Alice spent most of her teen years locked in a second floor spare bedroom, kidnapped by a man she never names. Deprived of her adolescence, the young woman is largely left to figure out how to be an adult on her own once she escapes. Alice wants to make friends, but her lack of social skills is an obstacle.
By guest critic Jo Trainor
“There aren’t many feminine girls who like Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, and vintage motorcycles.”
This line comes after protagonist Peter has met Blue, a non-binary waiter stroke artist, and is trying to explain to his friends why he’s interested in Blue. His friend Sara says this infuriating phrase as part of an explanation as to why Peter has been attracted to tomboys in the past and so might still fancy Blue if they turn out to be male. Peter responds by saying that he doesn’t really respect women who dress in a feminine way.