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erinkayata's review
5.0
Love, love, loved this one - the themes, the romance, the message. And it made me nostalgic for being in musicals!
strawfly14's review
4.0
This was pretty good for a debut novel, and I think it really shows how hard to let go something that meant your life. It's not that any of ur characters have a diagnosed mental illness, but the author does a great job showing different ways of coping with pain. I liked it. It was a refreshing read and gotta admit that if a novel has dance, gymnastics or any kind of sport, i'm gonna be into it right away. So I really enjoyed this one and loved what the author did with her first novel. She also includes many racial topics that are truly necessary.
nlgauvreau's review
5.0
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review; many thanks to NetGalley, Poppy/Little, Brown Books, and Mariko Turk.
My review contains information about my life because it's relevant to how I feel about the book.
I did ballet into my early teens. Unlike protagonist Alina I was never on the (pre)professional track. Also unlike Alina, I'm a huge musical theatre nerd (though I have very poor stage presence, so I wasn't involved in many school productions). Like Alina I had an injury that ended my teen dancing aspirations and took a major part of my life away.
Reading about Alina adjusting to "normal" life, finding new hobbies and friends, and going through her coming of age journey in the midst of such a huge life change was very personally touching. The fact that Mariko Turk addressed systemic racism in dance and the way some instructors train their students into submission and acceptance of historic wrongs was fantastic.
Even though Alina was a pretty horrible friend at times (I think most of us have been, especially as teens), seeing her with her friends and resolve issues brought me joy.
I was also happy that even though there are multiple romantic relationships brewing they don't overwhelm the platonic ones.
A truly fantastic read (and I'm now going to be guest hosting in June with this as the book for the ballet book club I'm part of).
My review contains information about my life because it's relevant to how I feel about the book.
I did ballet into my early teens. Unlike protagonist Alina I was never on the (pre)professional track. Also unlike Alina, I'm a huge musical theatre nerd (though I have very poor stage presence, so I wasn't involved in many school productions). Like Alina I had an injury that ended my teen dancing aspirations and took a major part of my life away.
Reading about Alina adjusting to "normal" life, finding new hobbies and friends, and going through her coming of age journey in the midst of such a huge life change was very personally touching. The fact that Mariko Turk addressed systemic racism in dance and the way some instructors train their students into submission and acceptance of historic wrongs was fantastic.
Even though Alina was a pretty horrible friend at times (I think most of us have been, especially as teens), seeing her with her friends and resolve issues brought me joy.
I was also happy that even though there are multiple romantic relationships brewing they don't overwhelm the platonic ones.
A truly fantastic read (and I'm now going to be guest hosting in June with this as the book for the ballet book club I'm part of).
ngreader's review
5.0
*high keening sound*
YALL THIS BOOK
MY ROOMMATE PROBABLY HATES THIS BOOK BECAUSE I COULD. NOT. STOP. GUSHING.
(And also the random screaming and laughing from my room didn't help)
As my roommate noted, this is a ballet book and I'm a sucker for them. BUT I'm completely gone for a beautiful and honest and unflinching ballet book. This book is beautiful and takes an incredibly layered subject and does justice to each layer. It has funny moments but also moments where you feel Alina's rage and confusion and sadness like your own emotions. Alina messes up so much and then does one of the hardest things to do when you mess up - she fixes her mistakes. She does the hard thing of picking up the jagged pieces she created and she fits them back into place, letting them cut her as she does so.
AND THIS WAS A DEBUT NOVEL??? HOW???
Read this book. Buy me this book for Christmas. Or my birthday. Or just cuz you think I'm swell.
Also, this cover??? UGH
YALL THIS BOOK
MY ROOMMATE PROBABLY HATES THIS BOOK BECAUSE I COULD. NOT. STOP. GUSHING.
(And also the random screaming and laughing from my room didn't help)
As my roommate noted, this is a ballet book and I'm a sucker for them. BUT I'm completely gone for a beautiful and honest and unflinching ballet book. This book is beautiful and takes an incredibly layered subject and does justice to each layer. It has funny moments but also moments where you feel Alina's rage and confusion and sadness like your own emotions. Alina messes up so much and then does one of the hardest things to do when you mess up - she fixes her mistakes. She does the hard thing of picking up the jagged pieces she created and she fits them back into place, letting them cut her as she does so.
AND THIS WAS A DEBUT NOVEL??? HOW???
Read this book. Buy me this book for Christmas. Or my birthday. Or just cuz you think I'm swell.
Also, this cover??? UGH
lienata's review
5.0
The Other Side of Perfect is a beautiful story about recovering and learning to love life again after suffering from an extraordinary loss. Alina loves ballet more than anything. When she's forced to live with the consequences of a heartbreaking professional-ending injury, the book doesn't sugar-coat how badly this affects her life. The feelings are raw and deep. Ballet was her everything. How can she live life now without it? These feelings seep into everything that follows in the wake of the gaping changes in Alina's life. From her relationships with her family and distancing from her best friend, to the new friends she makes at school.
Alina begins to find her place when she reluctantly joins the school musical. There were lots of musical references that I didn't connect with, but that didn't really affect my overall enjoyment of the book. With important life lessons scattered throughout, I loved how it ultimately shows us how even when people struggle from a great loss, they can still come out better in the end. And that not everything you love is shining and perfect, but loving it doesn't mean you have to ignore the bad about it. I also appreciated the biracial rep with the MC, and the serious talks about how sometimes racism isn't so clear-cut and straightforward, but that it doesn't excuse it either. A beautiful debut novel
Alina begins to find her place when she reluctantly joins the school musical. There were lots of musical references that I didn't connect with, but that didn't really affect my overall enjoyment of the book. With important life lessons scattered throughout, I loved how it ultimately shows us how even when people struggle from a great loss, they can still come out better in the end. And that not everything you love is shining and perfect, but loving it doesn't mean you have to ignore the bad about it. I also appreciated the biracial rep with the MC, and the serious talks about how sometimes racism isn't so clear-cut and straightforward, but that it doesn't excuse it either. A beautiful debut novel
seasonforreading's review
5.0
The Other Side Of Perfect is a passionate YA rom com about finding oneself after experiencing a loss. The book explores the complexities of loss, grief and acceptance through the main character Alina. We get an insight into Alina's struggle to regain a sense of self and identity after her dreams of being a professional ballet dancer come to an end after shattering the bones in her leg.
I loved this book, I read it in just a couple of hours. Alina is such a gorgeous (although complex) main character, and I love that the author, Mariko Turk, has used so many of her own experiences to shape Alina. Alina struggles with her frustration and disappointment throughout the book, and at times she comes across as a difficult person to get along with and to like. Mariko Turk manages to create Alina's character in a way that, despite her 'mean' comments, her disinterested attitude and her lack of compassion towards her sister, the reader still roots for her.
The friendships in this book are perfect, Jude was easily a favourite character. The complexities of friendships are touched on, and I appreciated the way the author approached the topic of bullying.
In The Other Side Of Perfect, Mariko Turk discusses racism within ballet, and sheds light on the lack of diversity and the stereotypes that are present today. The discussion is informative and thought provoking, and I appreciated the #ownvoices perspective in this book.
I absolutely loved The Other Side Of Perfect, and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher, Allen and Unwin, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book, I read it in just a couple of hours. Alina is such a gorgeous (although complex) main character, and I love that the author, Mariko Turk, has used so many of her own experiences to shape Alina. Alina struggles with her frustration and disappointment throughout the book, and at times she comes across as a difficult person to get along with and to like. Mariko Turk manages to create Alina's character in a way that, despite her 'mean' comments, her disinterested attitude and her lack of compassion towards her sister, the reader still roots for her.
The friendships in this book are perfect, Jude was easily a favourite character. The complexities of friendships are touched on, and I appreciated the way the author approached the topic of bullying.
In The Other Side Of Perfect, Mariko Turk discusses racism within ballet, and sheds light on the lack of diversity and the stereotypes that are present today. The discussion is informative and thought provoking, and I appreciated the #ownvoices perspective in this book.
I absolutely loved The Other Side Of Perfect, and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher, Allen and Unwin, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
lunaseassecondaccount's review
3.0
This was very predictable. From the moment each character was introduced, it was fairly evident how their story would develop and what the ending would be. That's not necessarily a bad thing- I was actually looking for that, given I have just finished reading a slue of depressing books and wanted something light and easy- but don't go into this expecting something new and marvelous.
Alina, our main character, badly breaks her leg in a devastating accident that means she'll never dance ballet again. This in itself is nothing new to the genre. Instead, she has to find other interests that has been up to now fairly impossible, due to her strict ballet schedule. She finds herself in the school musical, where she makes new friends and overcomes the trauma of no longer being able to do the one thing she had so far dedicated her life to.
As dismissive as I am of the plot, I actually don't hate it. I'd like something a little deeper, sure- maybe a character who is older and has spent twenty-odd years dancing- or perhaps the injury is less devastating and actually something they can work on, but it means they can't dance for six months and that puts them behind schedule. But hey, this is a short 300-odd page YA novel. I'm not begging for more.
And to add onto it, Alina is Japanese-American, and she has to concede that her ballet school was pretty darn racist for continuously casting her as the dancer in Nutcracker's Chinese Tea.
(Side rant, but can ballet stories stop using Nutcracker and Giselle? Please? Maybe some La Sylphide or Raymonda or Coppelia?)
I did like Alina was also on the outside looking in, with Colleen, her best friend from her ballet days, being a black dancer and receiving the harder edge of the sword. Although, when Colleen needs more pointe shoes... are she and Alina a perfect fit? Okay, yes, they might be the same size, but there's a reason there's hundreds, if not thousands, of pointe shoes. Yes, they might both wear Capezios, but Alina might be a Phoenix and Colleen a Cambre. But I digress.
There's a little bit of exploration with race again with Diya, the Indian triple threat in musical theatre (and shout out to including my favourite musical, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812). Alina's other best friend, Margot, is of Latinx heritage. There's some blink-and-you-miss-it gay rep, some family bonding... and...
Note: Jude is very evidently written by a woman. It's super obvious, and normally I wouldn't remark on it, but hot damn, he's a Tumblr dream boy.
Well, mostly I felt like Turk had a lot of storylines she was juggling and trying to see what stuck. This meant everything was very... I don't want to say whitewashed, but everything was very shallow. Some storylines just fizzled out (such as Alina and Josie's dance) and others ended prematurely (such as Alina's romance with Jude). Others seemed to be remembered at the last minute (see: Jude's father).
Look, I didn't hate it. It did what I wanted it to do. But don't rush out and think this will be anything new.
Alina, our main character, badly breaks her leg in a devastating accident that means she'll never dance ballet again. This in itself is nothing new to the genre. Instead, she has to find other interests that has been up to now fairly impossible, due to her strict ballet schedule. She finds herself in the school musical, where she makes new friends and overcomes the trauma of no longer being able to do the one thing she had so far dedicated her life to.
As dismissive as I am of the plot, I actually don't hate it. I'd like something a little deeper, sure- maybe a character who is older and has spent twenty-odd years dancing- or perhaps the injury is less devastating and actually something they can work on, but it means they can't dance for six months and that puts them behind schedule. But hey, this is a short 300-odd page YA novel. I'm not begging for more.
And to add onto it, Alina is Japanese-American, and she has to concede that her ballet school was pretty darn racist for continuously casting her as the dancer in Nutcracker's Chinese Tea.
(Side rant, but can ballet stories stop using Nutcracker and Giselle? Please? Maybe some La Sylphide or Raymonda or Coppelia?)
I did like Alina was also on the outside looking in, with Colleen, her best friend from her ballet days, being a black dancer and receiving the harder edge of the sword. Although, when Colleen needs more pointe shoes... are she and Alina a perfect fit? Okay, yes, they might be the same size, but there's a reason there's hundreds, if not thousands, of pointe shoes. Yes, they might both wear Capezios, but Alina might be a Phoenix and Colleen a Cambre. But I digress.
There's a little bit of exploration with race again with Diya, the Indian triple threat in musical theatre (and shout out to including my favourite musical, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812). Alina's other best friend, Margot, is of Latinx heritage. There's some blink-and-you-miss-it gay rep, some family bonding... and...
Note: Jude is very evidently written by a woman. It's super obvious, and normally I wouldn't remark on it, but hot damn, he's a Tumblr dream boy.
Well, mostly I felt like Turk had a lot of storylines she was juggling and trying to see what stuck. This meant everything was very... I don't want to say whitewashed, but everything was very shallow. Some storylines just fizzled out (such as Alina and Josie's dance) and others ended prematurely (such as Alina's romance with Jude). Others seemed to be remembered at the last minute (see: Jude's father).
Look, I didn't hate it. It did what I wanted it to do. But don't rush out and think this will be anything new.
cjmedinger's review
4.0
A critical look at bias and racism that is subtle and natural. A great way to show kids the importance of speaking up, and also of allowing yourself grace when you fail to do so.
alfabbulous's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
margueritestjust's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is one of the most beautiful novels that I read this year, and I'm glad that I finally got around to it.
The atmosphere of the high school drama department was so realistic as someone who did theatre all through high school - and the story of losing your dreams and having to build other ones is one that is near and dear to my heart along with many other artistic and creative people. I really loved the complicated way that the characters related to each other, with their issues of pettiness and hurting each other without meaning to (and sometimes meaning to), and also how they learned to look past the way that things have always been and decide to do something that is better and more beautiful.
This book explores complex familial relationships, complex relationships to the art that you make and the art that you are now longer making, ambition, jealousy, grief, and what it means to exist in an unjust world, particularly in the arts and its own legacy of racism and marginalization. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has in interest in theatre or dance, and especially to teenagers who are pursuing those fields creatively.
The atmosphere of the high school drama department was so realistic as someone who did theatre all through high school - and the story of losing your dreams and having to build other ones is one that is near and dear to my heart along with many other artistic and creative people. I really loved the complicated way that the characters related to each other, with their issues of pettiness and hurting each other without meaning to (and sometimes meaning to), and also how they learned to look past the way that things have always been and decide to do something that is better and more beautiful.
This book explores complex familial relationships, complex relationships to the art that you make and the art that you are now longer making, ambition, jealousy, grief, and what it means to exist in an unjust world, particularly in the arts and its own legacy of racism and marginalization. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has in interest in theatre or dance, and especially to teenagers who are pursuing those fields creatively.