PositiveThe GuardianThere is a good reason why apocalyptic novels often feature young protagonists: growing up does feel like the end of the world. For transgender Stella, this feeling is even more pronounced. She is becoming a teenager, and is horrified at the thought of her male puberty. We see her conflicts with her GP to get hormone blockers, and with her schoolmates to gain acceptance. Fagan contrasts the beginnings of Stella’s puberty beautifully with the unstoppable approach of a huge iceberg set to crush Scotland. The plot does drag a little in the second part of the book. Fagan also has a tendency to repeat strong and unusual images (the three suns, Constance as the woman polishing the moon) until they have lost their power. But these are small quibbles with what is otherwise an immersive and accomplished novel.
