Perfectly Normal

by Zachary Steele

For sixteen-year-old Nate Alexander, music is more than sound. It's a symphony of color, vibrant and beautiful, a blessing and a curse. For all that he may love about living with Chromesthesia, however, the added weight of undiagnosed autism clutters his life daily, turning school into a trial of his oddness, social encounters into a jumble of confusion, and leaving him on uneven footing with a father determined to make him more normal. The arrival of Julian Mack, an openly gay new student quickly gaining the attention of bullies, draws Nate into a friendship that tests the limits of what he can endure. Absorbed by the need to please Julian, Nate is quickly at odds with his best friend Michelle and her efforts to protect him. As Nate struggles to find what meaning music has in his life, rumors about him swirl around school, leaving him to decide between defending Julian and his reputation or the safety and comfort of his haven of music and color. Written with deep sensitivity and the rare ability to bring the little-understood to life, Perfectly Normal is a resounding work of fiction that might bring new color to your world.

272 pages, Hardcover

Published July 18, 2023

About the author

Broadleaf Writers Association Founder & Executive Director Zachary Steele is the author of four novels, including The Weight of Ashes, nominated for Georgia Author of the Year in 2021, and Perfectly Normal (January 2025). He has been featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Magazine, Shelf Awareness and City Lights with Lois Reitzes on NPR. Currently, he is hard at work on The Fallen Hero, the first in a series of fantasy novels. You can follow his ramblings on writing and life at http://zacharysteele.com/.

Reviews

[Jess Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERFECTLY NORMAL is a journey to self-acceptance and self-love. It’s a powerful story of finding one’s voice, and creating strengths from the parts of ourselves that make us different. The novel is full of relationships and the constant struggle of balancing needs with expectations.

In its heart, PERFECTLY NORMAL is a story of love, support, and joy. Zachary Steele creates unforgettable characters and invites readers to learn and evolve along with them. So, grab your tissues, open your heart, and meet Nate.

[Zachary Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Perfectly Normal, Zachary Steele crafts an immersive and poignant narrative centered around sixteen-year-old Nate Alexander, who experiences the world uniquely due to Chromesthesia, where he perceives sounds as colors. This sensory interplay, though beautiful, complicates his life significantly, especially with the added challenges of undiagnosed autism. School becomes a battleground of misunderstandings, and social interactions a confusing maze, often leaving him misunderstood by a father pushing for normalcy.

The arrival of Julian Mack, a new student who faces bullying for being openly gay, introduces Nate to new emotional landscapes and complexities. As their friendship deepens, Nate finds himself in conflict with his best friend Michelle, his loyalty torn between defending Julian and preserving his own fragile reputation. The novel brilliantly navigates the intricate dynamics of friendship, loyalty, and the quest for self-acceptance, all set against the vibrant backdrop of Nate’s sensory world.

Perfectly Normal is a deeply sensitive exploration of adolescence, identity, and the power of music as both a sanctuary and a source of conflict. Steele's vivid writing and compassionate character portrayal make this novel an enlightening journey, offering readers a chance to see the world through a spectrum of dazzling, yet challenging, new colors. It's a testament to the struggles of fitting in when you inherently stand out, making it a must-read for those who cherish novels that resonate with emotional depth and genuine human connection.

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book from Zachary Steele

Steele tackles difficult subjects in such an empathetic way. We know from the beginning that Nate is a boy who needs to be understood. But really, the true learning comes in the reader’s understanding of all of the people who mean so much to Nate.

Seeing their struggles and caring about how they grow (or don’t) takes this book from a story about an autistic teen to a masterclass on accepting the people you love as they are.

Steele’s writing makes the characters and the world they live in as colorful and vivid as Nate’s perception of sounds. What a treat to read. I was sorry when I finished it!

[Jeffery Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!! I just finished the last 50 pages of this book this morning. I’m going to need a replacement copy as these pages turned me into a blubbering mess and I ended up covering the pages in tears and snot.
Zachary’s previous books were good, the Weight of Ashes was even really good, but this freakin book is great! Only one other book I’ve read has brought me to tears. This book is going to mean a lot to a lot of people. Zachary, thank you for writing it, the world needs to read this book!