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A review by graybulla
Between Perfect and Real by Ray Stoeve
5.0
Oh gosh, where do I even start?
This book is gorgeous. Dean is one of my favorite protagonists in a long time, and his relationship with his friends was delightful and surprising at times, heartbreaking at others, and it all felt very, very true to my experience growing up as a trans teenager with mostly cisgender friends.
My favorite moments had to do with Dean's complicated experiences as he came out. Before this, I don't think I've ever read a book that felt like an accurate depiction of what it's like to realize your gender, and can I just tell you? I felt like breaking down and crying reading it. Not just because of how hard Stoeve hits the nail on the head when it comes to dysphoria, anxieties around passing, hearing your correct pronouns, etc and etc--but because of how seen I felt for the first time ever. There are a few other books that I feel reflect my experiences as a trans person post-coming out, but never any that really dive into the pre-transition and early-transition feelings, which are confusing and heavy and weird and amazing and necessary. Stoeve really got at the heart of change and growth in this.
This isn't even touching on how, in every other aspect, this book is still gorgeous--the prose is clear and succinct and flowing, and the characters feel effortlessly real, and the pacing is smooth and somehow subtle.
Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!
This book is gorgeous. Dean is one of my favorite protagonists in a long time, and his relationship with his friends was delightful and surprising at times, heartbreaking at others, and it all felt very, very true to my experience growing up as a trans teenager with mostly cisgender friends.
My favorite moments had to do with Dean's complicated experiences as he came out. Before this, I don't think I've ever read a book that felt like an accurate depiction of what it's like to realize your gender, and can I just tell you? I felt like breaking down and crying reading it. Not just because of how hard Stoeve hits the nail on the head when it comes to dysphoria, anxieties around passing, hearing your correct pronouns, etc and etc--but because of how seen I felt for the first time ever. There are a few other books that I feel reflect my experiences as a trans person post-coming out, but never any that really dive into the pre-transition and early-transition feelings, which are confusing and heavy and weird and amazing and necessary. Stoeve really got at the heart of change and growth in this.
This isn't even touching on how, in every other aspect, this book is still gorgeous--the prose is clear and succinct and flowing, and the characters feel effortlessly real, and the pacing is smooth and somehow subtle.
Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!