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1-Page Summary of Perfect Chemistry
Overall Summary
YA author Simone Elkeles wrote Perfect Chemistry in 2008. This novel is about two teenagers who overcome stereotypes and fall in love. The book was well received for its humor, heart, and suspense. It also became a New York Times bestseller. Elkeles grew up around Chicago, where the story takes place. Perfect Chemistry won the RITA award for Young Adult Romance, which is given to romance novels that are popular with young adults. The themes of this novel include looking beyond appearances, prejudice, being true to one’s self and declaring an unpopular love.
The novel starts out with Brittany Ellis walking into chemistry class. It’s the first day of her senior year, and she has big plans. She wants to be at the top of her game academically like she always is, but she also wants to have a boyfriend who won’t pressure her for sex and will treat her well. However, everything changes when she meets Alex Fuentes—a boy from another school who transfers in because his brother was killed by gang violence. He helps open up Brittany’s eyes to what life can really be about instead of just being perfect on paper.
Alex is a Latino Blood gang member from Chicago’s south side. Brittany, on the other hand, has no interest in gangs and tries to avoid that part of town. Alex works out a lot and he’s very protective of his family. Their first encounter isn’t ideal because they almost crash into each other while arguing over something trivial in the parking lot. After their brief altercation, they go their separate ways with neither one thinking much about the other person at this point. That changes when Alex is dared by his friends to hit on Brittany for Thanksgiving weekend before she goes home for winter break from college (she doesn’t want her parents to know she had sex). He reluctantly agrees but it turns out that his friends have more sinister plans than just having him flirt with her; they want him to sleep with her before she leaves so that everyone will think he’s a bad boy who took advantage of an innocent girl like Brittany should be expected to do if things get physical between them. But as time passes, Alex finds himself drawn towards Brittany despite how different they are from each other; he learns about some problems in her life such as an absent father who travels often and sends money back home but never sees any of them or spends any real time with them, a sister who has cerebral palsy (a mental disability where you can’t control your muscles) and needs constant care due to being paralyzed all over except for one functioning arm, which causes stress within the household due to financial issues since there are only two working adults supporting three disabled children. Things come crashing down around them when Brittany gets into trouble after getting drunk during prom night ; instead of calling 911 immediately after finding Shelley passed out, she decides against doing so because Shelley might end up going away permanently if anyone found out what happened.
Meanwhile, Brittany sympathizes with Alex’s story. He has to project a tough image because of the circumstances he grew up in: his father was murdered when he was six and now it is his responsibility to take care of his family. He wants out of the gang but Carmen keeps pulling him back; she doesn’t want him to leave the gang because they are involved together. Alex is torn between leaving or staying with the gangs. The gangs offer protection for his family but also prevent him from going to college, which he really wants to do. Both Alex and Brittany see that there’s more than meets the eye about each other than what their peers think they are like. They fall for each other and win their bet: Brittany loses her virginity before Thanksgiving (which is a holiday in America where people eat turkey).
