Annabel by Kathleen Winter

Jacinta and Treadway Blake live in a part of Canada called Labrador and they get a baby they name Wayne.

Wayne is born with both male and female reproductive organs (in different stages of development). They decide to raise him as male. Thomasina is a friend of the family who lost her daughter Annabel. She calls the baby Annabel but goes off travelling the world.

The word intersex is not used in the book. The word hermaphrodite is used.

The book is about how Wayne's family try to bring him up, without causing harm and stress even with their understanding of what male/female could be. Treadway wants  a son and Wayne tries to be a son. Jacinta and Thomasina want Annabel.

Jacinta, when visiting the hospital for first time.. "Everyone was trying to define everything so carefully, Jacinta felt; they wanted to annihilate all questions."
 


The book is set in Canada, telling stories about people who I have not read about. The characters are interesting and could be incredible even as they are possible because that is how humanity is. While the place is cold and bleak, the story is warm and it has a happy ending. There are a lot of details which give an insight into the culture.

This review says that there is a sense of implausibility.

But that wasn't a problem for me, because books do not have to reflect real life and there are many times in real life  which would seem implausible if I ever wrote them down.

The book is recommended.