K A T E R I N A

Character, book, and author names under the cut

(Yes theyre wearing each others clothes and that’s a laurel branch for Daphne and a rabbit plush for Silas <3)

I’ve never felt as seen as when I read this book. Truly one of my favourite pieces of literature

Throughout the entire book, Crane hates Jess for being an almost near identical look to him pre-transition. He almost hyperfixates on it, because of whatever is going on with him and Levi. In contrast to Hannah, whose defining trait is that she's young and has a nose that makes her look like a pixie. His parents, who he never came out to, still have that hope that he's alive, just remembering him pre-T. Jess, a girl who's also technically missing and being abused, is a girl that looked like Crane before the hive.

His parents never stopped looking for him. They never stopped. They were there because of course Jess was spotted walking to the hive- just reported as a different missing person. Reported as it "might be that Sophie girl" and they investigated. They probably went to the hospital she was admitted to, and followed that lead back to Washville.

And of course it's his dad that recognized him- post-T, middle of detransition, pregnant and in the middle of labor. Because his dad would know what Sophie would've looked like as a son, because his mom was still remembering him as their daughter. They weren't prepared.

And we can reasonably assume that Cranes been there for the better part of two years by the time the book starts- 20 months on T, add the month to settle in and the time it probably took to get a fake ID and fake prescription for HRT. Which would place him at 19, except for the fact that he turned 18 with the hive, and makes him 21 at the start. So... give or take three years as a missing persons case?

I'm not including the pregnancy time because there's no mention of a birthday in the book (but like... why would there be in the first place) other than it's the middle of winter by the time it ends. No mention of holidays either but Crane mentions having family up in Ohio for them to potentially visit.

But his parents being there- convenient, unless that nurse reported Jess as a missing person, as Sophie, because they look alike. And if it's only been nearly three years, they probably never stopped. They never stopped looking for Crane, and looking in all the wrong places until Jess goes to the hospital. Crane saving Jess, attempting to save Jess, brought his parents to him. In a way he didn't even see. He didn't even think about his parents looking for him, because he thought they'd believe he's dead.

But what parent gives up so easily? What parent looks at their perfectly normal, overachieving and slightly odd teenaged daughter and thinks, "Oh god, she killed herself" and not "Oh god, someone took her." Especially when Cranes parents have political connections.