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Almost Perfect

by Brian Katcher (Goodreads Author)

3.86 · rating details · 1,050 ratings · 265 reviews

You only hurt the ones you love.

Logan Witherspoon recently discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student breezes through the halls of his small-town high school. Sage Hendricks befriends Logan at a time when he no longer trusts or believes in people. Sage has been homeschooled for a number of years and her pare...more

Library Binding, 368 pages

Published October 13th 2009 by Random House Children's Books (first published October 5th 2009)

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Sep 05, 2010

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it · review of another edition

This book was... Almost Perfect. (pun intended) It took me a while to get into this book. I actually almost stopped reading it. Logan just wasn't an appealing character... he was sort of boring actually and I struggled with the novel as a result. However, I can admit by the end of the novel Logan really grew on me, and the authenticity of his voice came shining though.

The writing was, well... I felt like someone decided to throw a few SAT words in there just for fun. I hate when peop...more

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Oct 28, 2011

Mello rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Jesus. I'm serious, he'd get a kick out of this one.

Recommended to Mello by: Cory

Shelves: annoyed-after-reading, could-have-been-so-much-better, no-just-no, oh-mah-god, why-did-i-read-this, wtf-is-this, wtf-dude, finally-a-good-book

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So a few months ago I wrote an Almost Perfect review. It was really long, really confusing and the worst part: really, really fucking boring. So after careful consideration I've decided to re-write it. So let's get this party started!

description

First -- Logan.

Logan is our narrator. Logan is a jock.

Logan is also a fucking prick.

description

In fact, if it wasn't for Logan I may have given this book four stars. If you had been watching my Goodreads...more

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Dec 07, 2011

Beth G. rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, library-books, fiction, glbt, books-for-teens, author-male

Edit (12/7/11): I've given this a second read (this time in audiobook format), and I liked it more the second time around.

Original Review:

I knew I shouldn't stare, but I couldn't look away. Girls this strange didn't exist in Boyer. They lived in Columbia or Kansas City or places like that.

High school senior Logan Witherspoon has known all of his classmates since kindergarten. In a town the size of Boyer, MO, everyone knows everyone. So, it's a surprise when a ...more

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Apr 01, 2011

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone who's willing to leave prejudices and judgments at the door

Shelves: glbt-spotlight, 2011-reads, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, exceeded-my-expectations, wowed-me, left-me-feeling-drained, left-me-feeling-conflicted, realistic-fiction, favorite-books, writing-to-which-i-aspire, best-characters, books-that-made-me-cry, books-that-soared-above-and-beyond, ultimate-favorites, heroes-i-love-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, realistic-teenage-voices, amazing-storytelling, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, went-out-of-my-box-to-read

We draw the line. Maybe we even believe it. That's why it's so hard when we break that promise we make to ourselves.

Sage Hendricks was my line.

Narrated by high school senior Logan Witherspoon, Brian Katcher's sophomore novel Almost Perfect is not an easy book to describe. Yes, you can read a blurb about how its plot deals with transgender issues and sexual identity, but I can't put it so simply or designate it to some box on the book spectrum. You can only truly know a...moreWe draw the line. Maybe we even believe it. That's why it's so hard when we break that promise we make to ourselves.

Sage Hendricks was my line.

Narrated by high school senior Logan Witherspoon, Brian Katcher's sophomore novel Almost Perfect is not an easy book to describe. Yes, you can read a blurb about how its plot deals with transgender issues and sexual identity, but I can't put it so simply or designate it to some box on the book spectrum. You can only truly know a book once you have read it and lived it through the characters and their experiences -- and, wow, did I live this book. I thought I had despairingly sighed a lot while reading Melina Marchetta's The Piper's Son earlier in the week, but this book kept pulling the sighs from me almost every chapter!

But I loved it. I really did love it even though, upon finishing it, I had to just sit there a moment and ache. It was quite a bit like heartache, actually.

Maybe you are a bit interested now, and you're reading over the blurb and thinking, "Yeah, I definitely would not read a book like this on my own." And I say, "Why not? It's not offensive, it's not derogatory, it's not explicit. It's a learning experience more than anything."

This book is about more than just transsexuality. This is a story about a boy and a girl. This is a story about prejudices and preconceptions. This is a story about real life and hard choices.

What makes this novel shine are the two main characters, Logan and Sage. Sometimes I read books where the characters feel distant or unrealistic or just plain idiotic -- but here I found two characters that I ended up loving even despite their flaws and choices throughout the novel. Brian Katcher is simply amazing with the way he handles the friendship between Logan and Sage and the precarious attraction that ebbs and flows between them. Honestly, I could never once say that the progression of the relationship between Logan and Sage wasn't realistic, resounding perfectly during both the high moments and the low. Even though Logan screws up time after time with Sage, I could never deny that he really was a nice guy who was just too overwhelmed and burdened by the thought of what other people would think. Given the circumstances, he was definitely portrayed realistically as a teenage boy (though I would perhaps say that seven out of ten boys would likely react worse than Logan did).

But, truth be told, this is much more Sage's story than Logan's (though I should probably say the book is their journey). The story would not exist and would not move forward if not for her. Sage draws all the lines of the story together and forces Logan to face himself and change. Sage opens up Logan's world -- and, even though Logan kicks and screams all the while as Sage drags him into this new world, the eventual outcome leaves them both forever changed. As a reader, I too was changed, and I was given much to ponder and contemplate, both as a writer who hopes to handle GLBT issues in her own works and a human being who wants to be as understanding and open-minded as she possibly can be. There are many Sages in the world, but many of them don't have their own Logans, people trying and willing to understand them, but they have their villains, their judges, and their critics. And what a shame that is. Everyone deserves a chance at happiness, at love, and it's wrong to deny anyone those freedoms.

I want to say that Almost Perfect is the perfect book for anyone -- but I know I don't live in that kind of world. At least not yet. To those of you who do not mind reading a story about a girl who is not really a girl and the boy who comes to love her, then I want you to read this. To the rest of you -- I wish you would think about giving this novel a try. It is worth every page, and the world needs a little more understanding, even if it first has to come through fiction before it can be faced head-on in reality.(less)

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Sep 24, 2011

Barky rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: transgendered, relationship-problems, relationships, friendship, high-school, teenagers, realistic, violence, families, young-adult-fiction, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Logan is still getting over Brenda – the girl who broke his heart and ruined his life – when he meets the new girl, Sage Hendricks. She’s tall and beautiful and full of life and they immediately hit it off. But Sage isn’t allowed to date. At first Logan thinks it’s because her parents are really strict, or religious, but when he finds out that Sage’s little sister, Tammi, *can* date, he begins to suspect that it’s something else. When Sage finally works up the courage to tell him exactly wha...moreLogan is still getting over Brenda – the girl who broke his heart and ruined his life – when he meets the new girl, Sage Hendricks. She’s tall and beautiful and full of life and they immediately hit it off. But Sage isn’t allowed to date. At first Logan thinks it’s because her parents are really strict, or religious, but when he finds out that Sage’s little sister, Tammi, *can* date, he begins to suspect that it’s something else. When Sage finally works up the courage to tell him exactly what the situation is, Logan is so angry and disgusted and horrified and confused, he runs off and refuses to speak to her. He’s afraid of how he feels, afraid that others will find out what happened between him and Sage, and worst of all, afraid that they’ll discover Sage’s secret.

I was reading this on the treadmill at the gym and wondering, “What the heck is going on with this girl?” And then it came to me in a flash and I announced to the gym at large, “Oh my god, she’s a MAN!” She was. I think the actual revelation came a few pages later, but I was still oh-so-proud that I’d guessed on my own.

Almost Perfect really hits the mark. Logan’s feelings and behavior are spot-on for the situation in which he finds himself. He’s pretty restrained, actually. It’s the college guy who takes his fists to Sage’s face and tries to rearrange it to his liking. A lot of people don’t understand and don’t know how to respond to transitioned or transitioning persons, and Brian Katcher really handles this well in this book. Sage talks about how she always wanted to be a girl, how her little sister encouraged, her, how her father was furious and disgusted. But Logan’s feelings are important, too. He’s fallen in love with Sage, thinking that she was a girl, and then finding out that she wasn’t quite as advertised. How to wrap his mind around that? Gender is almost more important to Sage than it is to Logan, who realizes that he loves a person, not a gender. Maybe being together as a couple or in a romantic relationship isn’t in the stars for them, but he still cares about the person he has come to know. That’s an amazing transformation for a kid from a small-minded, small town to make. These teens are struggling with some serious issues and readers will find themselves immersed and involved in this mind-bending and enlightening ride. This one will make you think.(less)

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Aug 07, 2011

bjneary rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: glbt, realistic-fiction, ya

Such a good book, you will love Logan Witherspoon. He is such a great teen, angry, sensitive, and totally ambushed by his long time girlfriend; he is having a very difficult time getting over her cheating on him. Katcher does a great job of showing how very, very small Logan's hometown is, how his single mother's job is taking its toll on her and the stifling smallness of his trailer park home and high school where everyone knows everyone's business. And into this small town community, comes...more

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Jul 26, 2011

Lisa rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Logan has lived in the same small central Missouri town his whole life. He was looking forward to his senior year, graduating, and heading off to the state university in the fall with his long time girlfriend. Turned out that Brenda didn't feel the same way and Logan is reeling from his first heartbreak until a new girl, Sage, moves to town and shows up in his first hour Bio class. There's an instant chemistry and soon Logan's heartbreak over Brenda is a distant memory. But Sage is keeping a big...moreLogan has lived in the same small central Missouri town his whole life. He was looking forward to his senior year, graduating, and heading off to the state university in the fall with his long time girlfriend. Turned out that Brenda didn't feel the same way and Logan is reeling from his first heartbreak until a new girl, Sage, moves to town and shows up in his first hour Bio class. There's an instant chemistry and soon Logan's heartbreak over Brenda is a distant memory. But Sage is keeping a big secret and in equal turns pulls and pushes Logan to and from her. Despite the usual teenaged preoccupations and concerns about image and sex, Logan is inherently a good guy and he wants Sage to trust him enough to confide in him. Logan could have never have guessed Sage's secret and once he knows, things can never be the same for Logan and he will question everything he has always believed about himself and relationships and what it means to truly love someone and stand by and support unconditionally.

Katcher's first novel, Playing with Matches, was set in a small town in Missouri and touched on many of the same themes as Almost Perfect. Almost Perfect is refreshing in that Katcher can craft a small town character who is mostly believable, open minded, and fairly progressive despite the stereotypical conservative and backwater reputation I generally associate with small midwestern middle America. That said, Almost Perfect takes on some very serious issues that are best suited to mature readers. It may well cause some discomfit in conservative communities. It is well written and never gratuitous. You experience Logan's discomfort, hurt, and confusion as acutely as he does as he tries to wrap his brain and heart around completely alien ideas and feelings. He doesn't always react nobly or with good intentions, making him all the more human and honest. I did find the repetitiveness of his preoccupations and musings to be egocentric and whiny at times, but again, I think this is what makes the character a believable teenage adolescent. Rated M for mature. (less)

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Jul 20, 2011

Becky rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: high-school, diversity

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

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Hmmm. 2.5 stars. This is the story of how straight, male, small-town Logan falls for new girl Sage, then shuns her when he finds out she was born a boy, then slowly patches up their friendship and eventually their romance.

Pros:

Boyer: I haven't grown up or lived in a small town, but I've always wondered how people get "stuck," both physically and in their intolera...more

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Jul 17, 2011

Joell Smith-Borne rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya-resources-class, ya-fic, genderstuff

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read this book for a booktalk assignment for my YA resources class, but I don't think I can do it. I'm finding it difficult to enthusiastically recommend this book. It's told from the point of view of a guy, Logan, who falls for a girl, Sage, who turns out to be MTF trans. She's a really interesting character, maybe a bit saintly, the way she keeps forgiving him for being a jerk, but the book is really about the guy. It reminded me of those movies about South African apartheid that were always...moreI read this book for a booktalk assignment for my YA resources class, but I don't think I can do it. I'm finding it difficult to enthusiastically recommend this book. It's told from the point of view of a guy, Logan, who falls for a girl, Sage, who turns out to be MTF trans. She's a really interesting character, maybe a bit saintly, the way she keeps forgiving him for being a jerk, but the book is really about the guy. It reminded me of those movies about South African apartheid that were always about how morally difficult it was for the white people, instead of how difficult it was for the black people physically, emotionally, economically, and every other way you can imagine. And Sage isn't even present by the end of the book; we're just left with our straight white dude's somewhat self-congratulatory reflection.

I'm trying to imagine how a genderqueer teen might take this book. Maybe just thrilled to find a character that looks like herself? Or kind of horrified to see how this book says relationships are likely to go, and she should just hope for a guy who can manage not to hit her when she tells him the truth? Maybe that's not fair--Logan really is a decent guy but he is mostly a product of his surroundings--working class, rural Missouri. Had manages to rise above what we might expect from him, but there's a lot of freaking out and running away and saying awful things along the way. And I just don't think that the most interesting story to be told is about the dude who overcomes his revulsion and accepts how he feels. We've got a teenaged transwoman whose family locked her away for like 5 years so no one would see her, whose father said he wished she were dead rather than transsexual, and who is managing to survive, transition, and keep a sense of humor and hope--I'd love to hear the story from her perspective. Maybe the author, a white male, didn't feel like he could or should speak for her.

I guess it's early days, though--there are not too many books about teenaged transwomen (the only other one I've read is Luna, which has the sister of a teen transwoman as the narrator), so we're still at that stage where we should just be glad they are showing up in stories, being presented positively, and not ending up dead by the end of the book. But after reading I Am J and Parrotfish, which are both about FTM trans teens, and told from their points of view, I'm having a hard time accepting that we can't have a MTF narrator telling her own story just yet.

And maybe I'm just impatient for realistic fiction to catch up to speculative fiction, which has been warping and exploring gender for ages. (less)

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Apr 27, 2011

Brandy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya, lgbtq

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As soon as I picked up this book, I almost couldn't put it down. I loved the concept of the novel and thought it was excicuted well, with a few minor incidents.

Logan's flip-flopping with his feelings on Sage annoyed me; but I had to remind myself, he was an eighteen-year-old guy raised in a tiny rural area so his views on the subject were somewhat understandable as well as believable.

I think the novel would have been far more interesting from Sage's point of view, or at ...more

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Apr 06, 2011

Debrarian rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya-aka-teen, queer, romance, discussable

It's senior year and Logan is trying to get over being dumped by his girlfriend of 3 years when his attention is diverted by a fascinating new girl to his small Missouri town: Sage. Sage is tall and lovely and funny and off-beat, and Logan's growing attraction to her is given a sharp set-back when Sage -- who has been backing away from his advances -- finally kisses him and then confesses that she was born a boy. Logan is a product of his tiny mid-America town and not particularly open-minded; h...more

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Mar 19, 2011

Sarai rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, general-fiction

I found this to be an extremely interesting book. I wanted to give it a 4.5 star rating because I really did like it, but the character of Logan did become a little whiny toward the end. It also was not a "can't put it down" book - for me; there may be others to whom it makes a more personal connection.

I liked the way the relationships were handled and the way the central topic was handled. I felt that Logan reacted in a realistic way, as did the boy who reacts violently towa...moreI found this to be an extremely interesting book. I wanted to give it a 4.5 star rating because I really did like it, but the character of Logan did become a little whiny toward the end. It also was not a "can't put it down" book - for me; there may be others to whom it makes a more personal connection.

I liked the way the relationships were handled and the way the central topic was handled. I felt that Logan reacted in a realistic way, as did the boy who reacts violently toward the end. (It is unfortunate and fear-driven, but realistic.) I don't really care for books where the main characters do a lot of lying, but in this situation I could see why (though I did get tired of it eventually). Logan kind of went through the 5 stages of grief in trying to work through his own feelings on the subject, so I guess they apply to more than grief.

I was not sure how I wanted the book to end, but I did feel kind of let down by the ending. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to spoil anything, but the one ending would have been too nicey nice and the other would have been too negative. I guess I just feel like I wanted more from the ending.

Over all, a very good book, and an important one, I think. One that makes you think after the book has ended.

Product Description

Eighteen-year old Logan Witherspoon has just discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student enrolls in his small-town high school. Tall, unconventionally pretty, and a bit awkward, Sage Hendricks appeals to Logan at a time when he trusts no one. And as Logan learns more about Sage, he realizes she needs a friend as much as he does, if not more. One day, Logan acts on his growing attraction and kisses her. Moments later, he wishes he hadn't. Sage discloses a secret: biologically, she’s a boy. Enraged, frightened, and feeling betrayed, Logan lashes out at Sage. Once his anger has cooled however, his regrets lead him to attempt to rekindle their friendship. Impressed that Logan is even trying to understand, Sage agrees to give him a second chance. But Logan has no idea how rocky the road back to friendship will be, or how many unexpected, exciting, and painful places he and Sage will visit along the way.(less)

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Jan 28, 2011

Sarah rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: sexuality, young-adult, realistic

God, what a stunner this book is. I stayed up late to finish it, which, despite my compulsion of reading, I haven't done in ages. This book is so well done. I laughed, I cried, I rooted for the characters. It was just really wonderful. Logan is surprised by a new student arriving in his small-town Missouri high school. Something about Sage catches him. Soon, they are friends. But when the boundary of friendship is crossed by a kiss, Logan finally learns Sage's secret - biologically, she is a boy...more

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Nov 14, 2010

Erin rated it

· review of another edition

Great book! There are a lot of great reviews for it, but I'll add my own for my friends. This book is great, but difficult to read. It's about a college senior whose girlfriend of 3 years broke up with him. While he's still quite vulnerable, he meets Sage. In a small town, having a new student is exciting. She's tall and quirky, and he thinks quite pretty. They become friends, but she keeps telling him that they can ONLY ever be friends. She isn't allowed to date, and that's all they will ever b...more

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Oct 15, 2010

Suzanne rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: peach-consideration

A tough sell to young readers because most, especially boys, will drop a book with gay or transgender characters like a hot potato almost as soon as a libarian murmurs anything about that aspect of the story. Eyes will drop away, and the book generally gets put down, as if merely holding it might brand one a sexual suspect.

I think a lot of media specialists have a similar reaction when they read reviews for "gay" books as they are selecting materials for purchase: their eye...more

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Sep 25, 2010

Jamie Fahlgren rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 26, 2010

McKenzie rated it

· review of another edition

Logan recently broke up with his high school sweetheart after she cheated on him. Now he's basically clinically depressed. His friends are starting to get worried, and wonder if he'll ever be back to normal. Then along comes Sage. She's different than other girls: a bit taller, a bit more awkward, a bit off. But that's what Logan likes about her. He quickly begins pursuing her, though she warns him not to. She's got a secret that can't get out. But when Logan can't resist any longer and kisses h...moreLogan recently broke up with his high school sweetheart after she cheated on him. Now he's basically clinically depressed. His friends are starting to get worried, and wonder if he'll ever be back to normal. Then along comes Sage. She's different than other girls: a bit taller, a bit more awkward, a bit off. But that's what Logan likes about her. He quickly begins pursuing her, though she warns him not to. She's got a secret that can't get out. But when Logan can't resist any longer and kisses her, he'll wish he never had. Sage reveals her secret: she's a boy. What follows is a series of tumultuous events that will literally affect both Logan and Sage for the rest of their lives.

Almost Perfect is a wonderful addition to the collection of GLBT young adult books. Brian Katcher has managed to capture a very touchy subject with complete honesty, never shying away from the difficult truths.

Logan and Sage were both believable, lovable characters. Logan, even after his many mistakes, is a good guy. You can't blame him for being a little on edge in a situation like this. It was impossible not to sympathize for Sage. Her situation was incredibly rough, and I don't know how she handled it all. The secondary characters were enjoyable, as well. Each added their own part to the story, but Logan and Sage really stood out from the crowd.

The plot had great pacing - never a dull moment. Logan and Sage's relationship was tumultuous, inspiring, and revealing. Logan had a difficult time with it, but in the end, I believe he turned out okay. Their relationship is hard to describe. There was such a give-and-take quality to it - Sage gave and Logan took. She opened herself up, and he often took that for granted. Though I make Logan sound like a poor character, he grew into an understanding person.

Based on the intensity and incredible exploration found in Almost Perfect, I'll be sure to pick up anything that Mr. Katcher writes in the future.

Overall: Simply wonderful. Great exploration of an untouched upon subject. Heart wrenching.(less)

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Feb 28, 2010

Jennifer rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: teen-queer, teen-romance

This book has a pretty great voice. This is a story of a M to F transgender teen living in small town middle America. There are lots of relationships that get examined, between her and her sister, her and her potential boyfriend, her parents the boy and his sister and mom. There is not one character that just feels stock to me. Even the boy and his ex-girlfriend have a pretty realistic conversation later in the book.

I do not think this books shies away from the difficulties a transg...more

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Jan 31, 2010

Nancee rated it

· review of another edition

Logan Witherspoon lives in a small, rural Missouri town, looking forward to getting out to attend college and never returning. Running track and hanging out with a couple of his good friends, mowing lawns and shoveling snow for college money, and mooning over a girlfriend who cheated on him take up most of Logan's time. Then Sage, a new student in town, enters Logan's first period biology class. At first, Logan is attracted to Sage as a friend, but soon, acts on his emotions and kisses her. S...more

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Jan 23, 2010

Bunker rated it

· review of another edition

Eighteen-year-old Logan's senior year is nothing like he expected. Cheated on and dumped by his girlfriend of three years, he cannot seem to move on, until a captivating, charismatic, and six-foot-tall new girl named Sage enters his biology class. Their instantaneous connection smolders under the rules imposed by Sage's parents, whose motives for homeschooling Sage for the last four years and not allowing her to date perplex Logan. When the intensity in their relationship crescendos, Sage reveal...more

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Oct 30, 2011

Wandering Librarians rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, lgbtq, romance, realistic-fiction, serious-issues, ya

Logan lives in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. At the beginning of senior year, a new girl walks into class. Her name is Sage, and she's completely different then anyone Logan has ever met. Sage and Logan become close, but Sage keeps pulling away. Finally, Sage tells Logan her secret: the gender she was assigned at birth was male.

I have incredibly mixed feelings about this book. I will try to talk them out.

There aren't very many YA books with transge...moreLogan lives in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. At the beginning of senior year, a new girl walks into class. Her name is Sage, and she's completely different then anyone Logan has ever met. Sage and Logan become close, but Sage keeps pulling away. Finally, Sage tells Logan her secret: the gender she was assigned at birth was male.

I have incredibly mixed feelings about this book. I will try to talk them out.

There aren't very many YA books with transgender characters. Luna by Julie Anne Peters, Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger (I haven't read this one), I am J by Cris Beam, are there others? There very well might be, but I can't think of any others. I think it's admirable that Brian Katcher wanted to tell the story of someone whose story doesn't often get told. The thing about Luna and Almost Perfect is that it isn't really the transgender individuals' story. It isn't Luna's story in Luna, and it isn't Sage's story in Almost Perfect.

Sage wasn't much of a character. She was a total manic pixie dream girl. There was Logan, sad and depressed, still hung up on his ex-girlfriend who cheated him, convinced he'll never love again. In whirls Sage, and she's like no other girl he's ever known. She's totally different from anyone, ever, and she shows him how to love again. But Sage is hiding a secret (in this case it's that she was assigned the male gendered at birth, not that she has a terminal disease as so often is the case) and Logan makes a terrible mistake and ends up losing her in the end but learns a Very Valuable Lesson.

It's wasn't Sage's story at all. She was there for Logan to react to and mistreat again and again and help him grow as a person. Sage took a whole lot of shit, got very little out of it, and we hardly knew anything about her by the end of the story. What was the point? We didn't actually get Sage's story. It was all Logan. That she was transgender was a side thing. It could have been anything.

Oh Logan. Logan, Logan, Logan. You gigantic asshole. But I can't really fault Logan for how he reacted (again and again), because it was totally a realistic teen boy reaction. Even though it was reprehensible and awful and cruel and hurtful, it was sadly true. He wasn't thinking about Sage, he was thinking about himself. He was scared what other people would think and that liking Sage made him gay. He was completely obsessed with her body. After Logan broke up with her the first time and wasn't talking to Sage, he only started again because he saw her at the pool and realized she had real breasts. And that turned her into a "real" girl in his head, and he wanted to try again. Almost every thought Logan has about Sage is about her body. It goes back and forth between his disgust when he thinks of her as a boy, and his arousal when he thinks of her as a girl.

And again, I can't say this is unrealistic. But...it sure doesn't help with the stereotypes now does it? It doesn't help anyone understand transgender individuals better, or think about people in terms other than penis=boy, vagina=girl.

Does every book has to teach a lesson? No, it doesn't. But this book felt like it was trying to, but it left me feeling uncomfortable. You know what it made me think of a little? Remember when books were starting to be written with gay characters and all the characters ended up dying of AIDS or getting beat up? Almost Perfect made me think of that. Sage gets horribly beaten and is questioning whether to continuing living as a female because maybe it's too hard. And then the book ends with Logan thinking that maybe someday he and Sage can be friends again. I sure hope not Logan. I sure hope not. I can just picture that transgender kid, delighted that someone has finally written a book about him or her, and then reading about how Sage is all fucked up at the end.

I'm glad we'll be talking about this book in book club this month, because I really want to hear how other people felt about it. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you'd read it.

In my personal opinion, of the books I've read, I am J was far and away the best one, and definitely the one I would recommend. J is the main character and it's actually told from his perspective. It was not only a good story, but also explains what J is going through and how he feels and how he goes about transitioning. (less)

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Jan 25, 2011

Julie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, gender

Maybe it's ironic that the title is "Almost Perfect" and I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

The main character is a senior and a track runner and a guy 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...more

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Dec 03, 2010

Darcie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: review, faves-ever, favorites, keep-forever, actually-not-paranormal, read-fall-2010

This book could be described as predictable. There are some reviews that very clearly express that. However, the reason I am giving this book five stars is not necessarily because of the plot, though the plot was very well executed. First, the characterization was pretty amazing. Logan and Sage are two very real characters, as are the supporting characters. Sometimes in books you have protagonists that are just too good to be true. In Almost Perfect, you have a very real, very lifelike narrator ...more

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Aug 02, 2010

Jacki rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fiction

This book had so much potential to fail, but it manages to avoid falling into the open pits of maudlinism, cliches, and sensationalism that yawn beneath the feet of any plot brave enough to veer into trans-gender territory.

While homophobia and the challenges of growing up trans-gender drive the plot, this book is really about love, the obstacles it faces, and the many ways we humans have of screwing up a great thing when the going gets tough.

The story floats on great cha...more

like 1 like

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Nov 12, 2011

Stacey Lucky rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, no-thank-you

I really was not gonna write a review for this book because I honestly do not know what to say about it. I know I didnt like it. I know I thought Sage was very annoying, she was way to loud and obnoxious. I think Brian Katcher wrote this book solely for praise. I do admit I have never read abook about transgender or know anyone who is transgender and after reading this book I felt like I just wasted my time. The little bits of humor is what got me through to the end.

like 1 like

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Jan 29, 2011

Malissa rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

For me, this book (a recent Stonewall Book Award winner)had really notable good points and some notable not-so-good ones.

The good: I found myself drawn to the characters and was kept turning the pages to find out what would happen to them. The author made me care a lot even though I can't personally identify with the transgender experience. I think that's huge in a YA book on the topic. Also, the ending was pretty decent and managed to be neither too easy or too didactic. No one wan...more

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Dec 29, 2011

Jennifer Lavoie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: family, friends, lgbt, older-teens, public-library, romance, school, transgender

I LOST MY REVIEW!!! So frustrating after I spent so much time writing it! Argh. Let's see if I can remember what I said...

I really enjoyed this book. It was hard at some points to read because of how Logan reacted to Sage, but I think that's what made it so realistic. I wanted it to work out better between them, but that wouldn't have made the book as good, nor as realistic as it is. Logan's conflicting feelings for Sage are what made him feel like a real teenage boy. Had he not been ...more

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Oct 23, 2011

Ellen Shull rated it

· review of another edition

Ok, this review isn't going to be my best writing ever (and I don't even claim to be a good writer), just too many points all wanting to spring from my fingers at once...

The book definitely held my attention; I would have read the whole thing in one sitting if it hadn't been for pesky things like sleep and work.

After a small amount of setup for the main character, we start with... New girl in school meets a boy in her bio class. Hello?! Twilight much?

Here we have...moreOk, this review isn't going to be my best writing ever (and I don't even claim to be a good writer), just too many points all wanting to spring from my fingers at once...

The book definitely held my attention; I would have read the whole thing in one sitting if it hadn't been for pesky things like sleep and work.

After a small amount of setup for the main character, we start with... New girl in school meets a boy in her bio class. Hello?! Twilight much?

Here we have yet another book about a trans woman, written by not just a cis person but a cis *male* (not the first time, unfortunately). While I appreciate that the author must have done research, are there not trans authors out there whose work like this we could be publishing instead? Actually, maybe not, not like this... read on.

So we have a book about a trans woman. Oh wait, it's about a trans woman, but the story is told from the point of view of a cis male as he relates to her! Right, wouldn't want to give her too much of her own voice. (Sadly, not unique; off the top of my head, _Luna_ and _Trans-Sister Radio_ both suffer from this same problem.)

The narrator character's "voice" sounded to me much older than the HS senior described. Maybe I'm just out of touch with how kids that age talk these days, that was half my life ago.

Despite the "realism", do we really need another portrayal of a cis male freaking out upon discovering he's been "tricked" by a trans woman who's really just trying to live her life? (view spoiler) Yes, trans women deal with this shit in real life, but I always worry that reading this, people who've had similar bigoted reactions IRL might think it's an affirmation, "wow that's just how I felt, I'm not alone"? Can't anyone come up with a way to write a story of relating to a trans person that's a *positive* model yet remains interesting?

Related to the above, the book contains lots of less-than-model language. And I'm not talking about profanity, I'm talking about words like "real" (perhaps unintentionally) undermining the authenticity of Sage's gender. Or even in the blurb for the book: "Sage finally discloses her big secret: She's actually a boy." Is the author so unversed in the politics of identity that he doesn't understand that this kind of language is just privileging other's people's labeling of trans people's identities over their own?

I'll stop there. I'm giving the book three stars just because of how it drew me in (I'll admit, I fell in love with Sage a little bit myself), but I cannot recommend this book as anyone's introduction to trans issues.(less)

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Aug 06, 2011

Andrea Jean rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya-glbtq, young-adult, ya-boys, read-in-2011

OmG, this book was so frustrating to me! Half the time I didn't know whether I wanted to race through the pages to find out what happened or throw it across the room.

Logan is a small-town teenage boy who just broke up with his girlfriend of a few years after finding out she cheated on him. He's so not over her ... until the new girl walks into his biology classroom. She's tall, with curly red hair, freckles, and braces. She wears weird, standout clothes. And Logan is completely taken...moreOmG, this book was so frustrating to me! Half the time I didn't know whether I wanted to race through the pages to find out what happened or throw it across the room.

Logan is a small-town teenage boy who just broke up with his girlfriend of a few years after finding out she cheated on him. He's so not over her ... until the new girl walks into his biology classroom. She's tall, with curly red hair, freckles, and braces. She wears weird, standout clothes. And Logan is completely taken with her.

After Logan and Sage go on a few dates, become friends, almost kiss and then kiss for real, he finds out what the reader who knew what this book was about knew all along: Sage is biologically male.

Cue record needle screech.

Logan is horrified, disgusted, betrayed. But wait, maybe he really likes Sage. But she has guy parts! But she seemed so womanly to him. But what if people found out?! Holy crap, dude, make up your mind.

Seriously, I know this would be a freak-out situation for any teenager. Logan's initial reaction is not far-fetched. But it's really hard to feel bad for HIM and listen to all HIS whining, when Sage is the one who REALLY has to live with the difficulties of being transgendered.

I really didn't like Logan's character. On top of that, the writing is so self-conscious and forced in a way. Awkward similes abound. The one time the author got in a truly funny line, he had to ruin it by following with "I wonder if anyone has ever said that sentence before."

(view spoiler)

I don't know. I'm glad I read this book, so I can know what I'm talking about if any of my students decide to pick it up. But I'm not going to tell them that it's awesome.

More YA lit about transpeople, please!(less)

like 1 like

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Feb 06, 2012

Raven rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: teen-transgender, male-leads

Almost perfect
By Brian Katcher

I stumbled upon this book on good reads after I read Pink. I was looking to for more books with teens as the subject and that were no based in America. After reading a few reviews I got it from the library and dug in.
The book is told by the main character Logan and the book is in his voice. The things that I liked about this book are:
1. It's told from a males point of view, Logan our hero if you can call him that struggles through out ...moreAlmost perfect
By Brian Katcher

I stumbled upon this book on good reads after I read Pink. I was looking to for more books with teens as the subject and that were no based in America. After reading a few reviews I got it from the library and dug in.
The book is told by the main character Logan and the book is in his voice. The things that I liked about this book are:
1. It's told from a males point of view, Logan our hero if you can call him that struggles through out the book, with the situations he finds himself in.He makes a lot of dick moves and admits it. He does flounder about, but does try to correct it. It’s difficult, he’s male lives in a small town, and is very heterosexual which doesn’t help.
2.The story takes place in rural America. The fact that the characters are not living in a big city adds to the story. They can’t get lost in the city, they have to deal with things up close since as Logan mentions at the end of the book. He has spent 18 years of his life going to school with the same people.
3.There are adults who play a part in the story. The Parents in the story play a role in moving the story forward. Because of the subject, you see how the “grown ups” deal with it, and how they influence kids by what they think is right. You can understand Sage’s father’s point. It’s a cruel world for people like Sage, but then you realize he’s not helping the situation. Why? Because he’s male, lives in American and is very heterosexual.Although he’s willing to move his family from place to place he does it out of shame because of Sage, not to support her.
4. The book deals with teens sexuality and gender. Sage is a male who lives as a female. Logan is a male who finds he is attracted to Sage and that’s the rub. He spends most of the book trying to figure out a few things about his self.
Does his attraction to Sage makes him gay?
What would people say if they found out what Sage was?
What would his friends think if they knew?
How could he be attracted to Sage knowing what Sage is?
How could he be supportive of Sage knowing what she is?

I found this more enjoyable than I thought I would. And hope I can get some teens to read it.
The author also provides organizations and web-site that support teens dealing with gender issues. Kudos

(less)

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Quotes from Almost Perfect

“Sage would survive. I'd survive. We were better off apart. Painful and quick, just like ripping off a Band-Aid. Well, more like gouging a piece of shrapnel out of my stomach, pouring a bottle of gin into the wound, lighting it on fire, and sewing my guts up with a dirty bootlace. But the concept was the same.” — 5 people liked it

“She baked you cookies!' he repeated as if I'd missed the importance.

'So what?' I turned to get my bag, but Tim blocked my way.

'She wants to have your babies.” — 4 people liked it

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