Little Fish

May 1, 2018

Wendy Reimer is 30 years old, drinking too much, and just scraping by financially. She's also a trans woman, as are most of her friends. Together they form a sort of family, looking out for one another in Winnipeg, Canada. Wendy's ability to cope, however, is challenged when her grandmother dies and she learns that her Mennonite grandfather may have struggled with his assigned gender. As Wendy starts exploring that possibility, she has a lot to deal with, including harassment on the street, violence toward herself and friends, the possibility of losing her job, as well as her Mennonite upbringing. She drifts further into darkness, drinking more, taking risks, and eventually returning to sex work, despite a violent attack on one of her associates. This is Plett's first novel, following the Lambda Award-winning short story collection A Safe Girl To Love and a column in McSweeney's Internet Tendency, in which she discusses her own transition. VERDICT Wendy's voice is engaging and often funny, but this is a dark book--so best for readers who are comfortable exploring that side.--Devon Thomas, Chelsea, MI

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