I should admit up front that I don't often read books from the transgender genre. I do purchase them, but they become part of my vast library of books to be read at some future time.
There is a reason for that, in that I do plan to get my act together some day and add my own entry to the literature...and I don't want it to be tainted by what I have read from other sources. That is, I want it to be my narrative and not "the transgender narrative."
Geography of Alice is not the same as other books in the genre. Most transition stories are written by the person in transition, while this is written by her mother...and written very well. The author is an adept story-teller.
But since it is written by Alice's mother, one should not be surprised that more than being Alice's story, this is the story of a family in transition. I believe the story is unique in that regard and therefore adds a much needed viewpoint to the literature. Having a child in transition from male to female puts a huge amount of stress on a family. How could it not?
Alice...and her family...suffered from Alice's gender dysphoria...but more so because Alice had taken on, early in her life, the tendency to self-medicate...with whatever substance she could get her hands on, and to self-harm.
It occurs to me suddenly that all this time, all this worry and wonder at what was behind Jordan's rages and acting out—maybe this is the key. Maybe if we let her be her, all the other stuff might melt magically away.
Many times during the course of reading this story I wanted to step into those pages and try to help. But of course, that can never happen.
I understand the self-medication. I have to admit that during my transition I spent nearly 24/7 on weed. Transition is a difficult process, both emotionally and socially. One copes with the difficulties however one feels is necessary. Sometimes the method of coping is less than appropriate.
Alice had the benefit of a mostly supportive family...but we learn through her story, that such support is sometimes not enough. Magic is usually in short supply.
Transition rarely fixes everything in our lives. As human beings, we still have the responsibility to repair the parts of ourselves which may be broken.
This book is scheduled for release this week.