The Companion by E.E. Ottoman

Publication date: April 2021
LGBTQ+ author? Trans
Setting: Upstate New York, 1949

EE Ottoman is the first out trans author to write romance novels with trans characters.

I listened to him tell his story on the Fated Mates podcast. He talked about a Twitter storm in the early 2010s when a popular romance review blog said they would never review a book with a trans main character. This led Ottoman to actually search for a romance novel with trans characters because he wanted to read it! But he couldn’t find one.

So he decided if he was already getting the social media backlash, he might as well write the damn book. And in 2013 he published the first ever trans romance novel by an out trans author. He’s published many more since then.

Ottoman also talked about how much he wanted to have books that did not objectify trans bodies, especially trans women. And he wanted to write about trans joy. This is all great, I say!

So I knew I wanted to read something by him for my Month of Reading Trans Books in honor of TDOV. I picked out this book, The Companion.

It is about a trans woman named Madeline who moves from New York City to stay with a friend of a friend in Upstate New York, a trans man named Victor. While she is there, she meets Victor’s former lover and neighbour Audrey, who is also a trans woman. The three slowly become romantically involved with each other. Poly, T4T romance. What is there not to like?!

Unfortunately, it turns out lots. I didn’t really like it at all. I almost DNF but it was so short (4 hour audio book) I thought I could give it the benefit of the doubt and finish.

First of all, nothing at all happens. Seriously, nothing. Madeline goes for a walk and picks mushrooms with Audrey. The three of them smoke some cannabis. Victor finishes writing his book. Madeline makes dinner every night. This is seriously about it. Usually a slow plot is fine by me because there is so much emotionally happening. But no, nothing emotionally is happening either.

There is a lot of sex in this book. I really did not like it at all. Most of it was written using language that makes it seem like they could have been cis people having sex, not trans people. But the book makes it very clear (outside of the bedroom) they are trans. I realize many trans people think and talk about their bodies this way. But this trans person does not. I felt very confused, disconnected and a bit embarrassed. It just wasn’t for me.

The other thing I did not enjoy is that no one seemed to have any reasonable emotional reaction to all the sex and their budding relationships whatsoever. Madeline has never even kissed anyone before. But she kisses Victor, then has sex with him and then later hooks up with Audrey in the same day. She cries for a second and then gets over it. It was just weird.

Never-dated-anyone Madeline also has no problem negotiating a poly relationship with two ex-lovers. Like what? That shit is not easy in real life. Victor and Audrey also have no emotions whatsoever other than being smitten with Madeline and completely fine with whatever she wants. At the end of the book she says she wants to marry them both, and they have known each other like two seconds or something. WHAT WORLD IS THIS.

Lastly, Victor seems to be afraid to leave his house because he thinks he will get hurt. I am sure he came by this honestly. But the way he pushes this onto Madeline is gross and smells a lot like toxic masculinity. Madeline reasonably wants to go on a walk in the woods, visit Audrey next door and go shopping in town. And he freaks out on her. He doesn’t want her going anywhere without him, and ideally just not going anywhere. They agree she will tell him everywhere she goes or keep a schedule or something. AHHHH MADELINE NO. DO NOT BE CONTROLLED BY VICTOR. RUN AWAY WITH AUDREY.

Anyway, I would give this two stars but I respect what EE Ottoman is trying and don’t want to drag down his Goodreads rating so I gave it a third star.

Is anyone a fan of this book and can explain why? Should I try again with another of his books? Help!