Rebent Sinner by Ivan E. Coyote

Rebent Sinner Reviews

• 
  CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian

  4.5 stars. What a treat and privilege to get a new Ivan Coyote book! I've been reading their work for a decade and it always makes me feel strengthened and empowered and full of community. It's a collection of personal essays, anecdotes, and other unclassifiable memoir-ish stuff, with an often more elegiac tone than I've seen in their writing before. Ivan writes about their work talking to schools about anti-bullying, being in the world as a queer non-binary person (esp. being used as a spokesperson), queer elders, travel, family, and random human connections. Although they write about tough stuff and do not suffer oppressive bullshit, this collection leaves me feeling like I can face the world. The power of storytelling indeed. Full review on
  my blog here!
• 
  Emmkay

  I always enjoy Ivan Coyote's writing - would love to see them perform one day, as they tour with their storytelling. Rebent Sinner (a lovely play on words from a poorly-executed 'repent sinner' card tucked under their windshield) is very similar in structure, themes, and tone to other work of theirs that I've read, and benefited from my already having been familiar with their story. Not new territory, and also maybe not the best place to start if one is new to Coyote.
  
  It's a series of autobiographical vignettes, musings, and memories of life as a queer, non-binary writer and performer - life in their working class family (if you've read Coyote before, you'll recognize some of their family members), life on the road touring (small towns where the local theatre didn't realize Coyote was trans when they were booked, schools where their voice is critical to isolated young people, literary festivals where they find out at the last minute that they're supposedly there to speak 'on diversity'), midlife as part of a queer community (interesting reflections on queer elders, and books and music that were important to their sense of self when they were were younger - I was especially interested to read about the impact of
  Stone Butch Blues as I read it last year) and, as seemingly always for trans people, the endlessly fraught and sadly dangerous question of where to pee when out in public.
  
  Coyote is one of those 'very online' people - one essay is about a post of theirs that went viral - but their work doesn't annoy me the way that of some breathlessly very online people does. As ever, their writing is humorous, generous, and thoughtful, and calls on the reader to be the same. A quick read easily finished in a day, but enriching. 3.5.
• 
  Corvus

  Rebent Sinner is Ivan Coyote's memoir/autobiography told through magnificent short stories, essays, and letters. Coyote's skilled story telling made this book more enjoyable than most memoirs and the like that I have read. I cannot think of one that was formatted in the creative and interesting way that this one was, alternating stories that ranged from one sentence to many pages.
  
  Coyote invoked a wide range of emotions in me with this book. There were times I would laugh out loud, times I would be nodding my head, times that my heart hurt, times that I felt understood and met, and many other feelings. Gender and sexuality are obviously large parts of this book given who Ivan Coyote is and the intention conveyed in the book's description. But, Coyote has a way of telling truths without, frankly, making me feel endlessly depressed after reading them. There is a kindness and honesty to their work that allows them to convey the whole picture of what it is like to move through the world as we Queer and trans people do. They capture the daily grind of what it's like for many of us who move through the world as visibly trans and gender non-conforming people.
  
  Coyote holds human beings' complexities at the center of their stories. There is discussion of LGBTQ elders, or lack thereof, throughout some of the stories that reminded me of how few there often are. Coyote and I have a lot of things in common, being cross-stitching non-binary butches who are read in the world in different ways by different people every day. We also have a lot of wonderful differences such as age, residence, and experience. I saw myself in many of their stories and was grateful for the history lessons told through them. I felt that Coyote captured the complexities of generation gaps between LGBTQ people of different ages without falling into ageist tropes against older or younger people.
  
  One thing I truly appreciated about many of Coyote's tellings was the humor brought to each situation. There are countless misgenderings that I related to that Coyote helped me laugh about. We share similar feelings about inevitable ways that people gender us, but they took what can often be anxiety-inducing situations and helped me smile and see them in a different light, or just made them feel less defeating overall. There is something that happens when all of the stories we read about ourselves are of terror and violence. That said, Coyote did not shy away from the realities of when things are truly terrifying such as AIDS crises of the 80's and 90's and trying to navigate abuse or violence in public bathrooms in (big and) small towns. Coyote did not shy away from the discomfort of being on stage in front of largely cishet audiences that they knew were visually dissecting their body piece by piece. I actually learned a lot about the critical need to be patient, intentional, and to take our time when responding to others' well-intentioned ignorance (when possible.)
  
  Coyote also has a lot of social commentary peppered throughout that isn't specifically based in stories of personal experiences. Their discussions of safer spaces, education, bridging generation gaps, changing with times that must change, seeing and being seen help this memoir extend even further outside the boundaries of the genre.
  
  All in all, this was a beautiful and engaging book that was an absolute joy to read. Rebent Sinner is due out in November of 2019 and is definitely worth picking up regardless of the demographics you come from.
  
  This was also posted to
  my blog.
• 
  Madigan Likes to Read

  I elect not to rate this one, as it was a DNF for me.
  
  Perhaps this isn't the best entry point into Ivan Coyote's work. Or perhaps Ivan Coyote's work is not for me.
  
  My expectation was that this would be a memoir with commentary on the trans experience and the issues trans people face. And it was? But also wasn't. Instead it was a series of nonlinear slices of life told in incredibly short snippets. Often in those snippets Coyote relates an uncomfortable experience resulting in discrimination because they are trans. But sometimes those snippets featured mundane things, like walking their dog or going to the grocery store. While the overall theme seems to be the trans experience, there is little to no commentary or insight linking one snippet to another, or linking these snippets to the broader issues that trans people must confront. It's more like a meandering retelling of everyday moments. A friend likened it to reading short entries in a stranger's journal at random, and I agree with that.
  
  This is an intimate work and I think having prior knowledge of Coyote and their work may have benefitted me here. Fans will likely love this but newcomers like me may find it difficult to penetrate.
  
  I listened to the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by the author. I think this gives the listener insight into Coyote's personality and makes this a more intimate work.
• 
  Sarah

  In Rebent Sinner, Ivan Coyote describes themselves as a a heart-storyteller, like their friend Richard Wagamese. These are their stories. Short, profound, funny, touching, thought-provoking essays. You will be moved.
  “Being trans is a part of me, and of course it informs how I view my place in the world, and I’m well aware of the fact that it is THE thing about me for some people, but for me it’s just one of the things that I am. I’m a Yukoner.  I’m am a fan of Scandinavian crime novels. I can only eat bananas if they are still a little bit green. I’m ambidextrous.  Is that a metaphor, or maybe foreshadowing I’m also a storyteller.”
• 
  Donna

  I don't hug a lot of books. But, I hugged this one. Just what I needed.
  
  Confirmed: Ivan Coyote is my favorite living author.
• 
  Frankie

  Going in, I thought this was going to be a memoir, or a more traditional essay collection. It wasn't quite that. To me, the format of very very short essay/thought was hard to get into. I preferred the longer pieces. Still, it was clear how thoughtful and kind Coyote is, and that's always nice.
• 
  J

  I’ve been saving this book for months since it came out- to have something to look forward to reading in the future. Got bad enough today that I just picked it up and ripped through over the evening. No bookmark needed. Something analogous to what I was sad about was mentioned early in the book so there were tears but I did laugh later on in the book. The book kept me alive for a few hours so I think that’s the best recommendation I can give.
• 
  Karen

  This is the first Ivan Coyote book that I haven't liked. Most of the stories didn't feel like stories - many were two-sentence observations, some seemingly random. Also, Ivan seems tired and angry, as opposed to their usual (previous) warm, hopeful, and funny tone. This is totally justifiable, and maybe more honest than the earlier books, but I'm sorry to say it isn't as enjoyable to read.
• 
  Alexis

  This book was so lovely. It's a series of short vignettes about Coyote's life, touring, memories and the people they encounter. They tell stories about human interactions and also about the painful things they encounter as a trans person. There's a lot of humour in the book as well.
  
  I found the book both uplifting, and it made me miss small interactions with lovely people.
• 
  Ellen-Arwen Tristram

  First of all, thank you to Netgalley and Bespeak Audio Editors for the opportunity to listen to an audiobook of this, it was a real pleasure.
  
  This is actually the first of Ivan Coyote's work that I've read, which I now realise means I've been missing out on so much! They write so well, so thoughtfully, methodically and emotionally. I know the last two might seem to cancel each other out but they truly don't. Coyote writes from the heart but I also felt a real sense of understanding as a trans ally. Heck, I am very close to some trans people - and this just reminded me how very different everyone's experiences are.
  
  Rebent Sinner is a collection of (personal) essays, anecdotes, short stories, letters, and other memoir-type material; it's almost like a patchwork quilt. Each piece is fascinating and brilliant at the same time, and is transformed when you look at it is a whole. The joy of the varied writing is you are constantly made to rethink your perspective, which is entirely the point of such a piece of writing.
  
  Despite many micro (or larger) aggressions, emotional trauma and generally quite hard-going stuff, I really appreciated Coyote's use of humour. It helped me to put things in perspective when I occasionally misgender people (of course, this doesn't mean I will stop trying to always use people's preferred gender, but it may allow me to cut down on the hours angsting afterwards. Misgendering does happen, even from the best-hearted people).
  
  I really appreciated the explanations of anxiety - specifically about toilets, with some startling statistics about how many times you're likely to use a public bathroom! - because I feel that I may have gained a greater understanding. When I am with transgender people and they are misgendered in bathrooms specifically, it is difficult to know how to respond. I'm not saying that Coyote has given me all the answers, and of course I will never understand truly, being cis-gendered, but I appreciate the detailed explanation of the whole miasma of feelings, the exhaustion of it all. I do hope things will change...
  
  There's also a lot of social commentary sprinkled throughout the text, which I enjoyed. I'd like to explore more of Coyote's work; their discussion of LGTBQIA+ elders resonated particularly with me, and I wonder if they have written anything more on it?
  
  The book was narrated by the author - perfect! - but I think this probably works better as a physical book (hence the lower rating). Seeing the different formats on the page may have helped with a few cases of slight confusion, that's all.
  
  Definitely recommend.
• 
  Connie

  Nominee for the OLA Evergreen Award
  
  Maybe even 4.5 stars.
  
  Rebent Sinner is the third book I've read for the Evergreen Award this year and the third memoir written by a member of a marginalized group. I was a little bit taken aback when I started Rebent Sinner, both
  I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder: A Memoir and
  The Skin We're In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power have a lot of references in their essays and are presented in a vaguely chronological order. Rebent Sinner is nothing like that.
  
  I read the first twenty pages confused about where my well researched and bullet proof essays were until I put down Rebent Sinner and came back to it. Then I flew through the remainder of the book. I have not stopped to read out loud and share so much of a book in ages. There's praise on the back of the book from the Globe and Mail that says "Coyote [...] refuses to centre trans-ness as the single primary concern in trans lives" and I think that better describes the book than the official back. Rebent Sinner is a snapshot into Coyote's life, not just the parts where they've been spotlighted for being trans.
  
  Coyote's work is about their experience at home, on tour, with family, with old friends. Each of the essays are grouped in "topics"; there's a bunch of essays about family which are presented in no chronological order. Some of the essays are really long and some of them are hilarious one-liners. I don't think there is a single essay in this book that I didn't find valuable. I've spent past few days thinking about "If he was a lone wolf, why are there so many of them?" with a mixture of tears and a heavy heart. It calls so much of what I am feeling to the forefront right now.
  
  Coyote writes about how "Straight male authors get to write about what they write about. [...] The rest of us are expected to write about who we are." I cannot wait until the day where Coyote gets to write about a topic that isn't their trans-ness, but whatever story they want to tell.
• 
  Magdelanye

  It's all well and good to say what you think. But the catch here is that this, by definition, requires that you think. p87
  
  Ivan Coyote is everybodys favourite transsexual. Affable, witty, most of all non-threatening to those of all persuasions, they have achieved significant success as a role model for those unsure of how to escape the gender mold. In reinventing themself, Coyote holds out the possibility for everyone.
  
  Our job is to see this as an honour, not a chore. That will make us so much better at it. p182
  
  Rebent Sinner contains a plethora of one, maybe two, liners and some deep wisdom, all delivered in their staunch, rather deadpan way.
  
  DON'T CATCH A FALLING CACTUS is universally good advice. PLEASE HOLD ON
  But Coyote goes further than the evocative quips they offer, and their riffs on memory, identity, attachment, loneliness and social justice merit attention.
  
  We often assemble ourselves around the remains of our own trauma....So we stumble and falter and build our identities without any blueprints. p96
  
  We are in danger at all times now of forgetting our elders. Forgetting to cry to their songs and to learn from their work. p161
  
  I used to think I would only forget the stuff that didn't really matter. But that has not happened at all. You just forget. p171
  
  I'm glad that IC remembers their sense of humour! However, I am giving the last word to her dad, seriously inquiring.
  
  It's getting better, isn't it? I mean, aside from shit like this, isn't it getting better? p20
• 
  sidney⋆⁺₊⋆

  I had never heard of Ivan before this but I'm so glad I do know now! Their writing is really beautiful and really balances the hard-hitting with the humor. This style of book with sort of memoir vignettes and anecdotes was really fun and works well with their writing style. Some parts are the sort of comedic slice of life that I feel would fit very well with a standup show. But while there is a lot of humor, Ivan writes with so much care about everything they've been through— now that they are older, it's seasoned with a lot of perspective and wisdom concerning what it's like to like as a trans and nonbinary through years of social change and so many different experiences.
  
  Ivan themselves narrates the audiobook which I always always love, and this one felt particularly special and personal. This little book is really a look into their personality and life as an older queer person and having them give voice to that in the audiobook felt like they were telling me their stories, person to person. I absolutely want to check out more by Ivan since this was such a lovely read!
  
  Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this book.
• 
  Theo Micolino

  queer! good!
• 
  Victoria

  Wow! Wow! Wow! Read this book!
• 
  Valarie

  I put this in my "short stories" category, but really it's a collection of vignettes. I loved the style, which was unique and not something I ever would have considered could become a book. There are so many memorable and quotable passages. If you're at all interested in the craft of writing, gender identity, rural Canada, or 1980s queer culture, this book is a must-have for your shelf. Coyote has amazing way of creating the time and place without being overly verbose. My only critique is that, at times, this seemed less like a cohesive book, and more like a collection of Tweets.
• 
  Sonia Nair

  A thoughtful, generous and gentle book of vignettes about the fatigue of performing trauma as a minority in front of a majority, forgetting, unbecoming and unlearning corrosive societal conditioning, how to forge a path ahead as a writer and a queer person when there are no role models, and the harm wrought by the catchall phrase “diversity”. Coyote is a wonder and I'm so glad to have discovered them in my first read of 2020.
• 
  Denver Public Library

  This one felt like an intimate letter or the inside of a journal, with beautiful short reflective vignettes. Coyote’s writing is breathtaking, and singularly breaks down what it means to walk through the world in a body that defies societal expectations. What I liked most about this work was how they blurred the lines between the political and the personal, showing the ways in which even that dichotomy is collapsed in the embodied reality of so many, at once invisible and hypervisible. But this isn’t just about hardship and tragedy, it’s about those small moments that lead the way, highlighting the importance of family however it is made, the connections that we make, and the small joys that can bring joy and laughter.
• 
  Amanda

  Ivan Coyote continues to be a master storyteller. Even though this book was a little short, I found that I enjoyed the format since the stories were poignant snapshots of absurd, heartbreaking, and infuriating moments in Ivan's daily life. This book had me alternating between laughter and tears and occasionally had me doing both at the same time.
• 
  AJ Nolan

  Was given this for my birthday and I read it in about four hours - absolutely loved it. As a trans-non-binary person myself, I felt so absolutely reflected in Ivan's story.
• 
  Ai Miller

  I! Love! Nuanced! Trans! Butch! Writing! This was just so beautifully written, every little vignette was so rich and detailed and beautiful. I think maybe there are some things that feel like they are more explicitly for cis people than trans folks, but I think there are definitely pieces that are for trans folks, for queer folks. I don't know that every single piece feels like fresh in the larger world of like Trans Discourse, but I am nonetheless so, so grateful for Coyote's voice in the world, and the different ways they show us navigating it. Also the piece about trans elders made me bawl like a baby.
• 
  Janine Dukelow

  Wow I love Ivan forever
• 
  Amy

  I always love Ivan's writing and I enjoyed this. It read like a series of journal entries or facebook posts, which are enjoyable and meaningful because Ivan wrote them, but it's good to be aware if what to expect. I could have taken more anger and less folksiness in some of their reactions to tough stuff, but that wouldn't be their style.
• 
  Kim

  Better than ever.
• 
  emery

  as a nonbinary lesbian living in the vancouver area, this hit hard
• 
  Rory McCreight

  Good reco, mom