REVIEW: Trudi by Adrienne Nash

Trudi is billed as part one of what is promised to be a serialized account of the life of one particular transgender person, a précis that, according to the author Adrienne Nash, is “loosely based upon real events in [her] life.” Trudi begins as the tale of a young girl, trapped in a boy’s body, who begins to free herself from the charade of her “maleness” at a very young age, and eventually, by mid-teenage years, with the assistance of hormones and surgery, morphs into a lovely and very desirable young woman, though not without some significant emotional baggage.

Written in a free-flowing style, this excellent book is awash in a sea of sensuality as evidenced by the vivid descriptions of the soft and sexy ladies’ fabrics and the uniquely special feelings Trudi experiences while wearing women’s high couture on the “catwalk, no less, in her six inch heels!  We are like a “fly on the wall” as the author takes us behind the scenes to the world of high fashion.  Along the way, the author presents us with wonderful word pictures conveying the essence of gourmet dining, tastings of the finest wines and vivid descriptions of the glamorous cities visited by our heroine. There is some wonderful dialogue, too. Oh yes, there is also rape, blackmail and retribution!

On another level, Trudi is a beautiful love story about gentle courtship and romance of the kind that only occurs when one is loved unconditionally and then eventually realizes they are actually deserving of this singular honor. In real life, this type of experience seems to happen only when one is finally able to first come to terms with loving and accepting one’s own self. This is what  Trudi conveys so beautifully, as "Tim" develops fully into "Trudi", finally achieving and experiencing the self-esteem and confidence she lacked as a boy.

One hopes that the author will quickly follow up with a continuation in the form of a Trudi (2). We badly need to find the answers to some very important questions. Will Trudi ever achieve success in her professional and educational pursuits?  Does the kind and generous mentor Simon have an axe to grind, or is he really on the level?  Tune in soon, I hope, and find out the answers to these very pressing questions!


[Reviewed by Samuel]