Reviewed by Angie on
The Art of Being Normal is such a heartfelt and sweet read about friendship and acceptance, and we all know how I love me some friendship stories. David and Leo are not instafriends by any means. Leo is new at school and just wants to be left alone for fear that his secret (and the truth about why he transferred) will come out. But when he witnesses David being bullied, he can't just sit back like everyone else. From that day on, things are different, and David trusts Leo with a secret: David is really Kate, but afraid to come out to her parents.
I was immediately drawn into The Art of Being Normal. I felt so sad for Kate for not feeling like she can be herself. The only people who know are her two best friends and eventually Leo. But I was also happy for her for knowing without a doubt who she is and wants to be. She just needed the courage to come out and Leo gives her that. I was also intrigued by Leo's mystery, much like the girls at school who viewed him as this sexy bad boy. His secret is quite obvious, but I was still very much interested in his story of how he got to this point.
My favorite part of The Art of Being Normal was, of course, the friendships. Kate has Essie and Felix at first, and they support her. Leo is all on his own, finding it easier to avoid making connections before he can go off to college and start over. But once Kate enters his life, he finds connection. I absolutely adored the trip they take together and how he lets Kate be Kate. It's just so sweet! There is a very cheesy, after school special type of ending. It's sooooo cute though!
The Art of Being Normal was a really great read. It touches on some hard topics, but it never feels heavy. David's transition into Kate was so nice to see. I also loved watching Leo go from closed off to opening up. The ending is very hopeful and left me smiling.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 22 January, 2016: Finished reading
- 22 January, 2016: Reviewed