The Art of Being Normal

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That friendship however isn’t strong enough to mask the thin plot of the book. In the first half of the novel the focus is on David and his problems with body dysphoria (which were realistically described, in my cisgender opinion). Not much happens to Leo, apart from him falling in love with Alicia and experiencing some family drama. Two boys. Two secrets. David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl. On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan. When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long… The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson – eBook Details I’m transgender myself and I work with transgender youth, so of course I’m bringing that to the table. I didn’t hate this book – in fact, I quite liked large parts of it, but there are a few issues that drag it down. One of them was that I don't feel like it was written with transgender people in mind as a part of the key audience, unless they're teenagers still trying to figure out even the most basic things. But at the same time, it's a bit of a narrow representation of transgender people.

Nice Guy: Leo's mother's new boyfriend Spike is nothing but kind and friendly towards Leo and his sisters, even though the former openly and persistently dislikes him. Their First Time: Alicia attempts to initiate this between herself and Leo on Bonfire Night. Leo is then forced to come out to her. As in real life, there are ambiguities and will-they/won’t-they moments which Lisa Williamson does not neatly resolve. The reader leaves David and Leo not at the end of their stories, but the end of their beginnings. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the slice Lisa Williamson has conjured into being. David y Leo son dos adolescentes que empiezan el instituto con grandes secretos: David quiere ser una chica, y Leo fue expulsado de su anterior instituto por un turbio asunto del que solo corren rumores. Good Parents: Mr and Mrs Piper, who desperately wish Kate would open up to them. They sweetly extend this kindness to Leo. They're in on the plan to take Kate to a prom where she can be her true self, and her mother even does her makeup and hair for her.Cassandra Truth: Leo's mother claims his father abandoned her when she was still pregnant, which Leo scoffs at. This unfortunately turns out to be true. This is the end of the spoiler section! What comes next are very minor spoilers that have nothing to do with the plot. Even Leo misgendered Kate and called her David all the time, which I found kind all kinds of problematic, for reasons you might understand in the next point. I don't think I've ever been so happy to finish a book. And I don't mean that in a bad way, I literally finished the book with the biggest grin on my face, content with the ending and slightly wanting more Kate (David) and Leo. I'm so glad this book was mainly focused on finding ones true self, as well as true friendship. You know, the type of friendship you'll have for life.

The Art of Being Normal is about two trans characters, both of which have their own point of view. I’m not trans, so my thoughts on this book are not anywhere near as valuable as those with lived experience, so I definitely recommend reading thoughts from trans reviewers. So, my cis thoughts on this book are as follows:Strong Family Resemblance: Leo is pretty much a carbon copy of his Disappeared Dad. Kate also takes after her own father; understandably, she's not happy about it. Have a Gay Old Time: Kate and Leo discuss the upcoming Christmas Ball. When Leo asks what it consists of exactly, Kate innocently asks him "You didn't have balls at Cloverdale?", causing Leo to snort. Doubles as very subtle foreshadowing when it turns out that Leo is trans. The Greatest Story Never Told: Leo's mother's story is alluded to all through the book, but we only get bits of it from Kerry.

Nice Girl: Alicia Baker is not only beautiful but genuinely nice to Leo right from the get go. Though she does react rather negatively when Leo comes out to her, she keeps his secret to herself, and apologizes to him at the end of the book. Hypocrite: Lexi Taylor calls Kate "Freakshow" on the regular, but gets offended the one time she retaliates with a tame "Bubble Brain". Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: What Leo firmly believes for most of the book, but ultimately and heart-breakingly subverted. The characters in the story are really likable. Yes, they fill the stereotypes of those in most YA books today. But I believe the roles they play in this book. I believe the bully is just an ignorant idiot. I believe the musical girl is cool and playful. I believe the tough kid from across town has a roughness and a softness to him. I believe the awkward feminine kid has more to him than meets the eye. And the writing was really impressive. My first book from this author…looking forward to more.David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl. It is David’s isolation and quiet desperation that Williamson captures so well. Biology is sabotaging his longing to be petite and feminine. Time is against him as a rising tide of testosterone elongates his skinny frame, lengthens his penis, makes his pale, blue-veined feet ugly and huge (“Kate Winslet is a size nine” offers his friend Felix encouragingly). David measures himself obsessively, is dismayed at the thought of stubble and covets his mother’s curves. During those rare moments when he is left alone in the house, he dresses up as a girl before wiping away the makeup and feeling like a stranger in his own body once more. While his friends are all making out, or so he imagines, David reflects that he has never had a girl- or boyfriend, never kissed, never even held hands. Lisa Williamson's The Art of Being Normal is a moving, well-written reminder of how brutal, yet how beautiful, the world can be to those who are different. Two British transgender teens try to come to terms with their lives while facing serious bullying in their school.