Stag DanceStag Dance
What it's about
A novel and three stories by Torrey Peters, author of Detransition, Baby. The title novel is set in a remote logging camp, where the lumberjacks hold a dance at which some of the men must dress as women, and one rough man discovers something about himself. The stories range from a near future where a virus has changed hormones to a teenage romance.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Pulitzer finalist. Peters writes boldly, funnily and tenderly about desire, community and trans experience.
You'll love it if you liked
The Argonauts
The Line of Beauty
Days Without EndGood to know
The title novel is written in an invented, tall-tale voice. There's sexual content.
By the numbers
- Readers10 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #225 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #381 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2233 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Dark, Adventurous
More by Torrey Peters
If you like this, read next
The Library at Mount Char
Annihilation
The Tainted Cup
A Drop of Corruption
The Will of the Many
Framed in DeathExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Stag Dance worth reading?
Yes. It was a Pulitzer finalist. It ranks #2,233 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Stag Dance about?
A novel and three stories by Torrey Peters, author of Detransition, Baby. The title novel is set in a remote logging camp, where the lumberjacks hold a dance at which some of the men must dress as women, and one rough man discovers something about himself. The stories range from a near future where a virus has changed hormones to a teenage romance.
How long does it take to read Stag Dance?
About 7 hours (290 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Stag Dance?
If you liked it, try The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson, The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst or Days Without End by Sebastian Barry.