Books like Small beauty by Jia Qing Wilson-Yang
Small Beauty follows Mei, a mixed‑race trans woman, as she struggles with her cousin’s terminal illness and the challenges of racism and transphobia. In search of belonging, Mei leaves the city for a hometown long associated with her family in Southern Ontario. In the fictional towns of Dundurn and Herbertsville—loosely based on real places—she reconnects with a diverse community that includes fellow Asian trans women, an older lesbian, and a supportive cousin. The novel weaves Mei’s personal journey with stories of those around her, culminating in a night‑time lakeside scene that ties together the intricate, necessary web that keeps her attached to the world.
Small Beauty is a Lambda Literary Award winner that explores themes of friendship, family, loss, and the complexity of queer identities in a Chinese‑Canadian setting.
First publish date: 2016
Genre: LGBTQ+ Fiction/Transgender Fiction
Authors: Jia Qing Wilson-Yang
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