Book Review: Almost Perfect

Title: Almost Perfect
Author: Brian Katcher
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Published:2009
Rating: 

Brief Overview: When Logan meets Sage, he thinks he may have found the girl to help him get over his ex. The only problem is that Sage has a secret that nothing could have prepared Logan for.

Themes: Transgender teens, Relationships, friendship, family

Impressions: I was nervous to give my impressions of this book because I am nowhere near an expert on transgender issues but I liked this book. There are parts of it that could be construed as offensive, but I think that the author was just giving a realistic idea of the prejudices and attitudes of certain characters in the book and the obstacles faced by Trans* teens. I enjoyed the writing in this book. Its style reminded me a lot of David Levithan's writing,so fans of his books might like it. The originality of the themes caught my attention and the events that unfolded were quite realistic in my opinion. I think that Almost Perfect was a good representation of high school life, small town life, and the challenges, misconceptions and downright hatred that people face for being different. The characters seemed a bit stereotypical at times and the book continued just a tiny bit past when I thought it should have ended, but those issues were minor. I really enjoyed Almost Perfect, but I was also curious to see what Trans* readers thought of it, so naturally I turned to Tumblr for answers. This reader was not impressed and I do think she brings up a lot of good points, but on the other hand, the author's note at the book's end makes it clear that he had the best intentions for writing Almost Perfect, and relied on stories and input from transgender teens.

If you liked Almost Perfect, you might like: 
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Have you read Almost Perfect? Did you enjoy it or find it offensive?