The Other Side of Perfect

<a href="https://readasaurus.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1459070464i/18565492.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alwaysbeebooked/" rel="nofollow noopener">Instagram</a> || <a href="https://twitter.com/NeniaCampbell" rel="nofollow noopener">Twitter</a> || <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aficionenias/" rel="nofollow noopener">Facebook</a> || <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nenia-Campbell/e/B00AWVRKMS" rel="nofollow noopener">Amazon</a> || <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/mightbeamisprin/" rel="nofollow noopener">Pinterest</a><br><br><br>I am so fascinated by stories about dance and ballet because of the discipline it requires and the fascination I have with people who can turn their living, breathing bodies into art. So when I found out I could get a copy of THE OTHER SIDE OF PERFECT to read, I didn't think twice. This is an amazing book that's about a girl's second chance at finding her dreams, as well as confronting injustice and grief head-on, and it does it in such a clear-eyed, refreshing way that I was in love.<br><br><br><br>Alina is not the typical, gung-ho, eternal optimist heroine that many of us have come to expect in YA. She's bitter and she's angry, with good reason. After breaking her leg, she has found out that she will never be able to do ballet for a living and to make matters worse, it happens right as she is on the verge of making it. When she ends up in musical theater, it feels like a second place trophy and she isn't exactly thrilled with the cliquish, snarky theater kids, and their loud vaudeville banter.<br><br><br><br>That changes when she ends up becoming friends with Margot, Ethan, and Jude, and finds that their companionship can make some of her grief abate. But she still feels an intense jealousy that makes her unable to talk to her ballet friends, and her feelings put a wall between her and the rest of her family, especially her younger sister, Josie, who looks up to her but is also resentful of her in some ways, too.<br><br><br><br>THE OTHER SIDE OF PERFECT is a great book because it never does the expected. I love the way that Alina, who is half-Japanese, ends up being able to confront the people who discriminated against her or treated her unfairly at various points in the book. I like the discussions of art, and how harmful representations are often immortalized because people believe that art, being what it is, is infallible and pure, even if other people sometimes end up emulating in it because it is never really framed in historical contexts that could provide insights into some of the problematic elements of art. I liked how Alina talked about her heritage, and the open communications she had with her friends when they hurt her by acting like ambition was a negative trait in women. I liked the subversion of the mean girl trope.<br><br><br><br>The only thing I didn't love about TOSOP was that it could be a little slow-paced and some of the conversations Alina had with her friends felt more like an adult talking to prove a point than it did like teenagers. You definitely got the impression at the end especially that the author was using her platform to tell a message and even though I liked the message, I'm not necessarily sure it always felt like it was occurring on a level of self-reflection that most teens are capable of, or that it fit in with the characters.<br><br><br><br>But if you love dance, cozy stories that aren't too fluffy, and unlikable heroines who have a rich character development arc, this is a great book for you. Definitely a fascinating book that manages to convey an intense passion for art and an awareness of what the human spirit is capable of.<br><br><br><br>Also, major kudos to the author for crediting her cover designer <i>and </i>artist by name in the afterword.<br><br><br><br><i>Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!</i><br><br><br><br>3.5 to 4 stars

It'd be a lie to say that I had low expectations for this. After all, it combined two of my biggest interests--dance and racism, so how could I not be interested! This was a delightful exploration of love and a journey full of grief that ends with a breathtaking finale. <br /><br />The Other Side of Perfect follows Alina, a biracial high schooler who used to do ballet. She struggles with the sudden loss of dance, unable to move on from that once-major part of her life. As she learns to live without ballet, she reflects back on her dance career cut short ad faces the racism she had grown to accept. <br /><br />Of all the things to love about this book, I found Alina herself the most narratively interesting. She was an incredible character who was so well-written and I enjoyed reading through her point of view immensely. Her emotions and thoughts were felt clearly, and I was in awe of her resilience. As she remembers the past, memories from her ballet career illustrate Alina's doubts on what might be offensive, but is actually just blatant racism, and you can't help but root for her in the end.<br /><br />Jude, an optimistic boy who still misses his dad years after he left, and Alina, a cynical former ballet dancer who's struggling to find her place in the world again, find each other. Their relationship is surprisingly not one focused on romance, but one about healing, and both of them eventually realizing that love is undeniably real. <br /><br />The Other Side of Perfect immerses you into the beautiful, wondrous world of dance, but also sheds light on the presence of racism that still impacts dancers of color today. <br /><br />---------------<br /><br />thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC of The Other Side of Perfect in exchange for an honest review. (i'm freaking out!!!)<br /><br />----------------<br /><br />i am going crazy over this cover ahhh it's absolutely perfect ??

DNF 41%<br /><br />I don't think the main character is very likeable. Just gonna gracefully pirouette away from this one.

<u>Star Rating</u>: <i>—&gt;</i> <b>5 Stars</b><br /><br />This certainly was the not other side of perfect, but perfection itself! I gotta say, THIS IS A DEBUT?!? It definitely does NOT read like one! I look forward to future works by this author! My GOD, so AMAZING! <br /><br />A Junior in high school, who has spent her whole life dedicated to ballet, &amp; intended on being a professional ballerina, shatters her leg while dancing, and despite physical therapy, can no longer dance on pointe, which is something ABSOLUTELY life-shattering for her. She grapples with some really hard stuff— her identity outside of ballet, anger, rage, jealousy, and other issues, but this book handles them perfectly &amp; realistically, and then lets this girl, the main character, Alina, truly blossom. Her journey back to feeling comfortable in her own skin is so emotionally provoking, and yet the author manages to create just an amazingly fun atmosphere, and also a <u>fun, yet relatable, wonderfully diverse cast of characters that feels so natural</u>! <br /><br /><b>Despite Alina going through a crisis, she is still the star of this novel, &amp; shines beautifully; <i>she is funny, strong, relatable, kind, &amp; just a WONDERFUL character</i> to read about.</b><br /><br />I can't be as impartial as i'd like (??‍♀️ i love dance, what can I say?), because I danced for a very long time (it was the biggest part of my life for a long time), was in school plays, etc., and though it may not be in a class or professionally or on a stage, I still dance my heart out every day, it is in every fiber of my being, music comes on, I come ALIVE(!), so I felt a real connection to Alina. BUT STILL. That doesn't even MATTER, because <i>HELLLOOO, this debut was just PHENOMENAL for ALL THE REASONS!</i><br /><br /><b>This was such a fun novel, with both serious topics, &amp; just moments upon moments that were a blast— completely and totally amazing hs romance, friendship, and family dynamics (which btw Alina's family is #GOALS !)</b>.<br /><br /><b><i>On a more serious note, the way this novel handled racism was AMAZING</i>. ALINA IS BADASS AF &amp; PROUD of her Japanese-American identity</b>. I love how she can be so sure of herself, yet so <i>not</i> at the same time... and how she truly comes into her own, but not without making mistakes... <u>I think a lot of teens, &amp; honestly readers of all ages, will be able to relate to her character and/or take something away from this novel</u>. <br /><br /><b>And honestly who doesn't love a YA contemporary that takes place during the high school musical?! It's just the best!!!</b><br /><br />I have to say, I had forgotten just how problematic traditional ballet can be, how they stereotype &amp; make Asian-Americans, but honestly anyone who isn't white—anyone BIPOC, both the dancers, &amp; audience members of those races, feel ostracized &amp; uncomfortable, mostly, and i don't know, that just GOT me. Got me angry. Frustrated. I only hope more progress is being made. This novel addresses that in such an elegant, yet fiery way... I truly cannot believe this is a debut! SO AMAZING!<br /><br />I highly recommend for all YA contemporary lovers! ?

➸ <u>Trigger warnings</u> for <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="25984694-aa51-40e0-85b9-7640c80df5f7" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="25984694-aa51-40e0-85b9-7640c80df5f7">racism, parental abandonment discussed, nightmares &amp; sleep difficulty, chronic leg injury (theme), medical treatment, rehabilitation &amp; surgery for a severely broken leg discussed, and bullying</label>.<br /><br />▷ <u>Representation</u>: Alina (mc) Japanese-American &amp; chronic leg injury; Margot (sc) Mexican-American; Colleen (sc) Black; Ethan (sc) gay; Harrison (sc) achillean.<br /><br /><a href="https://typedtruth.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow noopener"> Blog</a> • <a href="https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">Trigger Warning Database</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/typedtruths" rel="nofollow noopener">Twitter</a> • <a href="https://www.instagram.com/typedtruths/" rel="nofollow noopener">Instagram</a><br />

i'm gay for this cover

Mariko Turk's THE OTHER SIDE OF PERFECT is a sophisticated, nuanced look at the inner life of a teenage girl who has been forced to abandon a longed-for dream and is having a hard time with it. <br /><br />Alina has been studying to be a professional ballerina for as long as she can remember. The road to success meant grueling rehearsals, tough (unfair) instructors, and many sacrifices in the face of fierce competition. Just when it is all coming together and she's on her way to a top flight school that will take her career forward, she breaks her leg. Badly. <br /><br />Though she can still dance, there will be no more serious ballet for Alina. That career path is closed. She does not take this well. How do you "get over" the one thing you love? How do you stem ugly feelings of jealousy and resentment toward those who can and will succeed in living the dream you longed to live yourself? <br /><br />These are tough issues to tackle but Mariko Turk is up to the task. Her exploration of the inner lives of competitive dance among young people - or anyone whose ambitions push them harder than is typical - is beautifully executed. Turk's writing is streamlined and clear, well organized, unshowy yet expressive. She creates a fascinating character in Alina, who is not always portrayed in flattering light. Few heroines in fiction are allowed to be "real" in a way that Alina is. The quiet rage that she feels as the result of the broken leg that destroyed her longed-for career causes her at times to make ungenerous remarks and have thoughts about others that occasionally border on nasty. She just can't help it. She misses the life she had, that she worked so hard for, and that she lost in an instant. <br /><br />But before judging Alina too harshly, ask yourself this: how would a real life teenager (or an adult for that matter) deal with such disappointment? Wouldn't she be jealous? Wouldn't she find it difficult to cheer for friends who can still live the life that has now been closed off from her? Of course she would. And here is the true magnificence of this writer's abilities. Turk gets us to root for a heroine who isn't always the "nicest" girl in the world. She allows us to experience Alina's darker side, the part we all sometimes feel but keep hidden and are reluctant ot admit to. We see a little of ourselves in Alina, and we embrace Alina just as she is, even before the transition (a beautifully written character reversal) that will make us proud we cheered her on from the start.<br /><br />Alina is fascinating character portrayal, a three-dimensional girl who will stay with me a long time. I don't want to give away too much, but she will learn to accept what happened to her, tempering the bitterness with something new. Her response to people around her will change, friendships deepen, and she will develop a new courage she didn't know she had. She will stand up to racist stereotypes in the world of dance and empower others to do work that is even more important than performance. Oh, Alina will always be edgy. Alina is Alina, but her drive and intelligence, her wit and honesty, will be used for larger purposes. Her story is one of silver linings but without the cringe. And Turk throws in a nice bit of romance to boot.

<b>3.75 stars!</b><br /><br /><i>Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.</i><br /><br />The original premise of The Other Side of Perfect is very unique and intriguing. Luckily, the execution was done quite well. I loved the talk about racism in the ballet industry. It's something you never hear about, so I'm beyond happy the issue was addressed. <br /><br />Our main character Alina Keeler is going through a rough patch. Due to an injury in her leg, she can't dance Ballet anymore. At first, I thought she was unnecessarily rude and judgmental. Eventually, as time passes, Alina learns to grow from her experiences. Towards the end, I started to admire her character much more than I did when I first started reading the book.<br /><br />The side characters were all quite diverse and three dimensional. Unfortunately though, Alina's best friend Margot was very infuriating. Throughout the whole book, she's mean and crude to others for no reason. Thankfully, our main character's other friends are all very sweet. Each of the characters go through development, and change throughout the novel. My favorite character is Jude. I love how the he defies gender stereotypes. The topic was discussed quite a bit, and I'm so glad the author discussed it. That's actually one of the reasons why I'm rating The Other Side of Perfect higher. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the dynamic between Alina and her younger sister Josie. It felt incredibly realistic and raw. Also, can we talk about the fact that the bullies in the novel are named Jake and Paul. Okay social commentary, I see you. <br /><br />Moreover, I couldn't connect much with the dialogue. There was too much profanity for my liking, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It just isn't something I particularly enjoy.<br /><br />In addition, the writing was just okay. It wasn't very engaging, and thus bored me a bit. The author rambled a lot as well, which caused the writing to be repetitive. However, Mariko Turk successfully created a character that actually felt like a teenager. The story is told through Alina's perspective, and is done very well. She's a morally grey character that's a teensy bit selfish. But you can't help but like her! The author captures Alina's emotions and sentiments perfectly.<br /><br />The overall enjoyment level of The Other Side of Perfect is well, fine. The first 70% was boring and uneventful. Luckily, the last 30% was very enjoyable! If you're looking for a coming of age novel on dance, racism, and grief, than this is definitely the book for you!<br /><br />---Overall---<br /><br /><b>Age Rating: 14 and up</b><br /><br /><b>TW: Profanity</b><br /><br /><b> <u>Final Rating: 7.5/10 or 3.75 stars</u> </b><br /><br />More reviews like this on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://sunnysidereviews.wordpress.com/">https://sunnysidereviews.wordpress.com/</a>!

all the feels !! read my interview with the author <b> <i> <a href="https://windowstoworlds.wordpress.com/2021/05/13/the-other-side-of-perfect-mariko-turk/" rel="nofollow noopener">here</a> </i> </b>

As a professional dancer recovering from my second hip reconstruction surgery, this book hit so close to home. I've retired from the ballet world myself years ago, but any surgery that keeps any dancer off the dance floor is still traumatic and hard and this book captures ALL of it. Thank you Mariko for giving all the dancers who've ever been injured this story. The physical recovery is hard, but the mental recovery is harder. This book exposes the very real struggle of that mental recovery. <br /><br />I also hope that this book will continue to help the ballet industry change for the better because everything this book exposes about race and abuse in the preprofessional (and professional) world is 100% true. I know this book will inspire more dancers to advocate for themselves and speak up when something feels wrong. This book is a gift to all dancers and their support systems. This should be required reading for all dance educators.