Emily St. James’s Woodworking is a deeply felt, sharply observed debut about identity, community, and the surprising ways we find and sustain each other—especially when the world around us insists on misunderstanding who we are. It’s a novel that brims with emotional texture and interior insight, and one that defies conventional expectations at nearly every turn.

I checked out the audiobook on a whim, expecting to listen to half one day and the rest the next. Instead, I couldn’t stop. Narratively, it’s propulsive without being showy. I found myself quickly absorbed by the central relationship between Erica, a closeted trans high school teacher, and Abigail, a politically outspoken teenage girl who has been navigating the world as visibly trans for much longer than she should have had to. Their dynamic is layered with power reversals, emotional risk, and unexpected grace. There’s a real tenderness in the way St. James allows them to influence and challenge one another without ever veering into sentimentality or melodrama.

As the novel progresses, there’s a reveal that launches the story into a somewhat chaotic finale—a kind of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink twist that I normally might find frustrating. But here, it didn’t dampen my connection to the characters or their arcs. The emotional groundwork laid throughout the novel kept it grounded, even as the pace accelerated.

The book also makes some bold formal choices in its audio production: the use of static to signal deadnaming is inventive, if inconsistently applied. That inconsistency is worth noting, especially for listeners for whom those moments are emotionally charged. Deadnaming happens within the text itself, so content warnings may be necessary for some readers.

That said, the book feels remarkably generous. Woodworking doesn’t promise a neatly resolved ending or a world free of cruelty. But it does offer a space for possibility. It’s a story where mentorship can come from a teenager, where healing might involve someone from your past, and where chosen family isn’t always separate from blood. It also gently acknowledges the real-life complications of being trans in public, particularly for those who work in schools or conservative spaces. Erica’s fears around visibility reminded me of the same fear I carried when I worked in a Catholic school and knew that being open about my identity could cost me everything.

Abigail, though, is the heart of the novel. Fierce, reluctant, emotionally intelligent, and startlingly funny—she reminded me of Maeve from Sex Education in the best possible way. The book shines brightest when we see the world through her eyes.

Woodworking made my heart race, melt, and ache. It reminded me of my own formative friendships and the people who helped me see myself more clearly. It’s not a fairy tale, but it’s full of hope. For anyone who has lived through the loneliness of not being seen—and for those who have finally found someone who sees them—this book is a gift.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

Woodworking sat a bit uncomfortably with me, but I also found it a valuable read. The discomfort resulted from a —non-sexual— friendship between a high school teacher and a student. The teacher has realized she's trans and has turned to her school's only trans student for guidance on making her trans identity reality. I work with college level students, have developed long-term friendships with some of them—but the idea of a teacher expecting an already isolated teen to be her mentor in the process of becoming herself makes me deeply uncomfortable. It's a nice device in the context of a story, but in real life it sounds like putting a lot of weight on a young adult who is already carrying more than enough burdens.

What I enjoyed about this book was the way that it complexly introduced multiple trans characters and their relationships with one another and with others. There are ways to do things "right." There are ways to do things "wrong." And—surprise!—not all trans folk agree about what right and wrong are. All characters inevitably misstep and have to deal with the consequences of their mistakes/misunderstanding.

Woodworking really is a 3.5 star title for me, but I'm rounding my score up because I think the book deserves a broad readership.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Erica Skyberg spends her days teaching high school and her nights directing community theater. One of the students at her school, Abigail, is the first openly transgender person in her South Dakota town. Erica is also trans, only she hasn't told anyone yet. One day Erica reveals her true self to Abigail and the two form a hidden and unlikely friendship. Erica learns how to come out of her shell through Abigail, and the pair face the less-tolerant folks in their town in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election.

Woodworking was an amazing, heart-warming book about the importance of creating community and being open to one's self. I've loved Emily St. James' work since she was writing for A.V. Club years ago, so I was so excited to get to read her debut novel, and more excited that the book was a delight. It balances humor and emotion well and the story pushes the characters in good ways to force them to confront the feelings they are hiding from. The book builds out the town around Erica and Abigail and the second half of the book really just flew by for me as Erica's secret becomes more and more public. I highly recommend this book for people wanting a grounded, compassionate trans story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Media Reads for a copy of Woodworking in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel and the audio was excellent. It was a really well done story about trans in different generations and different challenges. I liked the twist in the middle. It was interesting.

I love Emily St. James. I think she’s a phenomenal writer and critic and her openness and honesty about transitioning has been so meaningful to me. When I heard that she was publishing a novel, I was thrilled.

This was a great book. A trans teacher forms a friendship with a trans student as they both try to navigate high school, although the teen seems to have a way better handle on things, “seems” being the operative word there.

As a teacher, I feel like I would have enjoyed this book more had I not been one. There was too much that made me go “No! NOOOO. TEACHERS CANNOT ______ WITH STUDENTS!!!!” be it texting, driving with, or being in places one on one. It was hard for me to get out of my own head about what’s been drilled into me since pretty much day one of teacher school.

Let me be clear: there is nothing untoward here. This is a mentor/mentee relationship, except the teen is the mentor, which is such a good take and honestly really refreshing to see. There were parts of this book that made my heart break and parts that made my heart sing. Emily St. James’s writing really is something special.

I think my favorite takeaway from this book is that there really is no one singular trans experience. It can be literally anything, and that’s so freeing once you realize it.

This was such a wonderful debut novel! I felt such a mix of emotions throughout the journey of the book- happiness, sadness, anger, love. I really loved the two main characters, Abigail and Erica. I thought they were well fleshed out and had such great personalities. While the story is chaotic at times, I think the message really shined through- about finding yourself and staying true to that, as well as supporting your fellow humans.

This was a really touching novel. I was reading it on a plane, making a fool of myself because I’m crying. Crying for happiness, and sadness too. Gender and how we define it were central themes in this book, from unique perspectives and characters. Emily St. James is a fantastic writer, I was drawn right in and immediately invested. I liked the variety of perspectives, viewpoints, and backstories of the main characters. Each person’s sections truly read as each persons unique personality

The plot was juicy and fast moving. There were a lot of characters but for once, I wasn’t confused about who was who. Each person was so distinctly themselves so it was easy to follow. This is a well written book, with vivid descriptions allowing the novels world to truly exist. There were elements of this novel that would appeal to anyone , including different genres like romance, literary fiction, and a coming of age angle too.

This book is like what I imagine an alternate world Hallmark movie would be like. It should be in this world too, but political situations continue to confound me. And I mean it in the best way, as a compliment. I’ve never actually seen a hallmark movie but they look like they’re emotionally satisfying and cozy for the heart. I had heard good things about this novel, but to read it - I was blown away!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with this novel. Centered around a trans teacher and her student, who came out as trans in a politically fraught way for the small South Dakotan town. The story is told in a series of alternating POVs, and I found each character's voice to be very unique. I think Emily St. James did what many authors fail to do which is write a pretty convincing teenager first-person voice. I loved it!

The thing that didn't totally work for me (but definitely wasn't a dealbreaker) was that there were two moments that, for the purposes of the plot, two different characters suddenly realize something by just a look at another character. I think it would have been more interesting to communicate the plot points in a different way.

That said, I'd recommend this book to pretty much everyone. I think the story itself is important, the prose is well-written, and the characters are sooo lovable (and frustrating sometimes), I wanted to spend more time with them!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Woodworking
By @emilystjams
Released 3/4/2025

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Blurb:
“An unforgettable and heartwarming debut following a trans high school teacher from a small town in South Dakota who befriends the only other trans woman she knows: one of her students.
As their unlikely friendship evolves, it comes under the increasing scrutiny of their community. And soon, both women—and those closest to them—are forced to ask: Who are we if we choose to hide ourselves? What happens once we disappear into the woodwork?”

My thoughts 🧠🧐:
This book is spectacular and will stay with me for my entire life. I finished it last night at midnight and have already recommended it to 5 people.
This book takes such heavy and vast topics and winds them into an addictive story. I know this is a fictional story but how much of it really is? How many of us can relate to a character in this book, feelings expressed, oppression revealed. It goes so far beyond a coming out story or a commentary on politics or trans identity. This piece of art (calling it a story or book doesn’t seem enough) will become paramount in the queer community.

Go read it.

#netgalley #zando #arc #bookreview #bookworm #queerbooks #transbooks #marchrelease #bookrelease #woodworking #queerbookstagram #queerinstagram #read #chronic #newjersey #emilystjames

I'm leaving the novel at page 139. I recognize that even reading a novel featuring two trans main characters can itself be an act of resistance in the contemporary U.S. (and pretty much elsewhere). However, having recently finished Grace E. Lavery's Pleasure and Efficacy: Of Pen Names, Cover Versions, and Other Trans Techniques, I can’t help but question the function of literary form in this novel.

As we know, realism in literature is always aspirational rather than strictly representational. Thus, the novel operates on two levels. On the one hand, by being set outside of an urban center and depicting a transgenerational trans dynamic, it aspires to give visibility to trans lives that exist beyond metropolitan queer enclaves and outside the confines of a single (typically younger) generation. On the other hand, I wonder what realism as a literary form erases when it attempts to render trans lives legible.

Like any literary mode, realism relies on certain tropes. One could even speak of a kind of trans realism, in the sense that the narrativization of trans lives demands particular discursive devices to become coherent—materialized, meaningful, and narratable. The constraints that trans realism places on itself may also be its strengths. The novel calls trans lives into existence, but simultaneously limits them to a particular vision of what trans life can be. It was this narrowing—this delimiting gesture—that ultimately made me stop reading.

Woodworking is the story of a trans teacher who discovers who she is in her mid-30s. In reality, Erica has always known she's a woman but has hidden her true identity for her entire life. When she encounters a trans student named Abigail, Erica begins the process of coming out and coming in to her true self. This is a lovely story of identity but it is also hard to read, especially in our current political climate that demonizes trans people. It is a necessary book. Highly recommended.

This book is a powerhouse! A vulnerable and beautiful story about the quiet power of connection, identity, and self-discovery. It follows Erica Skyberg, a high school teacher navigating the complexities of transition, and Abigail, a transgender student. Their friendship blossoms and the story unfolds with humor, heartbreak, and ultimately, hope. I was rooting for the characters from the first page and genuinely did not want it to end!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Zando, & Crooked Media Reads for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think this will be one of *the* LGBTQ books of 2025... a fantastic story of trans womanhood and the joy and pain that can be experienced from that identity. A really beautiful story, incredibly moving!

Impressive debut novel about a HS teacher who is just realizing that she's trans and coming to terms with that and finding a role model in a trans student. Overall, really good. There are a couple of storylines that distract and I was nervous about the teacher/student power dynamic, but overall an empathetic and real novel about finding yourself and being supportive of humans living their lives authentically.

I mostly enjoyed this story about a small town high school teacher, who has just acknowledged to herself that she is trans, and the unlikely friendship she develops with a student, the only openly trans person in their very conservative community.
The struggle between staying safe and hidden, or living authentically while facing the wrath of others was portrayed with sensitivity and honesty. No part of that seems easy.
There were a couple of plot points, though, that I thought were a little weak, kind of overkill.
Thanks to #netgalley and #zandocrookedmediareads for this #arc of #woodworking in exchange for an honest review.

In many ways, "Woodworking" is not only a timely novel, but an essential novel. Unfortunately, with Trump threatening libraries and schools for anything DEI, this novel may have a hard time making it into public school libraries, which is where it would be most appreciated, since one of the main characters is a high school trans girl. The other main character is her trans teacher, who is still going by "Mr." at school.. Both characters are trying to come to terms with discrimination, families, friendships, and adjusting to their new world as being trans in a relatively closed small town in South Dakota. Much of the novel takes place at the high school, which will interest YA readers a great deal. The family dynamics of the newly divorced teacher, whose ex-wife is pregnant, may interest readers also, but probably not as much as the teen character.

I absolutely LOVED this book. No notes. The two protagonists were both fabulously well-formed and so achingly authentic. This book was deep, it was funny, it was surprising, it was so well-written (debut, how?!). Easy 5 stars.

Abigail is a 17-year-old high school senior. Erica is a 35-year-old English teacher and theater director. Both women are transgender. But Erica is only now being honest with herself. She turns to Abigail for advice, and the pair form an unlikely friendship.
Their small town of Mitchell, South Dakota, isn't exactly trans-friendly, though. So when Abigail begins to date the son of a prominent Christian woman, she faces some tough decisions. Erica must also navigate her relationship with her ex-wife and possible loss of all that's familiar. In the end, will love for self and others be enough to help the women survive and thrive?
I greatly appreciated this book. It offers a small look at what it's really like to be trans.
The book can also offer an education to curious folks. For example, I liked the tips to Google questions rather than ask trans folks for education.
And the author mentions the characters' dead names only once, which is respectful.
Two things I didn't like - all the profanity, so many fs! And the relationship between teacher/student did cross ethical boundaries, which is never okay.
Everyone can hide in the woodwork and disappear. This book can encourage readers to own their true identities and be exactly who they are created to be.

One of my favorites of the year, Woodworking is heart-breaking and heart-warming with characters that I loved spending time with. Abigail is especially endearing as a teenager who really felt like a teenager to me, precocious sometimes cruel, still a kid who needs protection and care and who inspires others. I will be recommending this book to everyone, but especially as a book club selection!