Books › The Art of Being Normal
The Art of Being Normal
357 pages
A tender, big-hearted exploration of friendship, secrets, and the terrifying thrill of finally showing the world who you really are.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a quiet corner with a trusted friend, sharing the kind of secrets that make your heart race. It moves at a brisk, engaging pace, propelled by the anxieties of its protagonists as they navigate the minefield of high school hierarchies and the heavy burden of hidden identities. The prose is highly accessible and conversational, stripping away pretension to deliver raw, earnest teenage voices that feel immediately real. While the atmosphere is often steeped in the very real angst of being misunderstood, a profound undercurrent of empathy and hope carries the narrative forward. It is a deeply comforting read for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, offering a warm, uplifting testament to the power of finding your people and the beautiful liberation of living your truth.
- Mood
- angsty
- tender
- uplifting
- Tone
- earnest
- empathetic
- candid
- hopeful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the weight of secrets · gender identity and transition · unlikely friendships · finding your people · courage to be seen
- The writing
- Accessible, conversational, and deeply rooted in the authentic, immediate voices of its teenage protagonists.
- The arc
- Moves from the suffocating anxiety of hiding one's true self to the liberating, messy joy of living authentically.
- Who it's for
- Readers looking for a heartfelt, character-driven YA contemporary about friendship, identity, and the courage it takes to step into the light.
Content notes
- transphobia
- bullying
- outing
- deadnaming
- misgendering
About the book
Two boys. Two secrets. David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl. On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year 11 is definitely not part of that plan. When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long.
Description from Open Library.
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