Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
From one of the most exciting young queer writers on the literary landscape comes the emotional coming-of-age story of Shae, a teenager who falls in love with Cam and must navigate their relationship as Cam decides to transition. For fans of Detransition, Baby and those eager to read about the trans experience, in all its complexities.
When sixteen-year-old Shae meets the slightly older Cam, who is new to their rural small town in West Virginia, she thinks she has found someone who is everything she has ever wanted in a companion. The two become fast friends, and then more. But when Shae becomes pregnant, Cam begins a different transition--trying on clothes that Shae can no longer fit into and declaring female pronouns. Shae is unsure of what to think or feel, but Shae tries to be fully supportive as Cam becomes the person she wants and needs to be.
After a traumatic C-section and the birth of their daughter, Eva, Shae is given opioids to manage the intense pain. During the first year of Eva's life, Shae's dependence shifts from pain management to addiction, and her days begin to revolve around getting more pills. In the heart of rural West Virginia, opioids are dispensed as freely as candy, and Shae is just one of many to fall victim to addiction. Meanwhile, Cam continues to transition. Embracing her true self, new life, and new relationships means she must quickly face the reality of being a trans woman in rural America.
Shae is as much about these two young women as it is about the place they both love despite its limitations. Following the acclaimed Sugar Run and Perpetual West, this is Mesha Maren's most emotional and accessible novel yet.
Synopsis
From "a highest-order storyteller of Southern noir" (Electric Literature), a powerful coming-of-age novel about queerness and addiction in rural America, and the heartbreak that comes from loving a place that doesn't always love you back.
When sixteen-year-old Shae meets Cam, who is new to their small town in West Virginia, she thinks she has found someone who is everything she has ever wanted in a companion. The two become fast friends, and then more. And when Shae ends up pregnant, Cam begins a different transition--trying on clothes that Shae can no longer fit into and using female pronouns. Shae tries to be fully supportive as Cam becomes the person she wants and needs to be.
After a traumatic C-section and the birth of their daughter, Eva, Shae is given opioids to manage the intense pain. During the first year of Eva's life, Shae's dependence shifts from pain management to addiction, and her days begin to revolve around getting more pills. In the heart of West Virginia, opioids are dispensed as freely as candy, and Shae is just one of many to fall victim to addiction. Meanwhile, as Cam continues to transition, she embraces new relationships and faces the reality of being a trans woman in rural America.
Shae is as much about these two young women as it is about the home they both love despite its limitations. Following the acclaimed Sugar Run and Perpetual West, this is Mesha Maren's most intense and intimate novel yet.
Synopsis
A queer coming-of-age novel about addiction, belonging, and loving a place that doesn't always love you back.
When sixteen-year-old Shae meets Cam, who is new to their small town in West Virginia, she thinks she has found someone who is everything she has ever wanted in a companion. The two become fast friends, and then more. And when Shae ends up pregnant, Cam begins a different transition--trying on clothes that Shae can no longer fit into and using female pronouns. Shae tries to be fully supportive as Cam becomes the person she wants and needs to be.
After a traumatic C-section and the birth of their daughter, Eva, Shae is given opioids to manage the intense pain. During the first year of Eva's life, Shae's dependence shifts from pain management to addiction, and her days begin to revolve around getting more pills. In the heart of West Virginia, opioids are dispensed as freely as candy, and Shae is just one of many to fall victim to addiction. Meanwhile, as Cam continues to transition, she embraces new relationships and faces the reality of being a trans woman in rural America.
Shae is as much about these two young women as it is about the home they both love despite its limitations. Following the acclaimed Sugar Run and Perpetual West, this is Mesha Maren's most intense and intimate novel yet.
"Maren brilliantly gives voice to a new South, introducing us to two unforgettable characters whose journeys echo the struggles of queer people across the country. Shae is essential for the new queer canon emerging from Southern writers. I can't wait to put this in the hands of so many people who need it and will no doubt see themselves in this beautiful narrative." --Garrard Conley, author of All the World Beside and Boy Erased
"Mesha Maren is a visionary storyteller and her prose is incandescent. The sentences shimmer with precision, elegance, and grit. It's the kind of book that gets under your skin. I couldn't put it down. Shae is a beautiful, bighearted novel about love, desire, and daring to be oneself. I will be thinking about the characters for a long time." --Carter Sickels, author of The Prettiest Star