Rethinking Normal–A Memoir in Transition by Katie Rain Hill
I could give you this whole book in one word.
inspirational.
moving.
funny.
sweet.
sad.
painful.
The truth about this book is, it is a rollercoaster and a blend of all these adjectives together. In every chapter, every page, every paragraph, every sentence has a new emotion that Katie Rain Hill weaves into her truly heartfelt story.
Katie Rain Hill’s story starts off with a random fun fact about her- she hates flies. It’s something that makes her relatable. She gives an intro about her life, where she has lives, where she goes to school, how old she is, then cuts right to the point of why she is writing this memoir. When Katie Rain Hill was fifteen she went from being Luke (a boy), to Katie Rain (a girl). She goes back to her present; she just killed the fly. Her voice, which she portrays beautifully in her writing, puts me right at ease. She is so relatable, and it makes me feel as if I really do know her. Of course, by the end of this book, you really do start to know her and her past.
Hill’s past is the most powerful part of her story. She tells the struggles of being born in the wrong body in an steady, raw, and honest voice. Even though most people are not transgender, we can all relate to Hill’s feeling of being uncomfortable in our own skin. She talks about her romances and her boyfriend, Arin, and how he really helped her through the whole thing. Whenever Katie talked about Arin, it made me smile. Her mom is also someone who Katie and I can both look up to. Her mother was supportive and loved her daughter for who she was.
The part that hurt the most was when her three best friends, Lisa, Maria, and Katherine, left her because she came out that she was a trans. As she wrote with such unrefined talent, spoken through ink on a piece of paper, Hill touched my heart and inspired me to speak up for what is right, her her voice will do the same for you. The most important thing I learned from this book is to accept people for who they deeply, truly are.
I would recommend this book for people who feel like everyday is worse than the last and their lives will never get better. It will. Because if you don’t trust me, you will trust Ms. Katie Rain Hill. Also, parents, teachers, and anyone who has children as a huge part of their life, read this book. It will help you understand them, and help you make the best decisions for them, and teach them what is right.
I have no doubt that this book will change the way you see and treat people.
xoxo,
Jules
P.S. I couldn’t put this book down.
