The Atheist and the Parrotfish has a p[lot that is edgy, thought provoking and entertaining but it is written in such a way that there is no objectivetity or respect for those groups of people featured in the book.
Dr. Cullen Brodie's life experiences have taught him there is no God and he goes about his life using medicine to help right the wrongs of the world. He is very help Ennis, a transgender sixty-something, get the transplants he needs to live a full life. But afterwards, Ennis sees a whole new side of himself. Is he embracing his transgender nature or has the soul of his organ donor transferred to him causing him to act like a woman?
Full disclosure: I didn't finish the book. I stopped at page 62. At that point, I was so insulted by the way the author wrote about minorities. He was hugely disrespectful to women and African Americans but the biggest issue was his prejudice against the transgender community and how he had to assure the reader he himself was pure man and had no homosexual tendencies. The book began to read like "Equal Rights" song from the Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping soundtrack.
The books uses language that I have never heard from anyone in the transgender community or those who help these people in a professional capacity. The author clearly choose the subject to be edgy and get attention but he has no respect or even objectivity about those in the transgender community.
This is sad for several reason. The first of course of passing on these attitudes to others, but also because the book has such a thoughtful premise. I wanted to see how the soul transfer idea played out. I wanted to see if anyone in the book became more respectful towards Ennis, how Ennis resolved all his thoughts and feeling and how Dr. Cullen might just expand his horizons.
I have read good reviews about the story itself but due to the tone i am unable to actually get into the story.