I enjoyed the story a great deal. An's world building was very rich, painting a broad picture in as few strokes as possible. The brutalizing of the mother and daughter don't bother me at all, as it appears to be, at least in part, accepted aside from the extreme measure the retainer takes against the two women of the family.
To me, this story is woven of many threads, creating an intricate pattern. There is the issue of gender identity and roles, the issue of change, the unexpected, and fear, and then the unique take on (at least to me) a transgender individual and how such changes can shatter old bonds and create new. I have a number of transgender friends (MtF and FtM) and each have described similar experiences (okay, not with a magical basis): confusion; anger; bonds broken; misunderstandings; shattered dreams and trust. This story isn't meant to have a happy ending, which I feel is very valid, but what it does have is a very lifelike ending, one in which circumstances happen, decisions are made, and the people must live with the consequences.
I didn't see the father as being an ass at all. He did not ask to be reborn and in many ways this is as confusing to him as it is to anyone else. The mother's reaction is tragic and heartbreaking and speaks to me as a writer and as a parent. Her reaction is very typical of parents who cannot accept their children after identifying issues of gender identity, and I feel this is very well represented. Her character is also solid within the context of the story. She wants her daughter back, wants to be a mother and have that special bond with her child. The daughter made the best decision she could given the circumstances, and to watch her identity and life unravel touched me on many levels. The priests may not have been the most likeable characters, but they were consistent within the worldview and worked well in the story.
Kudos to An for a great tale.
Sandra