This story is the first in Bloom's award-winning collection with the same title and in some ways felt like it could stand alone. There are a lot of comparisons made between short fiction and novels, and the most common refrain is that the story will come to life in whichever form it is best suited to present itself. This story is a great example of a piece that not only stands beautifully in its brevity, but also demands expansion.
Jane Spencer, the mother and main character, has a transgendered child named Jess. Jess began life as Jessie, a little girl who makes it clear, almost from the start, that she was born in the wrong body. What I loved about this story is how Bloom manages to highlight the unique struggles of transgendered kids and their parents while at the same time making them seem incredibly ordinary. Jane is a rich character and I fell in love with her practical approach to dealing with Jess's decision to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Jane's love for Jess, the special love of a single mother, kindly blinds her to pains that could've easily brought her to her knees.
For writers interested in point of view shifts, Bloom writes the majority of the story in third-person over Jane's shoulder, but shifts a couple of times (I'm sure not randomly) to step behind Jess. I noticed it, which made me see the writing, but the story is wonderful all the same.
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