down the local college, and common greed. I received this free copy of this book in exchange for a voluntary review. It is an eye opening 'goodread'.
March 13, 2010
How far will a person go because of their hatred. Hatred due to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, is a cancer. Sadly, in this world, it’s often proven that people will go as far as taking the lives of others, simply because of some difference. This story illustrates that in a beautiful manner. The story begins in 1979 in a small Virginia town. A young, soon to be college graduate, named Nicholas Farrington has an affair with a married woman. This relationship results in the birth of a son, Nicholas “Collie” Skinner. 26 years later, a nearby liberal college hires a new professor, Nickie Farrel. Nickie has a secret, one she’d like to keep private but soon gets out. It seems Nickie is a trans-sexual. A billionare has decided to take it upon himself that this school of “perverts” must be destroyed. How far will he go to carry out his hate filled agenda. He’s going to launch a “dirty” bomb within the school.
This book was very touching. I found it very hard to see some of the things Nickie went through. I think it was harder, than some fiction, because in some way, I knew these people. There was Jay-Bo, a hate filled ex cop. Jay-Bo’s oldest son Lloyd goes around beating up what he calls “pansies”, while continuing to have sex with other men. In his mind, it’s okay, because it’s masculine sex, not “sissy” sex. There’s LuAnne Skinner, a compassionate woman, who lives with an abusive man. There is Robin, a strong, Christian woman, who truly seems to follow the biblical principal of love thy neighbor, and don’t judge. There is Cinda, a Lesbian investigate reporter. She takes it upon herself to make life miserable for Professor Farrel. Then there is Collie. Collie is a not so tolerant, 26 year old male. He hates Windfield college, and the people who go there. He’s never had a very happy life, thanks to his “father”/Step-Father Jay-Bo.
There were so many facets in this story. What is it like for a person to feel like they may never find someone to love them, simply because of who they are? How would a person react if they found out one of their parents, was now the opposite gender? Is it right to spill another person’s secrets, just because you feel they need to be open? Self Hatred? Overcoming your own biases?
I think Ms. Woulff did a beautiful job on character development, and on the story line. I could see an event like this happening, especially in post 9/11 America. I truly got involved in the lives of these characters. I wanted some to succeed, others to fail. I wanted Nickie to find someone to love her. I wanted Collie to get to know his “father”. If there were one negative to this book, it would be that I didn’t get to spend enough time seeing Nickie and Collie get to know each other. I liked how Ms. Woulff portrayed a christian character. Robin was not judgemental, at one point she said to the effect, I don’t understand it, but God made this person the way he did, and had a reason.
If you get a chance to pick this up and read it, I’d suggest you do so. It’s so accurate, I felt in it’s portrayal of people, hatred, etc. I hadn’t reviewed books in LGBT fiction prior to this, because having no experience within that particular life, I felt I wasn’t able to judge fairly whether the story was accurate or not. When the chance for this book came along though, I had to read it. In fact I contacted Ms. Woulff to see about getting a copy. I felt it was one story I could relate to, because sadly I know or have known people like Jay-Bo, Lloyd, and Ambassador Douglass. On the bright side, I also know people like Nickie, Collie, and Robin. I look forward to more writing from Ms. Woulff.
This book was very touching. I found it very hard to see some of the things Nickie went through. I think it was harder, than some fiction, because in some way, I knew these people. There was Jay-Bo, a hate filled ex cop. Jay-Bo’s oldest son Lloyd goes around beating up what he calls “pansies”, while continuing to have sex with other men. In his mind, it’s okay, because it’s masculine sex, not “sissy” sex. There’s LuAnne Skinner, a compassionate woman, who lives with an abusive man. There is Robin, a strong, Christian woman, who truly seems to follow the biblical principal of love thy neighbor, and don’t judge. There is Cinda, a Lesbian investigate reporter. She takes it upon herself to make life miserable for Professor Farrel. Then there is Collie. Collie is a not so tolerant, 26 year old male. He hates Windfield college, and the people who go there. He’s never had a very happy life, thanks to his “father”/Step-Father Jay-Bo.
There were so many facets in this story. What is it like for a person to feel like they may never find someone to love them, simply because of who they are? How would a person react if they found out one of their parents, was now the opposite gender? Is it right to spill another person’s secrets, just because you feel they need to be open? Self Hatred? Overcoming your own biases?
I think Ms. Woulff did a beautiful job on character development, and on the story line. I could see an event like this happening, especially in post 9/11 America. I truly got involved in the lives of these characters. I wanted some to succeed, others to fail. I wanted Nickie to find someone to love her. I wanted Collie to get to know his “father”. If there were one negative to this book, it would be that I didn’t get to spend enough time seeing Nickie and Collie get to know each other. I liked how Ms. Woulff portrayed a christian character. Robin was not judgemental, at one point she said to the effect, I don’t understand it, but God made this person the way he did, and had a reason.
If you get a chance to pick this up and read it, I’d suggest you do so. It’s so accurate, I felt in it’s portrayal of people, hatred, etc. I hadn’t reviewed books in LGBT fiction prior to this, because having no experience within that particular life, I felt I wasn’t able to judge fairly whether the story was accurate or not. When the chance for this book came along though, I had to read it. In fact I contacted Ms. Woulff to see about getting a copy. I felt it was one story I could relate to, because sadly I know or have known people like Jay-Bo, Lloyd, and Ambassador Douglass. On the bright side, I also know people like Nickie, Collie, and Robin. I look forward to more writing from Ms. Woulff.
May 3, 2010
She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff ISDN 978-1-4327-4377-2
Woulff has written nothing short of the most amazing GLBT novel this reviewer has read. With the back cover summary starting with the quote “Hate destroys everything. Don’t let it destroy you…” she fills the reader’s imagination with true-to-life people coming to grips with modern day realities.
Nick Farrington was a typical college student at Windfield college in Virginia. He sowed wild oats, partied and learned. By the way, Nick’s eyes are different colors, one blue and one brown. In an accident of oversight, Luanne becomes pregnant with Nick’s child. Nick has graduated and gone to parts unknown without learning of this. Luanne cannot bear to lose the only memory of their time together so she brings the child into the world and lets her husband, Jay-bo Skinner, believe that Collie was his own.
Time flies and the story starts again 26 years later. Collie has grown into a strapping young man struggling to make ends meet for his family. His father, Jay-Bo, is a washed up Virginia Highway Patrolman, squeaking by on Luanne’s and Collie’s incomes. Also, Collie’s eyes are different colors giving him a feature that stands out to anyone meeting him.
Part One – is aptly titled “The Hating” where Woulff leads the reader into a tangled web of mystery and secrets. Part Two is “The Redemption.” The juxtaposition of Hate and Redemption is ironic and very revealing of Woulff’s outlook.
Multiple threads are woven expertly into an intricate thriller plot. There are Collie and his family. Nick Farrigton has transitioned into the transgendered Nickie Farrell, and is now a first year professor at Windfield. Windfield is a very liberal and open institution and Nickie fits in very well. However, the local community views Windfield and its inhabitants as licentious and decadent.
Add to this cast of characters a cantankerous Congressman trying to restore his part of Virginia to a pristine state, pre Windfield College, and a secretive bar owner who’s been known to do some unsavory things in the past. Jay-bo is an ardent homophobe and bigoted southerner that finds out his other son is having a Neo-Greek (read homosexual) relationship with an anti-gay terrorist.. The secondary characters fill in the details with life, tension, and passion.
Woulff displays her writing craft throughout the book. The plot is flawless and intriguing. The characters are engaging and very real. The social issues addressed range from homophobia to lesbian bias and right through to transgendered prejudice. In conjunction with exploring GLBT themes, this is a true thriller. This reviewer would recommend this book to everyone who lives in contemporary American society. This is point-on about issues being dealt with on a national level but, also, on a local level as well with a passionate intensity.
5 Stars
Published by Outskirts Press, Inc., Denver, CO (www.ourskirtspress.com) SRP $19.95/Amazon $17.97) Reviewer received the book from the author.
Woulff has written nothing short of the most amazing GLBT novel this reviewer has read. With the back cover summary starting with the quote “Hate destroys everything. Don’t let it destroy you…” she fills the reader’s imagination with true-to-life people coming to grips with modern day realities.
Nick Farrington was a typical college student at Windfield college in Virginia. He sowed wild oats, partied and learned. By the way, Nick’s eyes are different colors, one blue and one brown. In an accident of oversight, Luanne becomes pregnant with Nick’s child. Nick has graduated and gone to parts unknown without learning of this. Luanne cannot bear to lose the only memory of their time together so she brings the child into the world and lets her husband, Jay-bo Skinner, believe that Collie was his own.
Time flies and the story starts again 26 years later. Collie has grown into a strapping young man struggling to make ends meet for his family. His father, Jay-Bo, is a washed up Virginia Highway Patrolman, squeaking by on Luanne’s and Collie’s incomes. Also, Collie’s eyes are different colors giving him a feature that stands out to anyone meeting him.
Part One – is aptly titled “The Hating” where Woulff leads the reader into a tangled web of mystery and secrets. Part Two is “The Redemption.” The juxtaposition of Hate and Redemption is ironic and very revealing of Woulff’s outlook.
Multiple threads are woven expertly into an intricate thriller plot. There are Collie and his family. Nick Farrigton has transitioned into the transgendered Nickie Farrell, and is now a first year professor at Windfield. Windfield is a very liberal and open institution and Nickie fits in very well. However, the local community views Windfield and its inhabitants as licentious and decadent.
Add to this cast of characters a cantankerous Congressman trying to restore his part of Virginia to a pristine state, pre Windfield College, and a secretive bar owner who’s been known to do some unsavory things in the past. Jay-bo is an ardent homophobe and bigoted southerner that finds out his other son is having a Neo-Greek (read homosexual) relationship with an anti-gay terrorist.. The secondary characters fill in the details with life, tension, and passion.
Woulff displays her writing craft throughout the book. The plot is flawless and intriguing. The characters are engaging and very real. The social issues addressed range from homophobia to lesbian bias and right through to transgendered prejudice. In conjunction with exploring GLBT themes, this is a true thriller. This reviewer would recommend this book to everyone who lives in contemporary American society. This is point-on about issues being dealt with on a national level but, also, on a local level as well with a passionate intensity.
5 Stars
Published by Outskirts Press, Inc., Denver, CO (www.ourskirtspress.com) SRP $19.95/Amazon $17.97) Reviewer received the book from the author.
January 22, 2013
You know the old adage about never judging a book by it's cover? Well, this is one of those instances where I found myself twice passing over what turned out to be a wonderful novel. The title is catchy and cute, but doesn't reflect the depth of the story within – a novel that’s the literary equivalent of the kind of prime time drama you might find on Showtime, HBO, or the BBC.
Much of the story revolves around a conflict between Windfield College and the North Virginia town in which its students and faculty resides. On one side of the conflict we have the College itself, a liberally diverse institution that proudly boasts members of the LGBTQ community among its founders. On the other side we have Graymont County, a staunchly conservative community that objects strongly to any left-wing influence trying to open its closed-minds.
Caught between the two is Nickie Farrell (the school's first transsexual professor), Collie Skinner (the son she doesn't know she has), Cinda Vanderhart (the lesbian student journalist who 'outs' the professor and her secrets), Jo Markwith & Alex Steward (faculty members who are both in love with Nickie), and Eamon Douglass (the dying ambassador who wishes to bring down Nickie, the college, and everything they stand for).
Woulff does a superb job of establishing her characters, providing significant insights into the struggles and triumphs behind their lives. As a result, what could have easily become a tediously melodramatic tale becomes, instead, an emotionally compelling tale of life at a crossroads. In terms of gender, Nickie is established as a transsexual woman with a history that has helped to define her, rather than just a past to be dismissed. Similarly, she is developed as a character who honestly struggles with the question of how she can love to very different people, rather than as somebody who is either confused or simply casual about her sexuality.
As for Cinda, she’s a key player in this drama, and her development is probably the most intricate of all the characters. As a nosy college reporter, desperate to make a name herself, no matter the cost to others, she is easy to dislike from the start. However, as the story develops, and she begins to interact with Nickie as a human being, rather than as just a news story, she opens up and finds a hidden depth of compassion and integrity.
If there’s one character who didn’t work for me, it’s Robin, the devout Christian who works with both Collie and Cinda to expose two secrets that turn out to be one. Her presence is an interesting one, placing her in the conflict as a sort of moral/ethical compromise between College and County, but she’s just too nice . . . too perfect to work as a realistic character. Eamon Douglass has the opposite problem but, being the villain of the piece, it’s not such an issue.
Like any good prime time drama, there's an equal mix of soap opera, mystery, and thriller involved, but what makes the story work is the relationships between the characters.
Much of the story revolves around a conflict between Windfield College and the North Virginia town in which its students and faculty resides. On one side of the conflict we have the College itself, a liberally diverse institution that proudly boasts members of the LGBTQ community among its founders. On the other side we have Graymont County, a staunchly conservative community that objects strongly to any left-wing influence trying to open its closed-minds.
Caught between the two is Nickie Farrell (the school's first transsexual professor), Collie Skinner (the son she doesn't know she has), Cinda Vanderhart (the lesbian student journalist who 'outs' the professor and her secrets), Jo Markwith & Alex Steward (faculty members who are both in love with Nickie), and Eamon Douglass (the dying ambassador who wishes to bring down Nickie, the college, and everything they stand for).
Woulff does a superb job of establishing her characters, providing significant insights into the struggles and triumphs behind their lives. As a result, what could have easily become a tediously melodramatic tale becomes, instead, an emotionally compelling tale of life at a crossroads. In terms of gender, Nickie is established as a transsexual woman with a history that has helped to define her, rather than just a past to be dismissed. Similarly, she is developed as a character who honestly struggles with the question of how she can love to very different people, rather than as somebody who is either confused or simply casual about her sexuality.
As for Cinda, she’s a key player in this drama, and her development is probably the most intricate of all the characters. As a nosy college reporter, desperate to make a name herself, no matter the cost to others, she is easy to dislike from the start. However, as the story develops, and she begins to interact with Nickie as a human being, rather than as just a news story, she opens up and finds a hidden depth of compassion and integrity.
If there’s one character who didn’t work for me, it’s Robin, the devout Christian who works with both Collie and Cinda to expose two secrets that turn out to be one. Her presence is an interesting one, placing her in the conflict as a sort of moral/ethical compromise between College and County, but she’s just too nice . . . too perfect to work as a realistic character. Eamon Douglass has the opposite problem but, being the villain of the piece, it’s not such an issue.
Like any good prime time drama, there's an equal mix of soap opera, mystery, and thriller involved, but what makes the story work is the relationships between the characters.
January 24, 2010
Woulff, Iolanthe. “She’s My Dad”, Outskirts Press, 2009.
The Pain and Power of Prejudice
Amos Lassen
I must admit that when I first found out about the new novel “She’s My Dad: by Iolanthe Woulff, I found the title to be intriguing and was anxious to read it. I am certainly glad that I did. It is a powerful look at the destructive powers of hate as experienced by wonderfully drawn characters. But it is not just about how hate destroys, it also looks at the power of love and the triumph of good over evil.
This is a book for adults and it deals with adult themes yet it is a sensitive look at the world of the transgender written by someone who has been and is there now, Iolanthe Woulff is herself transgender, having been born male and in 1995 began the process of transitioning to female so she knows about what she writes.
The plot is set in Northern Virginia at Wingfield College, an ultra-liberal school. A former male graduate of the school is hired to fill a teaching position. However, this former male is now a transsexual woman who keeps her secret well hidden. Nickie does not want any trouble but a young lesbian reporter, Cinda, publicly outs her and in the process other secrets come forth. Cinda discovers a son, Collie, now grown, of Nickie’s that she had fathered during an affair in her undergraduate days.
But that is not all that the plot has to offer. Someone is plotting to destroy Winfield by a suicide bombing. It is here that we begin to have an intense look at bigotry. There are other secrets as well. There is Luanne, Collie’s mother, who tells about the affair with Nick and when Luanne dies, Collie turns to Robin Thompson, a co-worker, for comfort. Collie’s life becomes very difficult when he is stalked. This with the plan to get rid of the college shows us just what a cancer bigotry can be.
There is a lot to take in here and at times it seems that you may never get anything straight but Woulff writes in a way that keeps you reading non-stop. The plan of the novel is ingenious and the characters just jump right off of the page I think that this is one of the most fascinating books I have read in 2009 and it is going to be on my ten best list for the year. Woulff is a writer that is going to go places. She has the pedigree and she knows how to use it.
The Pain and Power of Prejudice
Amos Lassen
I must admit that when I first found out about the new novel “She’s My Dad: by Iolanthe Woulff, I found the title to be intriguing and was anxious to read it. I am certainly glad that I did. It is a powerful look at the destructive powers of hate as experienced by wonderfully drawn characters. But it is not just about how hate destroys, it also looks at the power of love and the triumph of good over evil.
This is a book for adults and it deals with adult themes yet it is a sensitive look at the world of the transgender written by someone who has been and is there now, Iolanthe Woulff is herself transgender, having been born male and in 1995 began the process of transitioning to female so she knows about what she writes.
The plot is set in Northern Virginia at Wingfield College, an ultra-liberal school. A former male graduate of the school is hired to fill a teaching position. However, this former male is now a transsexual woman who keeps her secret well hidden. Nickie does not want any trouble but a young lesbian reporter, Cinda, publicly outs her and in the process other secrets come forth. Cinda discovers a son, Collie, now grown, of Nickie’s that she had fathered during an affair in her undergraduate days.
But that is not all that the plot has to offer. Someone is plotting to destroy Winfield by a suicide bombing. It is here that we begin to have an intense look at bigotry. There are other secrets as well. There is Luanne, Collie’s mother, who tells about the affair with Nick and when Luanne dies, Collie turns to Robin Thompson, a co-worker, for comfort. Collie’s life becomes very difficult when he is stalked. This with the plan to get rid of the college shows us just what a cancer bigotry can be.
There is a lot to take in here and at times it seems that you may never get anything straight but Woulff writes in a way that keeps you reading non-stop. The plan of the novel is ingenious and the characters just jump right off of the page I think that this is one of the most fascinating books I have read in 2009 and it is going to be on my ten best list for the year. Woulff is a writer that is going to go places. She has the pedigree and she knows how to use it.
April 5, 2010
Rollercoaster +Classic Theme of Good Versus Evil = One Helluva Ride!
In this review I will not expound on details of the plot nor the author herself, but rather how spectacular this literary experience was for me. “She’s My Dad” is a beehive – alive and buzzing with nary a moment of stillness, except perhaps to catch your breath. I would definitely compare the brilliant and relentless pace to that of a rollercoaster. What makes a rollercoaster ride great? No matter how tense, white-knuckled and sometimes dizzy it makes you, the fundamental thrill compels your inner child to holler “I want to go again!” This debut novel possesses that fundamental thrill.
Filled with incidental gems and memorable yet disposable characters – look for Norris Budge – Ms. Woulff expertly weaves a complex fabric of diverse personalities, moral conflict, subplots, suspense, humor, prejudice, and hope—and she does so seamlessly.
I felt at times as if I was reading a classic tragedy akin to Shakespeare or Marlowe had it not been for the contemporary vernacular. The ageless theme of good versus evil prevails and I will not spoil this page-turning novel by divulging which triumphs, but in the words of the Bard, “all are punished.” This rich story is over endowed with unpredictable and often disturbing twists which will keep you guessing until the very end (even if you were the one person who guessed “The Sixth Sense” from the onset).
The dimensions of the main characters are very rigid –the good were very very good, so good in fact I wouldn’t believe they could harm a fly, and the bad were horrible with no veiled secrets from their tortured pasts giving them even the most remote sympathetic edge. Of course, these diametrically opposed energies make up the foundation of classic tragedy and in this instance, they work perfectly.
Ms. Woulff willingly discloses that her father is Pulitzer Prize- winning author Herman Wouk which might give some pause as to the legitimacy of her own talent versus success-by-association. Allow me to say her father should be swollen with pride; in this case, the brilliant writing trait did not skip a generation.
August 5, 2011
The author’s personal knowledge of the subject matter was instrumental in creating and establishing a believable, sympathetic character whose internal thoughts, struggles and motivations could help discerning readers better understand the unique yet understandable complexities of many transgendered people. That being said, conversely, for many who consider themselves transgendered, the choice is really a simple one. It is other people’s reactions that can be the more difficult part to deal with.
I felt there was a clear aim the author wished to achieve, but at times I found the narrative portions of the story overly descriptive, weighting and slowing the story down unnecessarily. It reminded me of the official description itself. Sometimes there is so much we are enthusiastic about, and feel so passionately to present we try to include it all. As a writer, I can’t say I haven’t done it because I have, but sometimes it’s a little weighty.
One thing I believe too many people seem to forget about fiction works such as “She’s My Dad” are that they are sometimes very much based on personal experience and knowledge. Just because they are fictional in presentation, does not make the emotions, situations and experiences any less true. And not that some writers who haven’t experienced the same can’t produce a creditable work about transgenderism, for me, it is crucially important when someone who has can so very poignantly present a story that is fiction yet in many ways is real. I can certainly see why this title was nominated for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the GLBT category in 2010.
Full review and personal note at my review/interview site Flying With Red Haircrow http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...
I felt there was a clear aim the author wished to achieve, but at times I found the narrative portions of the story overly descriptive, weighting and slowing the story down unnecessarily. It reminded me of the official description itself. Sometimes there is so much we are enthusiastic about, and feel so passionately to present we try to include it all. As a writer, I can’t say I haven’t done it because I have, but sometimes it’s a little weighty.
One thing I believe too many people seem to forget about fiction works such as “She’s My Dad” are that they are sometimes very much based on personal experience and knowledge. Just because they are fictional in presentation, does not make the emotions, situations and experiences any less true. And not that some writers who haven’t experienced the same can’t produce a creditable work about transgenderism, for me, it is crucially important when someone who has can so very poignantly present a story that is fiction yet in many ways is real. I can certainly see why this title was nominated for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the GLBT category in 2010.
Full review and personal note at my review/interview site Flying With Red Haircrow http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...
June 10, 2010
"She's My Dad" is Ms. Woulff's debut novel and it a very unique story about a transgender English professor, Nickie Farrell (aka Nicholas Farrington) who comes back to her alma mater, Windfield College, to teach. Little does she know that there are major events that will change her life forever. Nicholas Colin ("Collie") Farrell hears a surprising confession from his dying mother that his father was a former student of Windfield College and not the evil, abusive, bigoted, low-life that she married. Ambassador Eamon Douglass is a wealthy, psychotic old man who concocts a plot to kill the people at Windfield College by setting off a dirty bomb during a large gathering.
This book is about good over evil, about faith in human beings and about self-discovery and the power of love. The characters range from evil, hateful human beings to inspiring, loving human beings. I have worked at a liberal college for many years and have seen the results of hate crimes from within the college and the community and it saddens me that people are so judgmental and close-minded that they can't see the wonderful, diverse community in which we belong. I believe in Ms. Woulff's characters because I have seen them with my own eyes. The suspense in this novel will keep you reading and the message it brings will stay with you forever.
Reviewer received book from the author.
This book is about good over evil, about faith in human beings and about self-discovery and the power of love. The characters range from evil, hateful human beings to inspiring, loving human beings. I have worked at a liberal college for many years and have seen the results of hate crimes from within the college and the community and it saddens me that people are so judgmental and close-minded that they can't see the wonderful, diverse community in which we belong. I believe in Ms. Woulff's characters because I have seen them with my own eyes. The suspense in this novel will keep you reading and the message it brings will stay with you forever.
Reviewer received book from the author.
October 29, 2017
As you can tell from the title, this story delves into the life of a transsexual woman (in this case a college professor) and all the personal issues related to her transition. The story is set well after the transition is completed, so it is more about other people's reactions to her as a transsexual than her own feelings during the process. She ends up going back to teach at a small liberal arts college where she herself was a student when still a male, and unbeknownst to her, had left behind a pregnant married lover who subsequently produced a son who is still living in the college town. There is a lot of town and gown conflict related to how liberal the college is compared to the very conservative southern town it is set in, and a lot of anti-gay sentiment in the town. Besides all this, there is a crazy former ambassador who having discovered he is dying of cancer, decides to take out both himself and the college by using a dirty bomb to blow up himself and the college at a very public setting on campus. The story is a little heavy handed in its lesson of tolerance winning over hate, but it's still a good story with lots of action. The author is herself a transsexual (and a child of Herman Wouk) so I have to believe she knows whereof she speaks.
August 23, 2010
Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! I just couldn't put it down once I'd started it. The subject matter was one I was already familiar with, but it's written in a way that people who don't already have knowledge about transgendered men and women (or the GLBT community in general) can easily understand.
Essentially, it's a story about hate and what it does to people when left to fester out of control. Its this author's first work, but it's very well done, and I'd recommend it to anyone that's ever felt discriminated against for any reason.
Essentially, it's a story about hate and what it does to people when left to fester out of control. Its this author's first work, but it's very well done, and I'd recommend it to anyone that's ever felt discriminated against for any reason.
July 24, 2010
I was very surprised by this novel. These are not your normal, every day characters. Not for the faint of heart, She's My Dad is an exciting, hard to put down, read.
A lot of the character's are hateful, but a lot of them aren't, either. I found some of the subject matter displeasing, if only because of my hatred for unjustness, and man's inhumanity to man, and woman, if you will.
It is a story that needs to be told, and Lannie was brutal, at times, in the telling.
I'm thankful to have read it.
A lot of the character's are hateful, but a lot of them aren't, either. I found some of the subject matter displeasing, if only because of my hatred for unjustness, and man's inhumanity to man, and woman, if you will.
It is a story that needs to be told, and Lannie was brutal, at times, in the telling.
I'm thankful to have read it.
November 1, 2017
I received a free copy through Goodreads.
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I was captivated right from the first chapter and could not put this book down. I think the author has done a wonderful job of portraying Nickie, a transgender, who has history with Windfield College (back when she was known as Nick), and has now returned to the college as a professor. We get to experience bits and pieces of the torment, understanding, and whole mix of emotions that comes with being transgender. Honestly, Nickie is such a sweetheart and I love how she was welcomed with open arms by so many people and that goodness trumps the evil in some people's hearts.
The story builds up at just the right pace, allowing us the readers to get to know the characters that are vital to story. It was very satisfying to see karma take care of some of the villains, especially Jay Bo (take that you horrible horrible person for making poor Luanne and Collie suffer so much!).
While nearing the climax, there was definitely heart racing moments where you wonder if Windfield College will make it through the incoming dirty bomb placed by Ambassador Douglass who has been disgusted by the college since it's founding days and wants to end things with a huge boom.
For sure this book has shown over and over again that the power of love conquers and triumphs over all the evil and some of the wrong doings that have happened. I am glad Luanne, Collie, Nickie, Robin and others have found some form of happiness along the way. Especially for Collie when he receives one bombshell after another but luckily he had Luanne and Robin to guide him and support them during those dark times ahead.
I get that in real life not everyone is as understanding and open minded about transgender people, but this is such a good book, you will not be disappointed with the emotions, thrills and heart wrenching moments.
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I was captivated right from the first chapter and could not put this book down. I think the author has done a wonderful job of portraying Nickie, a transgender, who has history with Windfield College (back when she was known as Nick), and has now returned to the college as a professor. We get to experience bits and pieces of the torment, understanding, and whole mix of emotions that comes with being transgender. Honestly, Nickie is such a sweetheart and I love how she was welcomed with open arms by so many people and that goodness trumps the evil in some people's hearts.
The story builds up at just the right pace, allowing us the readers to get to know the characters that are vital to story. It was very satisfying to see karma take care of some of the villains, especially Jay Bo (take that you horrible horrible person for making poor Luanne and Collie suffer so much!).
While nearing the climax, there was definitely heart racing moments where you wonder if Windfield College will make it through the incoming dirty bomb placed by Ambassador Douglass who has been disgusted by the college since it's founding days and wants to end things with a huge boom.
For sure this book has shown over and over again that the power of love conquers and triumphs over all the evil and some of the wrong doings that have happened. I am glad Luanne, Collie, Nickie, Robin and others have found some form of happiness along the way. Especially for Collie when he receives one bombshell after another but luckily he had Luanne and Robin to guide him and support them during those dark times ahead.
I get that in real life not everyone is as understanding and open minded about transgender people, but this is such a good book, you will not be disappointed with the emotions, thrills and heart wrenching moments.
October 16, 2017
I received a free copy of this book through Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review.
It would be easy to dismiss this story due to the over-the-top style of the characters. They're stereotypes taken to an extreme: the former military & police man intolerant of almost everything, the out and proud lesbian journalist out to expose the world, the hard working mom who just can't make life work, and so many more in the same vein. The villain stands just short of twirling his mustache, cackling with maniacal laughter while the heroine is bound to train tracks, an oncoming train whistling as it approaches. (Metaphorically, though it's truly not far off to the style.)
It's an odd mix of older-style characters in a modern setting that doesn't always quite seem to match up. Collie's unfamiliarity with cell phones is the best example of how a reader can feel dropped into this world. Use of the character's full names is a bit off putting, when a first name would suffice. There's some harsh language; any derogatory term that can be used to describe a minority group is most likely in the book, some repeated more than others.
However, if you look past and through these things, you'll realize that's it's written from the vantage point of the author, a transsexual woman. The stereotyped characters - many filled with hatred for anything they haven't experienced - may have been her experience through life, and the filter applies to the characters here. Once you accept the characters for who they are and submerge yourself into the narrative, it's captivating. I read the last half hour in a trance, unaware of the world around me.
The truest and most heartfelt parts of the novel are Nickie answering a Q&A, and Cinda's final article late in the book. They're nearly enough to override so many other characters spewing hatred throughout. The book is well written, cleanly edited, and worth rereading. A second read may divulge more details since the shock of the harsher characters is now worn off.
It would be easy to dismiss this story due to the over-the-top style of the characters. They're stereotypes taken to an extreme: the former military & police man intolerant of almost everything, the out and proud lesbian journalist out to expose the world, the hard working mom who just can't make life work, and so many more in the same vein. The villain stands just short of twirling his mustache, cackling with maniacal laughter while the heroine is bound to train tracks, an oncoming train whistling as it approaches. (Metaphorically, though it's truly not far off to the style.)
It's an odd mix of older-style characters in a modern setting that doesn't always quite seem to match up. Collie's unfamiliarity with cell phones is the best example of how a reader can feel dropped into this world. Use of the character's full names is a bit off putting, when a first name would suffice. There's some harsh language; any derogatory term that can be used to describe a minority group is most likely in the book, some repeated more than others.
However, if you look past and through these things, you'll realize that's it's written from the vantage point of the author, a transsexual woman. The stereotyped characters - many filled with hatred for anything they haven't experienced - may have been her experience through life, and the filter applies to the characters here. Once you accept the characters for who they are and submerge yourself into the narrative, it's captivating. I read the last half hour in a trance, unaware of the world around me.
The truest and most heartfelt parts of the novel are Nickie answering a Q&A, and Cinda's final article late in the book. They're nearly enough to override so many other characters spewing hatred throughout. The book is well written, cleanly edited, and worth rereading. A second read may divulge more details since the shock of the harsher characters is now worn off.
October 30, 2017
She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff
This was my 61st novel for 2017 and my first review of these 61 novels. I’m a voracious reader and deeply admire any author who can string together thousands of words into a plot that holds my interest. I cannot do that and those who can, inspire me.
She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff captured my attention in the first chapter. I knew this was a novel I wanted, really wanted to read. I wasn’t disappointed. The characters, and there are many, are bigger than life yet felt real even though I know they are fictional. My heart went out to Luanne, putting up with her husband, Jay Bo. Her youngest son, Collie’s devotion to his mother is touching. Nickie Farrell is one of the most interesting characters I’ve encountered in my readings.
In this novel, evil is REALLY evil. Good is REALLY good. Even though the differences between good and bad are huge, it didn’t detract from the plot. AND I loved how Ms Woulff wove the story with all her sub-plots and surprises into one cohesive novel. I enjoyed all the characters both the despicable and loveable. They do switch back and forth… some of them.
The novel starts out slowly developing characters and setting them into their individual, yet connected, situations. The tempo picks up and through the course of the novel, takes off to its unpredictable climax and conclusion. The last chapter ends perfectly with the reader understanding exactly what’s needed to end the story. And then the Epilogue pulls it all together to add that final touch to the novel. J.K.Rowlings probably got the idea for ending the Harry Potter stories from Ms. Woulff.
In addition to a good read, I was educated about transgender issues, gay issues, relationships between people, friendships and what they mean, and inclusion without judgment. This novel has heart. Thank you, Ms Woulff.
This was my 61st novel for 2017 and my first review of these 61 novels. I’m a voracious reader and deeply admire any author who can string together thousands of words into a plot that holds my interest. I cannot do that and those who can, inspire me.
She’s My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff captured my attention in the first chapter. I knew this was a novel I wanted, really wanted to read. I wasn’t disappointed. The characters, and there are many, are bigger than life yet felt real even though I know they are fictional. My heart went out to Luanne, putting up with her husband, Jay Bo. Her youngest son, Collie’s devotion to his mother is touching. Nickie Farrell is one of the most interesting characters I’ve encountered in my readings.
In this novel, evil is REALLY evil. Good is REALLY good. Even though the differences between good and bad are huge, it didn’t detract from the plot. AND I loved how Ms Woulff wove the story with all her sub-plots and surprises into one cohesive novel. I enjoyed all the characters both the despicable and loveable. They do switch back and forth… some of them.
The novel starts out slowly developing characters and setting them into their individual, yet connected, situations. The tempo picks up and through the course of the novel, takes off to its unpredictable climax and conclusion. The last chapter ends perfectly with the reader understanding exactly what’s needed to end the story. And then the Epilogue pulls it all together to add that final touch to the novel. J.K.Rowlings probably got the idea for ending the Harry Potter stories from Ms. Woulff.
In addition to a good read, I was educated about transgender issues, gay issues, relationships between people, friendships and what they mean, and inclusion without judgment. This novel has heart. Thank you, Ms Woulff.
November 24, 2020
Ok now that was entertaining. What a read! Add this to your LGBT library now. In the spirit of Stefon from SNL: This book has everything! Trans professors, complicated secret histories, evil billionaires, Russian criminals, floppy disks (lol yes really), and more!
I think of this almost like 2 books in 1. The overarching story is a sweet one about a trans woman who returns to her undergraduate college to teach, post-transition and many years after she graduated from the college presenting as a man. She learns that a love affair she (then Nicholas) had with an older woman in college resulted in a son, and this book is about everything that ensues to set her on the path to meet him...
and (this is book #2 lol) when I say "everything that ensues," I mean "things get batshit crazy." I will not elaborate but this is a wild plot, perfect for readers who have gotten a bit bored lately. I LOVED that crazy shit went down in this book. Sometimes it feels like authors are afraid to "go there" and Woulff went there, haha.
Some authors would have focused on just the emotional aspects of this story--a woman learning of and meeting a son she never knew existed-- and it would have been good. But I like what Woulff did better. She's My Dad is a creative, exciting story that sits JUST perfectly on this side of "something that could possibly theoretically maybe happen" --and that is a hard place to land! It is something that would never happen in real life, but is within the realm of imagining. And all the while, the validity and beauty of queer people and queer relationships comes through.
My couple critiques of the book are mostly related to editing. The book felt a bit long and the foreshadowing in places is heavy handed. I didn't mind a bit. I had a lot of fun reading this and look forward to reading more of the author's work.
I think of this almost like 2 books in 1. The overarching story is a sweet one about a trans woman who returns to her undergraduate college to teach, post-transition and many years after she graduated from the college presenting as a man. She learns that a love affair she (then Nicholas) had with an older woman in college resulted in a son, and this book is about everything that ensues to set her on the path to meet him...
and (this is book #2 lol) when I say "everything that ensues," I mean "things get batshit crazy." I will not elaborate but this is a wild plot, perfect for readers who have gotten a bit bored lately. I LOVED that crazy shit went down in this book. Sometimes it feels like authors are afraid to "go there" and Woulff went there, haha.
Some authors would have focused on just the emotional aspects of this story--a woman learning of and meeting a son she never knew existed-- and it would have been good. But I like what Woulff did better. She's My Dad is a creative, exciting story that sits JUST perfectly on this side of "something that could possibly theoretically maybe happen" --and that is a hard place to land! It is something that would never happen in real life, but is within the realm of imagining. And all the while, the validity and beauty of queer people and queer relationships comes through.
My couple critiques of the book are mostly related to editing. The book felt a bit long and the foreshadowing in places is heavy handed. I didn't mind a bit. I had a lot of fun reading this and look forward to reading more of the author's work.
September 8, 2017
I read the blurb and thought, "wow, this sounds interesting". I could not put this book down. The characters are in the room with you and you are watching them and their struggles. Nick, unknowingly, fathers a child his last year of college. 25 years, heartache, uncertainties, finding self and surgeries later Nickie comes back to the same college to teach. This book was an amazing look into a world I have only seen in small doses. I would recommend this book to everyone out there. "Hate destroys everything!"
October 4, 2017
This is a great book! With a cast of colorful characters. From the hateful, revenge seeking millionaire to the loving Christian waitress. And don't forget the lesbian journalism student and the bad ass 'business partner' of the long lost brother... Well written mystery and love story. I couldn't put it down!
I received a copy and chose to review it.
I received a copy and chose to review it.
November 16, 2012
Intriguing! Honest! Refreshing!
My first thought when I saw the high ratings for “She’s My Dad” was the author must have a lot of friends--the book cannot be that good. And, even though I do review books I am happy to report that all the reviews are accurate. There’s no fudging on this one.
“She’s My Dad” is not what I expected it to be. It is not a journey of mismatched sour romances; nor it is a book of soul searching, familiar movies, or transsexuals. Even though the book does have a transsexual person in it, it is not about the process or the whys and whatnots. It is a modern day allegory that shows the inside truth of people set in a northern Virginia college town. The college openly accepts everyone through their doors who wants an education; but, there are some people who were bred in Southern tradition and are set about what they feel should be right and proper—and, they are not happy about Windfield College. And, they plan to do something about it.
This book is as fun as it is smart. It is not written in the typical fifth-grade English that most novels today are. Actually, there are interesting words that pique one’s curiosity of how the characters interact with each other; however, not so many as to bog down the flow of the storyline. In addition to the intelligence of the book, it is witty, clever, and engaging—full of suspense and mystery. Ms. Woulff has an amazing ability to paint the character portraits with incredible sharpness and clarity so you don’t lose sight of who is doing what.
What further surprised me was the interesting storyline. I certainly was not expecting sub-plots that involved big ugly brutes and wealthy crime bosses who were involved in home-grown terrorism. There are many interesting side stories that puzzle into the main characters’ lives and plot of the book. Every one of them is clearly defined and is woven ever so carefully into the climax of the novel. Normally, this type of literature (crime, guns, things that go boom, etc.) does not interest me; but, this was so well written I could not put it down. The more I read, the hungrier I got.
Be forewarned that there are a few characters that use foul language occasionally; and, there are some scenes that are briefly sexual. That being aside, considering the sensitive nature of some of the material, I felt, it was handled with great care.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book! Loved it! The message it brings us is so important—so necessary, that I wish it were in every library, college, and bookstore in America. Better than that—it really needs to be a movie.
Note: I'd like to thank both Iolanthe Woulff for this lovely copy of "She's My Dad" and Review the Book.com for this opportunity.
My first thought when I saw the high ratings for “She’s My Dad” was the author must have a lot of friends--the book cannot be that good. And, even though I do review books I am happy to report that all the reviews are accurate. There’s no fudging on this one.
“She’s My Dad” is not what I expected it to be. It is not a journey of mismatched sour romances; nor it is a book of soul searching, familiar movies, or transsexuals. Even though the book does have a transsexual person in it, it is not about the process or the whys and whatnots. It is a modern day allegory that shows the inside truth of people set in a northern Virginia college town. The college openly accepts everyone through their doors who wants an education; but, there are some people who were bred in Southern tradition and are set about what they feel should be right and proper—and, they are not happy about Windfield College. And, they plan to do something about it.
This book is as fun as it is smart. It is not written in the typical fifth-grade English that most novels today are. Actually, there are interesting words that pique one’s curiosity of how the characters interact with each other; however, not so many as to bog down the flow of the storyline. In addition to the intelligence of the book, it is witty, clever, and engaging—full of suspense and mystery. Ms. Woulff has an amazing ability to paint the character portraits with incredible sharpness and clarity so you don’t lose sight of who is doing what.
What further surprised me was the interesting storyline. I certainly was not expecting sub-plots that involved big ugly brutes and wealthy crime bosses who were involved in home-grown terrorism. There are many interesting side stories that puzzle into the main characters’ lives and plot of the book. Every one of them is clearly defined and is woven ever so carefully into the climax of the novel. Normally, this type of literature (crime, guns, things that go boom, etc.) does not interest me; but, this was so well written I could not put it down. The more I read, the hungrier I got.
Be forewarned that there are a few characters that use foul language occasionally; and, there are some scenes that are briefly sexual. That being aside, considering the sensitive nature of some of the material, I felt, it was handled with great care.
Overall, I absolutely loved the book! Loved it! The message it brings us is so important—so necessary, that I wish it were in every library, college, and bookstore in America. Better than that—it really needs to be a movie.
Note: I'd like to thank both Iolanthe Woulff for this lovely copy of "She's My Dad" and Review the Book.com for this opportunity.
January 14, 2011
Astonishing clever book~~entertaining, interesting, shocking and an easy read. It's no wonder "She's My Dad" was chosen as a "Finalist - Next Generation Indie Book Awards."
Iolanthe Woulff gives a shadowy window into the little-known world of a transsexual in the most liberal of environments, a college created by a gay man for "alternate lifestyle" learners and educators.
With honesty and no-uncertain-terms storytelling, Ms Woulff shares what appears to be her personal experiences with both the homosexual lifestyle and the challenges of life as a transsexual.
While her writing is sound and intelligent with characters believable for the most part, I found the main character, transsexual professor, Nickie Farrell, somewhat flat and lacking. We do get her reactions and relationships to the college people around her, but Nickie's personal background...the hows and whys of how she made the choice for her transformation and the challenges of that journey, are glaringly absent. I was left wanting more. Her swift dismissal of emotional "hits" and her oddly superficial reactions of running away for a few days and having brief talks with her friend leave Nickie rather an empty shell.
"She's My Dad" contains strong language and imagery that seems geared toward those who are familiar with a darker side of life, or have experienced it personally. There is much having to do with the downside of homosexuality and violence surrounding it. However, here is where Ms Woulff's strongest and most realistic writing emerges! And, in my humble opinion, I think she has the makings of a fabulous Stephen Kingish author.
In conclusion, though I would not recommend this book for all readers, I have to applaud Ms Woulff for her courage in bringing us this book about the life of a transsexual. It is a timely and important story. It carries the hope of understanding, acceptance and love for all kinds of people no matter what they are inside and out.
The Bookish Dame/Deborah P.
Iolanthe Woulff gives a shadowy window into the little-known world of a transsexual in the most liberal of environments, a college created by a gay man for "alternate lifestyle" learners and educators.
With honesty and no-uncertain-terms storytelling, Ms Woulff shares what appears to be her personal experiences with both the homosexual lifestyle and the challenges of life as a transsexual.
While her writing is sound and intelligent with characters believable for the most part, I found the main character, transsexual professor, Nickie Farrell, somewhat flat and lacking. We do get her reactions and relationships to the college people around her, but Nickie's personal background...the hows and whys of how she made the choice for her transformation and the challenges of that journey, are glaringly absent. I was left wanting more. Her swift dismissal of emotional "hits" and her oddly superficial reactions of running away for a few days and having brief talks with her friend leave Nickie rather an empty shell.
"She's My Dad" contains strong language and imagery that seems geared toward those who are familiar with a darker side of life, or have experienced it personally. There is much having to do with the downside of homosexuality and violence surrounding it. However, here is where Ms Woulff's strongest and most realistic writing emerges! And, in my humble opinion, I think she has the makings of a fabulous Stephen Kingish author.
In conclusion, though I would not recommend this book for all readers, I have to applaud Ms Woulff for her courage in bringing us this book about the life of a transsexual. It is a timely and important story. It carries the hope of understanding, acceptance and love for all kinds of people no matter what they are inside and out.
The Bookish Dame/Deborah P.
August 26, 2011
Two mysteries intertwine in Iolanthe Woulff’s novel She’s My Dad. There’s Nickie Farrel, the new English professor at a modern liberal college, hiding secrets in her past. And there’s the obnoxious Ambassador Douglass plotting future evil in the name of conservative values and patriotism. The author does an excellent job of setting the scene, creating a vision of town and gown living separate lives, a college celebrating liberalism built on sacred bones of intolerance. Collie, of the mismatched eyes, tries to protect his mother from his father’s abuse. Nickie, the beautiful stranger, begins her new career. Douglass fumes at the demise of good old-fashioned values. And assorted characters of violent inclination, homophobia or selfish ambition thicken the plot.
The drama’s well-played and well-portrayed. The characters are plausibly real and conflicted, except for a somewhat charicaturish villain. The plot may be overly melodramatic, but the pages fly by and the heart beats faster in search of a happy ending.
Some fascinating conversations take place, opinions questioned, presuppositions and prejudice brought to light in the gentlest, unpreachy way, and even faith, love and forgiveness making their mark. It would be hard to read this and not come away both challenged and delighted at the outcome—a truly memorable tale of a loving father, lost and found.
Disclosure: I read this ebook in the mystery section of the Dan Poynter Global eBook Awards.
The drama’s well-played and well-portrayed. The characters are plausibly real and conflicted, except for a somewhat charicaturish villain. The plot may be overly melodramatic, but the pages fly by and the heart beats faster in search of a happy ending.
Some fascinating conversations take place, opinions questioned, presuppositions and prejudice brought to light in the gentlest, unpreachy way, and even faith, love and forgiveness making their mark. It would be hard to read this and not come away both challenged and delighted at the outcome—a truly memorable tale of a loving father, lost and found.
Disclosure: I read this ebook in the mystery section of the Dan Poynter Global eBook Awards.
December 13, 2010
This book has an enticing set of plotlines. They are not easy to summarize, but it is one of the best LGBT books I have ever read! The writing is tight and encourages the reader to continue through the end. Written in an omnipresent voice, which I don't think it could have been written any other way, the book follow a number of characters through their personal confrontations, dealing with, tolerance, and concepts of acceptance primarily of the concept of hate. A short summary would be that a male has love for a married female. She discovers she is pregnant when they can no longer be together. And when the child finally realizes who his father is, he must also deal with the fact that his father is now a m-t-f transsexual.
This book is written with grace and bare truthfulness. There is a great deal of violence. However, each incident is integral to the continuation of the plotllines.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It was difficult for me to find -- I eventually ended up buying it. But it was well worth -- no, more than well worth -- the money.
This book is written with grace and bare truthfulness. There is a great deal of violence. However, each incident is integral to the continuation of the plotllines.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It was difficult for me to find -- I eventually ended up buying it. But it was well worth -- no, more than well worth -- the money.
January 15, 2013
Hmmm... This book was tough. I really liked parts of it, and it had a significant transgender theme, which I also really like. It was also a very fast read that was difficult to put down. But I didn't find the plot credible -- too many coincidences and unlikely events crammed into a single book.
November 24, 2010
I loved this book. I'm not much of a reviewer, but suffice it to say, Ms. Woulff's novel is a beautifully executed exploration of love and bravery in the face of hate.
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