Almost+Perfect

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

//Now I wish I'd been keeping up with my Goodreads reviews. I read this, but I remember very little about it! Is this still eligible? It's from 2009. It's certainly no Luna or Parrotfish. Maybe I'll reread it and update this little less-than-helpful blurb. -// Julie @ Nashua PL (Couldn't find the option to strikethrough the preceding.) Turns out I did write a Goodreads review of this when I read it a year ago! I gave it 4 out of 5 stars at the time, with some criticisms that make me wonder why I didn't rate it a 3.

From my review: "The main character is a senior and a track runner and a guy living in a trailer in Missouri. And I can mostly like him, but only mostly. When we first meet him, he's moping about his ex-girlfriend. Then he meets the new girl, Sage, and things finally get interesting.

Sage was born a boy, and when she tells him this, he doesn't react well. Then he reacts better. Then he doesn't. Well, but mostly he reacts //okay//. You want to make excuses for him, small town, whitebred boy from the sticks or whatever. But those aren't excuses.

The ending was rather unsatisfying to me. And it definitely feels like the whole point of the book is //his// reaction to everything. Which is.. valid, I suppose, but perhaps not ideally what I wanted out of the book."

And the messed-up timeline also drove me crazy.

I also hate the cover. Something about smeared lipstick turns me right off. It's right up there with cigarettes. - Julie @ Nashua PL

2013 Flume nominations can be published from 2009-2011--Ann

At first I was really annoyed at how quickly Logan cycled through emotions, how completely unstable he seemed. Then, I realized that he's a teenage boy, he has no idea how to handle the situation he's been thrust into and all he is is raw emotion. After that I started to enjoy the book much more, thinking "Hey, he's just reacting the way he knows how". This was the first book I have read that dealt so immediately with gender issues, and in such a real unflinching voice. Sage was who she was and Logan wanted to understand. I loved the passion that was printed on every page. Be it anger or love or lust everything was heightened emotions as I imagine it must feel to be in a situation similar to theirs. I think this would be a great book for the list, if only so that more kids will read it, so that they can understand better. The subject matter is difficult, but the novel was well done. This was a great book about being yourself and knowing that it's okay if you are confused about how you feel in certain situations. A book about how we don't always make the right decisions, but they are our decisions and they all come with consequences.  Brittany MooreHall Memorial Library

 This is a 2011 Stonewall award winner. Personally I like that the protagonist is not the trans person. The Transgender population is such a small percent of our greater population. This book did a great job of dealing with the emotions of an individual who is coming to terms with falling in love with a person who he does not know is trans, and then trying to decide what to do with those emotions. ~ Sharon Flesher-Duffy, Nashua High South

This book was wonderful! Yes, the subject matter was difficult but, as mentioned above, it was handled extremely well. My hope is that teens reading this book will be more understanding of those who are different. Showing what Sage had to go through both physically and emotionally was heartbreaking. She is a character that will remain in my heart. Denise Schaaf, Goffstown Public Library