The dual perspectives elegantly enact themes of transition and relationality. Bellies is a novel about feeling seen ... The hotness quotient is one of many aspects that make Bellies such a juicy read ... As deep as it is chic, propelled by the good intentions dropped between different wavelengths, a sensitive study of the challenge of moving past judgment towards perception.
A keenly observed and unflinching examination of that journey and its emotional, social and physical consequences, both for the individual and the people close to them ... The main narrative focuses on the couple’s struggles for self-knowledge and self-actualization. Between the anxiety and exhilaration of first love and first steps into the wider world, author Dinan packs in a wealth of insights. She combines this with an enviable ability to perfectly capture a particular feeling, complex or psychological process in a few short sentences.
It divides itself, with apt fluidity, between both lovers’ perspectives ... Months elapse between each chapter, which allows intervening events to be related in a gossipy rush.
Writes with quiet authority, insight, and compassion. The result is a beautiful work of literature with fully realized, highly empathic characters; her treatment of Ming’s transition is superbly and insightfully handled. An important contribution to the slender body of transgender literature.
