One fall down the stairs later, Luca must let go of his goal of attending the exclusive Australian Ballet School, and he also loses the performing arts scholarship at his private high school. Regardless of gender identity this love story will have wide appeal.With one wrong move, the dreams of an aspiring ballet dancer shatter-along with the bones in his foot-leaving him lost as he tries to recover.įor Luca Mason, an Australian boy living in Ballarat, Victoria, ballet was more than his future career. Luca’s father deserves a medal, treading a fine parenting line with his vulnerable young adult son. This funny and sad story is full of believable, often flawed, characters whose relationships are heartbreakingly real. As Luca slowly adjusts to his new life he gains a different perspective on some unexamined attitudes he and his friends had held and finds new ways to cope with the help of Amina and Jordan who are on their own journeys. Here he is buddied up with Amina Amhad whose unwavering positivity helps balance the casual homophobic bullying Luca experiences in class. Seeing Jordan becomes the one bright spot in his life as his poor academic record means the private school scholarship he had won due to his ballet prowess is revoked and he has to start school at North Secondary. When he meets year 12 rower and footballer Jordan in the waiting room, Luca is smitten: “this guy is definitely hot, and I’m assuming he’s straight, because this is Ballarat and everyone is straight” p. He withdraws and becomes depressed, only going out for his physiotherapy sessions with occupational therapist Sami.

Luca is adrift, his dreams shattered and a big part of his life gone. Best friend, bitchy, competitive Talia and offsiders Grace and Abbey are also in his ballet class and he can’t seem to cope with their concern. But disaster strikes as he falls down stairs and breaks his foot and ankle so badly it seems he will never dance again. (Age: Young Adult) Highly recommended.īallet is Luca’s world, he has been at ballet school in Ballarat since he was three and now, at 16 he is looking forward to joining the Australian Ballet School once he has passed the auditions, only six months away. Anything but fine by Tobias Madden Penguin, 2021.

Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden