Hello! I’m here to talk about a “moving YA debut about a trans boy finding his voice — and himself.” **And as always, the work to support the Black community is not done, whether there is media coverage for it or not, so here is the link to click in order to support the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can, and thank you to StarlahReads for compiling these resources. You can also visit the description of this video by booktuber Jess Owens, which has links to several additional resources about global events.**
When scrolling through the books to request on NetGalley, the cover for Between Perfect and Real caught my eye. After reading the synopsis, I was immediately intrigued. A debut YA contemporary written by queer and nonbinary writer Ray Stoeve, the book centers a young trans boy named Dean cast as a male lead in a school play, before he is out at school. Following his journey with his confidence and his identity truly warmed my heart. Trans and nonbinary individuals exist, and their stories, fictional or otherwise, deserve to be told.
Dean Foster knows he’s a trans guy. But to everyone else – his parents, his friends, and his classmates – Dean is a lesbian. When he auditions for the role of Lady Capulet in the school’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet senior year, he is surprised to find the director, Mr. Harrison, has cast him as Romeo. As rehearsal progresses, and the play allows Dean to realize more about himself, he wonders whether he should stay in the closet until college, which was his plan, or come out sooner. Can playing a character, performing on stage, help Dean realize who he wants to be, and strive to make it known? I guess we’ll have to wait for act three.
I just want to say that I’m glad this book, and others that center teen trans identites, are being written and can be found by people who are searching to see themselves represented in literature. Dean’s journey through understanding his identity, finding those who understand his struggles, and knowing those who love him will fight against hate by his side was lovely to read about. The struggle to get through to his mother, who we find does not accept his true self, perhaps due to a closed-minded upbringing, was heartbreaking, but I cheered Dean on as he defended himself, and fought back against his dad who wanted to be complacent on the matter in order to keep peace in their household. Not only that, but this book also explores the uncertainty about the future that comes from senior year of college – you can have all these aspirations, and hope to stay in touch with those closest to you now, but one moment can change the future and throw a wrench in your carefully constructed plans. Dean’s friendship group was strong, and protected him against harm that resulted from classmates’ unacceptance, while also respecting his decisions and gave him the space to think things through and find what is best for him. I loved how there is so much emphasis on giving yourself time to figure things out – teens, especially those heading off to college, are expected to have all the answers to their future, and while some do follow through, others pursue paths that they had never planned on following, and that’s perfectly ok. Dean may not have all the answers at the end of this book, not even a definitive answer about if he wants to starts testosterone, but he’s found people who will support him no matter what, and help him through the tough decisions making process. I was rooting for him the entire time.
Lightly, though distinctly, this book also discusses the unequal treatment provided by law enforcement officials. When theater teacher and play director, Mr. Harrison, approaches Dean, and tells him that he could choose to report Blake to police for his actions of physical violence and hurtful language, it sparks a conversation among Dean and his friends about the unfair treatment towards BIPOC and queer individuals by police. They say that since Blake is “straight and white,” he might not get punished, and if he does it won’t be severely and it will just make him hate Dean even more. Dean also remembers a time when he and his best friend Ronnie, who is Black, were followed around the mall by security guards, and when Ronnie left to find a bathroom they chose to follow him. With movements that have garnered national and international attention regarding racial inequality by police spanning the last few years, I found the discussion significant.
All in all, I believe individuals of varying identities will be able to relate to Dean’s story, or at least appreciate it for what it’s worth. His is a journey of acceptance, independence, uncertainty, and figuring out your place in the world. As an ally of the trans community, I will continue to support media that shares their stories and allows their voices to be heard and spread to far away places. I think Ray Stoeve did an incredible job with their debut, and I cannot wait to read more from them in the future. Between Perfect and Real is set to release on April 13th, 2021, which is only a few months away, so if you’re at all interested in picking this book up, I highly recommend preordering yourself a copy (and if you’d like to help support a local indie bookstore, find one here). I can’t wait for this book to be in the hands of teens who need it most. **Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Amulet Books, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Where to find Between Perfect and Real:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Ray Stoeve’s site
Abrams
Thoughts About Things 