This novel reminded me why I love YA romances! I've said it before and I'll say it again, YA does not get enough credit for the writing, the character development, the powerful and thought-provoking messages, all because it is called "young" adult. Yes, this story was written for teenagers and is about teenagers, but if you can get past that, it is really an important read for all ages.
Perfection and Other Illusive Things by J. Mercer tells the story of 17-year-old Eden who wakes up one day and sees something completely different when she looks in the mirror; what she deems to be perfection. Used to doing anything that her single mom, feminist best friend, coach and other people in her life tell her to do, Eden sees some opportunities to take risks and try something a little different. She begins to flirt with the cute bad-boy, Hawk, now that she is sure he will see her as beautiful and she wears a bikini now that she is sure she has lost at least 10 pounds over night. Quickly, a relationship forms between her and Hawk and like many young relationships, infatuation leads to wanting to spend all your time with that person and Eden begins to push away from her friends, struggle in volleyball and make some choices she may not have made before she started dating Hawk. While taking some risks and trying new things can be a positive, Eden soon realizes that there needs to be a balance, just as everything in her life seems to fall apart all at once.
When I started reading this book I assumed it was a teen version of the movies I Feel Pretty, Shallow Hal, and the like. I internally criticized the fact that the author started with the mirror scene and didn't give enough of a backstory as to why Eden suddenly woke up feeling this way. But my criticisms and assumptions ended there. The story does point back to the mirror scene every once in a while but really the focus lies with Eden making choices and being confident. Basically, Eden slowly comes to the realization that nothing physically changed within her and that perfection is not attainable and is not something she actually wanted in the first place. Instead of taking the whole story to make Eden realize that she didn't actually bonk her head and become beautiful she was herself all along, Eden made choices, dealt with the consequences and learned that being herself and doing what is best for her is the most important thing.
Speaking of consequences, I appreciated that Eden's typical rebellious phase actually had consequences. And, going to a drinking party, getting drunk and throwing up on your mom's boyfriend, wasn't the only consequence! I think this sends an important message that yes, teens need to explore and try new things, and being confident and taking risks can be really great, but you do need to consider the potential consequences before you act. Does attending a drinking party always lead to getting an athletic suspension? No, but if you are someone who is depending on a scholarship and have signed an agreement that you wont abuse alcohol, then maybe thinking of the consequences is an important first step to making a decision. Also, things like being a role model, not agreeing to things that make you uncomfortable and telling the truth were important messages woven throughout whether or not they were tied to the consequences.
Eden and Hawk's relationship was really sweet. Like in many YA romances, there was just a tiny bit of heat, leaving the reader wanting more, but also being appropriate for the intended audience. I also liked seeing the contrasts between other relationships in the book, including Billie and Isaac (demonstrated growth over the story), Mom and Jerry (a positive and supportive relationship between adults), and Ivy and Tony (not much more than a make-out partner).
Going back to my initial criticism, I still would have been happy with a little more pre-perfection Eden, but I think that Mercer was able to achieve the same goals without it. The length of the novel was good, the chapters were fairly short and it was a quick read. I read it mainly in two large chunks but it only took a few hours. I would be comfortable recommending this book to teens, I might caution that there is a drinking party scene, but I do think that the consequences sent the right message about underage drinking. Thanks to Katie and Brey PA for giving me the chance to read and review this book and be a part of this awesome #booktour!