The Other Side of Perfect
Ratings1
Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but then a terrifying fall shatters her leg—and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it.
After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected—namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive castmate she just might be falling for.
But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she experienced in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet—something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?
Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.
Reviews with the most likes.
4/5 stars
Ahh this book was such a pleasant surprise. I absolutely loved it.
There was so many important conversations about race and stereotypes and unnormalizing racism and internalized sexism. And it was done so beautiful, in a way that I think some books strive to do but often miss the mark.
And the main character, Alina, was so consistent. I absolutely loved her. The way she acted and responsed to events that took place around her seemed so realistic for a 17-year-old girl trying to reevaluate her life.
I loved this and not enough people are talking about it. Highly recommend.
