REVIEW: Bellies by Nicola Dinan

Genre: Fiction | Literary Fiction | LGBTQ+

Release Date: Expected 6th July 2023

Publisher: Random House UK | Transworld Publishers

When Tom met Ming, it was instant attraction. And not just because of their beauty, but something magnetic that drew him in. As their lives start to intertwine, and their future starts to form in front of them; Ming tells Tom she's transitioning, that she's finally ready to tell people she's a woman.

As their journey through life spans continents, years and troubles - we find them years later as very different people to the ones that met and fell in love all those years ago. But they need to ask themselves - Can they really know the people they'll become if they don't let go of the past? Are they the same people anymore? And what's next if they aren't?

"I've been thinking about how the trunks of trees bend and curve when they grow next to each other. Their closeness reads on the shape in front of them, and you can infer the shape of one from the shape of another. When you know someone and you grow together, your shape and form become theirs."

A stunning story that holds a mirror up to our very nature, incisively looking into the many changes we go through in our lives and the many identities we try on until we find our true self.

Tom and Ming are both testaments to the fact that people are complicated. We are made up of so many nuanced parts that are ever-changing. Sexuality, gender, passion, confidence, relationship, heritage, health - all these little facets that fit together to create our sense of identity. Both of them are still figuring out all the little details, and it's equally beautiful and painful to watch.

The story moves at a leisurely pace, almost like a conversation - but with poetic, songlike prose in places. Art imitates life, and their story gets complicated; they deal with body image, identity, love - both giving us their perspective with their own distinctly beautiful voices.

Despite their differences, they are sides of one coin - Tom has spent many years coming to terms with his own sexuality, now to find himself in love with a woman. Ming has spent years living as a gay man, only to accept she's a straight woman. Their world is unfamiliar and frightening - but their relationship was a shining example of two people in crisis - trying to support each other through difficulty and dark times, but also showing the conflict and confusion. Their relationship shows that people are ever changing and growing, and that every person we meet leaves something behind in our lives.

This is an amazing and tender exploration into identity and human connection.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.

cw: transphobia, dysmorphia, eating disorders, self harm, sex, homophobia, drugs.