Though it's a compelling story of one particular transformation, this wise, emotionally resonant novel makes an intelligent, heartfelt plea for compassion as it sifts through the wrongheaded assumptions we make about identity ... What's most striking about the novel is Levy's fearless depiction of Margaret/Jonathan, her authentic rendering of this voice, her fleshing out of a little-known historical character full of complications ... ultimately a love story, but not only in the traditional sense. It's about loving the freedom to be your real self.
The Cape Doctor is based on the life of Dr. James Miranda Barry, born Margaret Anne Bulkley in 1795 in Cork, Ireland. A prominent physician and surgeon who performed the first successful cesarian operation, Barry was discovered to be a woman only after he died. He had left instructions that he was not to be undressed before burial, but the order was ignored. Some claimed the body showed Barry had had a child. Not much is known about Barry, which is just as well, because that allows author E.J. Levy, a Colorado State University professor, the freedom to create an irrepressible character in Perry ... The story is a good one, but it is the exquisite writing and the portrayal of women in the first half of the 19th century that make The Cape Doctor such an intriguing book.
The real James Barry’s ruse was discovered only during a deathbed post-mortem, and debates about the choices that ruse involved are still being waged. How should Barry be considered? Trans? Male? Female? Levy opts for the last, adopting that perspective so her narrator can explore — sometimes painfully, sometimes wittily, always persuasively — the differences between a woman’s experience of Georgian and Victorian society and the masculine freedom to be found when those social constrictions are eased.
This resplendent debut novel, inspired by the life and work of trans icon Dr. James Miranda Barry, is sure to create lively discussion about the legacy of this prominent early 19th century physician ... Sumptuous careful prose, particularly affecting about Perry’s vocation.
... remarkable ... Levy has done an absolutely superb job of novelizing Barry’s life while her realization of him as a character is flawless. He is brilliant, impetuous, unafraid (perhaps foolishly) of making enemies in a good cause, an ardent supporter of women’s rights and an equally ardent enemy of slavery. The relationship between Jonathan and Lord Somerton is remarkable in its presentation and sometimes bittersweet development. And the book is beautifully written. It is, in sum, an unforgettable work of art that deserves raves. Bravo!
The relationship between Perry and Lord Somerton takes up a substantial part of the novel; indeed, it often reads like a Regency romance written by a 'literary' author. Levy uses language with care, and there are some beautiful scenes here ... Artfully written but more likely to attract attention for its subject than its author’s craft.
... elegant and provocative ... Levy provides rich insights on the effects of men’s desire ... While many trans advocates and allies will take issue with Levy’s feminist framing of Perry’s story (and, indeed, some already have), which involves Perry referring in his narration to his past self 'Margaret' as 'she,' Perry’s narration brims with fascinating details about medicine and social mores of the time. This beautifully written work will spark much debate.
