Almost Perfect Response 1

The first thing that I noticed about this book was the style of the narration. The story is told in first person from the perspective of a senior in high school, Logan; with sarcastic one-liners and brutally honest descriptions, it follows his stream of consciousness. As someone who grew up in a small town, his snarky observations about his hometown had me smiling at the truth of it. When the new girl Sage shows up, she is different from anyone else in the town and stands out in stark contrast, catching Logan's attention. After a handful of failed attempts at kissing her and vague references of a not-so-nice homelife on her part, they decide on being friends. This lasts until she calls for help and he shows up at her house, where the ensuing altercation ends with a brief kiss, after which Sage finally tells him her secret: biologically, she is male. Logan proceeds to explode, nearly punching her before literally running away, at which point his stream of thought becomes nearly painful to read. Some memorable quotes:

"I had never been so disgusted"

"I'd kissed a boy. French-kissed a boy! That made me a fag, didn't it?"

"Now my mental image of her naked body filled me with horror. Big, hairy balls. An eight-inch cock. Flat, hairy chest and hairy back. And I had kissed her."

While graphic and, at least for me, horrifying, it is unfortunately realistic. Many guys would respond like this. And, when I think of the boys I went to my small-town high school with and how they would respond, I am almost surprised that he did not hit her or do worse. His anger continues for weeks, his inner dialogue consisting of nothing but hateful thoughts toward Sage, wondering if anyone else had guessed she was "really a boy" and if they would call him a fag for liking her, even thinking that he would hurt her if she "ever told the world what she really was." After meeting her in the cemetery to talk, when she asks him not to tell anyone, he calls her an ass pirate and a fag. I am about halfway through the novel now and, after a couple of months of avoiding Sage at all costs, Logan is finally beginning to regret how he acted and is considering calling her to hang out. So far, I have absolutely loved this book and although it is difficult to read at times, I appreciate the fact that it is realistic. Rather than villainizing those who would react like to this to finding out someone is transgender, it shows the situation from their perspective. While Logan's reasons are selfish and aimed at preserving his reputation, they are valid to him and it is important to acknowledge this fact. But then, he also should be educated on the importance of accepting others for who they are. I expect that Logan will, after some time, learn to accept Sage.