#TBT and Thursday Trailer: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Original post from 2010 on my first blog:
So, here is a very fun book trailer for one of the many books I've been
reading lately--Perfect Chemistry by Simone
Elkeles. I haven't gotten very far yet, but so far I enjoy
the alternating points of view in the chapters and I like the Spanish phrases
and lingo. It's about time Latino culture is part of a mainstream
book.
I especially love the book cover, don't you?
Summary (from author's webpage):
A modern tale of star-crossed lovers with a fresh urban twist.
At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago , everyone knows that south-siders mixing with north-siders can be explosive. So when Brittany Ellis and Alejandro “Alex” Fuentes are forced to be lab partners in chemistry class, this human experiment leads to unexpected revelations – that Brittany's flawless reputation is a cover for her troubled home life, that Alex’s bad-boy persona hides his desire to break free from gang ties, and that when they’re together, life somehow makes more sense. Breaking through the stereotypes and expectations that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart, Perfect Chemistry takes readers to both sides of the tracks in a passionate love story about looking beneath the surface.
Looking Back, 2014
Dear Readers,
Perfect Chemistry was first published on Decemeber 23, 2008 (which happens to the exact day and year that my husband turned 35) and is indeed an enjoyable read for the weekend, but it may not be one to literally keep you glued to the page.
The summary is spot on regarding plot and the ideas of "stereotypes and expectations." The one minor criticism I have is that it relies too much on the stereotypes and almost "Disny-fies" these stereotypes.
I live in a region of Texas with notorious gang activity in certain areas, and Alex Fuentes is too good of a guy to be classified as a gangbanger. BUT I like that Alex represents something positive (although if he really looked like a true gang member and acted like one, there is no way Brittany would be with him--many gang members are usually really hard core, and they don't leave their chola girfriends). It is true, though, that you practically have to be killed to get out of a gang as shown by Elkeles.
I like his guts, his bad boy-good boy image, and the Perfect Chemistry between Alex and Brittany.
Maybe too perfect in a story all neatly wrapped up with a semi-predictable ending and with a bad boy gone good and a good girl finding someone beyond her everyday, privileged experience.
Just as in 2010, I still truly appreciate the fact that Simone Elkeles has made it a priority to include Latino characters and Spanish lingo for that growing spectrum of young people of Latino origin who are buying YA books.
About 97% of my high school students are Mexican American. And of the ones that are reading--well, they are reading John Green or Veronica Roth. They are not reading enough of those authors bringing more diversity to mainstream YA.
So for this, I bump up the book from 2.5 stars to 3.5 stars. Thank you, Simone Elkeles.
Fictionally Yours Siempre,
Minerva
