I suspect that I am probably a little too close to this book to be fully objective about it. A superhero novel about a trans girl, written by a trans woman? Of course I lapped it up. But it is a fun book, and it does also make some fine and sharp political points.

Dreadnought, by April Daniels, will not be published until January. I got a copy off Net Galley. I’m publishing the review now for two reasons. Firstly I needed to read the book now as I have an essay on trans-related speculative fiction due at the end of this month. Secondly it is Trans Awareness Week and I wanted something light-hearted to go along with all of the doom and gloom of the Trans Day of Remembrance.

Mention of Trans Awareness Week reminds me that The Gay YA is doing a whole series of posts on trans characters in YA this week. By fortunate coincidence the first one is by April, and she says all the things in it that I would expect her to say having written a book like Dreadnought.

In the process of writing the review I managed to do a brief history of trans characters in YA, which may also be of interest.

If, after all that, you want to read the review, you can find it here.