It takes a lot to write about a figure that is completely absent from the entire length of the novel. However with the multiple viewpoints offered by the hounding investigations of Sam Clellan, his determination to discover the real Murray Hall offers us glimpses here and there. No one will ever know him or understand him. The enigma of Murray Hall, the lack of understanding of diversity despite it being just as prolific as it is today, leads us to question sex, gender and the fragmented nature of society. This book wasn’t what I was expecting; in all the right ways. Loved it.

I had never heard of Murray Hall before coming across this book, and his story is a fascinating one. We know very little about much of his life, but his death was surrounded by spectacle and scandal.

This book doesn’t attempt to answer the unanswerable questions we may have, although it is meticulously researched and presents us with virtually all known information about Hall. Having a journalist as the main character was really helpful in this regard, as we got to know all the facts in a way that felt very natural, as well as some of the fictionalised personal details.

The authors are very clear that we don’t know whether or not Hall would have identified as transgender if he lived today, but rather that his story – alongside countless others – is evidence that gender diversity has always existed in some form or another. What struck me about Sam, the journalist, and his character arc, is that uncovering Hall’s story encourages him to think about both gender and society as a whole in a much more nuanced, open-minded way. He begins to question his previously held beliefs about the way society and gender roles dictate someone’s position in life, and ultimately is a better person for it.

The big drawback for me, though, is that I never felt like I really got to know Sam as a character. There are some hints about his upbringing and his past, but I never felt like I had a good grip on who he is and why he’s doing what he’s doing. When he first starts to talk about his personal feelings about the Hall story, I was surprised; I felt like his opinions at that point were at odds with the character we’d met so far. I think he could have been a really powerful character with lots of depth, but it never quite came to fruition.

Overall, this is a great book for introducing you to a part of queer history you may know nothing about, and an always-important reminder that trans people have always existed.

I received a free copy for review.