The Other Side of Perfect - Hardcover

Turk, Mariko

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316703400 ISBN 13: 9780316703406

Publisher: Poppy, 2021

Synopsis

For fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi, this lyrical and emotionally driven novel follows Alina, a young aspiring dancer who suffers a devastating injury and must face a world without ballet—as well as the darker side of her former dream.

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.

About this title

About the Author

Mariko Turk teaches writing and rhetoric classes and works as a writing tutor at the University of Colorado Boulder. She received her PhD in English from the University of Florida, with a concentration in children's literature. The Other Side of Perfect is her debut novel.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up-Alina Keeler, who is half white and half Japanese, was born to be a professional ballerina and that is the only life she has ever known, until a devastating accident forces her out of the ballet world and back into normal high school. Dealing with her anger is only half the battle as she decides to branch out and make new friends and audition for the school musical Singin' in the Rain. Alina's new best friend Margot, who is half Mexican, is outspoken and just the right amount of pushy and it's enough to help Alina consider leaving the past behind. Central to the story is Alina and her sister, Josie's, relationship and the cultural discrimination in the ballet industry. Josie helps Alina see that Asian and Black dancers are represented falsely in traditional ballet narratives, and Josie's dance school challenges this destructive history by providing a new look at characters in The Nutcracker. During this shift in worlds for Alina, she discovers love and heartbreak, how to reach out to her former ballet best friend, and how to tackle resentment with other emotions instead of anger. VERDICT A strong portrayal of musical theater, ballet, the arts, and culture all merged into a coming-of-age story that will resonate with teens.-Stephanie Wilkes, Good Hope M.S., West Monroe, LAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Poppy
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0316703400
• ISBN 13: 9780316703406
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336