Firstborn By Lorie Ann Grover

             

               In this coming of Age novel written for young adults, we are presented with a society that accepts firstborn males but rejects first born girls. With the girl babies, the priest takes her out and leaves her exposed to die. Only the male is allowed to live because the strength of the tribe is in the first born male. The leadership is invested in him.

                The only way a girl can survive is to be proclaimed a declared male. The father has to do this at the moment of delivery But so far no declared male has ever made it through the initiation process every male has to undergo to become a leader.

`               If she is able to hide her sex and complete the initiation she will be the first to do so and this will open acceptance of girls as firstborns. They will no longer have to hide under the guise of declared males.

                The story was interesting. I felt though that Grover picked too large a subject. I found myself wondering why the males didn’t see Tiadone as female. She didn’t use the latrine at the same time as they. She had to shower at odd times. She couldn’t stop being a female body structure wise. 

                This book is best read by Junior High readers on up.
                 This was sent to be free by Booklook as one of their reviewers. I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own and do not reflect the publishers.