The body riddle—What if the body you fought for no longer fits the life you built before it?
When Lex finally receives a date for their chest surgery, they’re not sure if they want to go through with it. But it’s been a year since they’ve had sex with their cis partner, Ada, who believes Lex’s surgery will rekindle their kinky dynamic.
When surgery doesn’t have the outcome either expects, Lex, in the spirit of their non-monogamous relationship, tries to support Ada's new romance with Noah, a cis man. But Lex’s jealousy spirals—Is Ada replacing them? And does she prefer cis masculinity after all?
Then Lex meets Sadie, a magnetic nonbinary coworker who awakens a new attraction. Lex thought they were only attracted to women and has never dated another trans person. Unsure about their changing sexuality, Lex hides the budding romance from Ada. As secrets build, Lex must decide what kind of love—and life—they really want.
Sharp, intimate, and tender, The Body Riddle is about queer longing, identity, and the messy beauty of reconfiguring desire on your own terms.
The body riddle—What if the body you fought for no longer fits the life you built before it?
When Lex finally receives a date for their chest surgery, they’re not sure if they want to go through with it. But it’s been a year since they’ve had sex with their cis partner, Ada, who believes Lex’s surgery will rekindle their kinky dynamic.
When surgery doesn’t have the outcome either expects, Lex, in the spirit of their non-monogamous relationship, tries to support Ada's new romance with Noah, a cis man. But Lex’s jealousy spirals—Is Ada replacing them? And does she prefer cis masculinity after all?
Then Lex meets Sadie, a magnetic nonbinary coworker who awakens a new attraction. Lex thought they were only attracted to women and has never dated another trans person. Unsure about their changing sexuality, Lex hides the budding romance from Ada. As secrets build, Lex must decide what kind of love—and life—they really want.
Sharp, intimate, and tender, The Body Riddle is about queer longing, identity, and the messy beauty of reconfiguring desire on your own terms.
| Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — May 19, 2026 |
| Specifications | 368 pages | 5.25 in x 8 in |
| Keywords | Kink Books; Books for Transitioning; Zoe Whittall; Gay Books; Books for Gays; Queer Reads; Queer Fiction; CanLit; Autistic Authors; Literary Fiction; Jen Beagin; Trans Authors; Pride Month Reads; Trans Day of Visibility; Open Relationship; Lit Fic; Trans Experience; Top Surgery; Gender; Gender Affirming Care; |
| Written By |
SAM K MACKINNON is a queer, trans writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Treaty 1 territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. Their writing has been published in Catapult, Prairie Fire, CBC, them., and elsewhere. Sam was nominated for the John Hirsch Emerging Manitoba Writer Award in 2022. |
| Written By |
|
SAM K MACKINNON is a queer, trans writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Treaty 1 territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. Their writing has been published in Catapult, Prairie Fire, CBC, them., and elsewhere. Sam was nominated for the John Hirsch Emerging Manitoba Writer Award in 2022. |
"Personal and heartfelt, gentle and raw, utterly human in all those beautiful imperfect ways, The Body Riddle is the best kind of book.” —katherena vermette
”“The Body Riddle is a dynamic debut from one of the most compelling new voices in Canadian fiction.” —K.R. Byggdin, author of Wonder World
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