Little Fish

Little Fish follows Wendy Reimer, a 30-year-old trans woman living in Winnipeg, who discovers that her devout Mennonite grandfather may have been transgender. Her discovery leads her on a search through family history while navigating her present-day life. The narrative takes place during a harsh Manitoba winter, as Wendy and her close-knit group of trans friends support each other through various challenges. She works as a taxi driver while investigating her grandfather's past and questioning her own place within her family's complex religious and cultural heritage. Set in contemporary Canada, the novel explores the intersection of faith, family, and identity within both Mennonite and transgender communities. Religious tradition and modern LGBTQ+ experiences collide as Wendy seeks to understand both her grandfather's story and her own path. The book stands as a significant contribution to trans literature, examining how the past echoes through generations and how people create chosen families while reconciling with their biological ones. Through its careful attention to both historical and contemporary transgender experiences, Little Fish presents a layered exploration of authenticity and belonging.

Readers connect with the authentic portrayal of trans experiences and relationships in the novel. Many note the raw, realistic dialogue and descriptions of day-to-day life in Winnipeg's trans community. Liked: - Natural character interactions and believable relationships - Detailed exploration of family dynamics and heritage - Strong sense of place and winter atmosphere - Complex handling of mental health struggles Disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in the middle sections - Multiple timeline jumps confused certain readers - A few felt secondary characters needed more development Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (80+ ratings) Reader quotes: "The winter scenes felt so real I needed a blanket" - Goodreads reviewer "Finally a trans story that doesn't focus on transition" - Amazon review "The family research subplot sometimes dragged" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters talk like actual people, not literary constructions" - Lambda Literary review

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🌟 Casey Plett worked as a bookseller in New York City and was a columnist for McSweeney's Internet Tendency before becoming an acclaimed author 🏆 "Little Fish" won the Amazon Canada First Novel Award in 2019, marking a significant milestone as one of the first trans authors to receive this prestigious recognition 🍁 The novel's Winnipeg setting draws from Plett's own experiences growing up in a Mennonite community in Manitoba, Canada 📚 The book's exploration of Mennonite history reflects a growing body of literature examining the intersection of religious communities and LGBTQ+ identities 🎯 The protagonist's name, Wendy, is shared with the main character in Plett's earlier short story collection "A Safe Girl to Love," though they are different characters