Review: Define Normal - Julie Ann Peters

Ever thought about the definition of Normal ? What exactly qualifies as normal ?

Review: Define Normal - Julie Ann Peters - May 2003 ( reprinted 2011)

Think about the word Normal ? What springs to your mind ? Is there even a definition that can fit the word normal ? Normal, is one of those words that will have an endless array of answers as its impossible to judge what falls into the catergory. In Define Normal , we meet two girls - one is a straight A student who has signed up for an extra-curricular of peer counselling , the other is a rebel of sorts , somebody that the school deems needed for counselling. We have nerdy Antonia and Punk Jaz . As the novel gets on , we see that life for these two couldn't be more different and the roles each of them plays at school ends up being an alter ego , the complete opposite of their actual lives. Antonia is barely holding it together as she lives at home with her mum who we discover suffers from mental illness as she babysits her brother , keeps the house neat and tidy and holds down the fort as well as trying to keep up with her grades for school. Jazz on the other hand , her life is a breeze - she has two loving parents , a huge mansion , piano lessons and everything handed to her on a silver platter . When tragedy strikes , can Antonia rely on Jazz to help her in her time of need when no-one else understands her life ?
As we learn in Julie Ann Peters's novel Define Normal is that looks and actions can be decieving. A great novel that I actually read years ago but with the re-release of new covers , thought I would give it a re-read.