The Iridescents book cover (Image provided)
Summary
Steeped in a fabulist version of the American South, the speculative short story collection The Iridescents highlights how the LGBTQ+ community transforms everyday acts of support and survival into miracles, redefining sainthood and spiritual history through the lens of queer resilience and fierce joy.
Abstract
Steeped in a fabulist version of the American South, The Iridescents highlights how the LGBTQ+ community transforms everyday acts of support and survival into miracles, redefining sainthood and spiritual history through the lens of queer resilience and fierce joy. A trans man visits a donut shop with his ailing dog to pray for advice. Genderqueer lovers search the desert for a ballerina saint. Three-hundred-year-old crustacean oracles predict the future of our oceans. Blending irreverence with reverence, these stories explore the contemporary yearning to find meaning in something larger than ourselves.
What the work adds to the discussion
There are not many positive depictions of trans people in adult short speculative fiction which focus on aspects of their lives which have nothing to do with the process of transition, and one of my goals with this book was to add to that small list.
Implications for society
The hope is for other trans people (especially younger ones) to see wild, weird, cool depictions of possible futures for themselves.
Citation:
Donaldson, Emrys. The Iridescents. Texas Review Press, 2026.
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