the type of book that makes me feel physically ill because of how much i love it. this novel follows a couple, tom and ming. and then ming realises he, or rather she, is trans. of course, that brings forward some issues to deal with in their relationship 😭💗
the plot was essentially just tom and ming figuring it out, and that was truly precious. it's about discovering your identity, learning to be vulnerable (aka to 'show your belly' to someone, kinda like a cat), and becoming comfortable with yourself. speaking of showing your belly like a cat, i really love the title of the book.
ming is my favourite character by far. she is so precious to me. when it comes to representation, i think she’s good ocd rep along with obviously being trans. speaking of which, i find ming relatable purely because of the way she deals with her transness. it’s not 100% relatable to me cause i’m not a trans woman, but still. i think ming’s complicated relationships with several people in her life are beautiful. i love the way she thinks and sees the world. amazing character ♡ 
also absolutely adore the writing style. the author describing the mundane parts of the characters’ days is something i really enjoyed, though it’s not for everyone. either way, so beautiful and made me emotional. apparently this is a debut novel??? unbelievable considering how good it is.