Archive for the ‘Fiction: Transgender’ Category

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

ISBN: 0316011274
248 pages
published in 2004.
August 26th – September 10th.
You can buy this book at this link.

I read this book accidentally. I was over at my friend Julie’s house one night and saw it on her desk. I remembered hearing about it a few years ago when I first came out, but I couldn’t seem to find it and to be honest didn’t try very hard. It was convenient though, so when I saw it, I asked her if I could take it with me to read.

Though there were parts of it that bothered me a bit in the authenticity area, generally I’m just glad to see a young adult book written with a transsexual that has a positive role. Or really any fiction book ever that has a transsexual in a positive role. The characters were fairly well done, and although I really dislike where Peters went with the activities that Luna took part in (I swear she portrayed her as more of a transvestite than a transsexual) I do like that some sensitive things were addressed.

Luna’s sister was kind of a drag. Her character was pretty annoying and it was hard to get past because she is the narrator. Luna’s character was generally good, understandable – but still lacking something, and though I may be biased, I do think she could’ve been more positive. There was a lot of emphasis on the problems she created but not so much on her personal strength, which is a really big component of everything she did.

It’s not the best young adult book I’ve ever read, but for it’s subject matter, it was tastefully done and is hopefully the first in many books that will have the guts to take it on.