Book Review: FINE
Original review written 12/19/23
Title: Fine: A comic about Gender
Author: Rhea Ewing
Illustrator: Rhea Ewing
What's it about?
This whole book is about gender, how we define it, what that means and how these concepts effect a group of people who are primarily gender non conforming in one way or another.
Reha Ewing (they/them) found themself exploring the concept of gender as a college project; something small that would be turned into a zine. Instead, they spent over a decade interviewing countless people, sharing discussions and experiences and searching for some sort of solid answer. In the process, they may not have found one sure fire, always right, perfect answer, but they did find themselves and even came out during the duration of this work of love. Rhea finally collected the bursting three ring binder dotted with post-it notes and somehow, completed the struggle to put some of the most poinet, meaningful and personal moments among those interviews that stood out with them. There are a number of interviews discussed throughout the book, a number of hard questions being answered, each time differently and uniquely from the time before.
Other thoughts:
I had so many thoughts reading through these three hundred and some pages, yet I'm not sure I could even begin to express them to anyone. I was drawn to this book out of curiosity. I've never found myself truly questioning my gender identity and, as a fourty something year old, it wasn't often a discussion around me. The same can't be said for my kids, some of whom have friends who are in various stages of identifying themselves and living as someone who doesn't squish themselves into a box that society has constructed for them. I wanted to understand the experiences of those people better. I wanted to know how to confidently and intellegently have important conversations with my kids when they had questions to ask. So, I picked up a book I thought would talk about people finding their identity, coming out and the struggles that they had in the process. I was wrong.
Well, kind of wrong. Because yes, those things are in this book, but there's so much more to it. I found myself drawn to the voices represented in these pages. I would stop reading in the middle of a page to reflect on what someone had said. And I would really, really, think about what I thought, asumptions I had made and asking myself the same questions Rhea askes those she interviews. The answer was even more complicated for me because, while I didn't subscribe to the whole "girls play with dolls and toy kitchens and boys play with cars and tools" idea, I had just never really sat down and truly defined what gender is to me.What is it about a person that causes me to, on some level or another, label someone as feminine or mescaline and what other assumptions do I attach with those labels?
I loved that this book felt so assessable. It felt so comfortable to dive in and listen to personal stories and hear definitions that people's who worlds are centered around. I did't think it would. I thought that this book wouldn't be for me when I realized that it wasn't about the coming out journey so much as questioning the very foundation the map was created on. I was wrong. So, very wrong.
Personally, the art style wasn't really for me but, I didn't care. I was reading an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) so it was pretty much all in black and white anyway and I try to not really judge the art when it's in a form that's incomplete. With that said, I couldn't help but see the emence talent that Rhea has for telling a story with heart to share truth without judgement. I admired the courage that Rhea had to be so open about their experience along with everyone who was interviewed, partially, because I am not nieve enough to think we got only the highlights. I'm sure Rhea has collected stories and thoughts that are painfully personal and I feel a magic in that, even if we don't get to read those parts.
This book was a journey that we are lucky to have a chance to take. It's relivant. It's the truth without threat or lies, it's just people talking to people about who they are, how they define themselves and how those things fit into the rest of the world. And, it's done in such away that it almost feels gentle rather then aggressive. It doesn't feel harsh or hateful just a little confused and frusterated sometimes, but, hey! Aren't we all? Don't we all go through a journey to find out how we define ourselves? Don't we all have to somehow, find a way to fit into the world at large as that person we are authentically? I feel honored to to glimpse some of the moving pieces of the strangers highlighted in these pages. And I thank them all for really questioning myself and my own definations about concepts like gender and sex, femininity and masculinity and so much more, because if we can't explore those things just because we don't struggle with defining ourselves in these realms, then how will we ever be able to understand and truly support those who do?
Finally, I just want to take a second to tear up over the dedication at the front of the book. "This book is dedicated to everyone who's wondered if they are enough. You are enough." We all need to hear that sometimes, and I more then others, I'm guessing. What a powerful way to start about about truly hearing the voices of others.
I stated at the start of this that I wasn't sure if I'd be able to express my thoughts. I'm still not sure I did accuratly. And, yet, I still lack (creativity? vocabulary? deep understanding?)....something to express the impact that this book has had on me. So, instead of listening to me ramble and try desperately to say in a meaningful way that I loved this book and happily handed it over to my daughter to read and discuss with me, go to your favorite bookstore (here's a link if we happen to be that bookstore https://bookshop.org/a/81228/9781631496806 ) and pick yourself up a copy and then a teen or young adult you know a copy. While you're at it, toss one over to a teacher, too. I'm convinced this is a must read for those questioning their own gender identities and for those who are entering into a world where gender isn't just one thing, it's no longer considered binary and looks can be deceiving.
What are you still doing here? Why aren't you at a bookstore?!
Ratings:
I give this book a
8
out of
self explorations
But that's just what I thought. What did you think? Did you think it was handled disrespectfully? Were you touched and impacted by the vulnerablebility shared here? Let us know what you thought in the comments!
