One Perfect Daughter, by Jane Foster, is a raw, candid, and emotionally turbulent memoir by Jane Foster, chronicling her journey as a mother grappling with her child’s gender transition and mental health crisis. The narrative opens with pride and joy as Jane watches her high-achieving son, Julian, graduate. That moment quickly spirals into turmoil as Julian comes out as transgender, becoming Jules. What follows is a painful and intimate account of confusion, grief, love, and resistance as Jane struggles to reconcile her expectations with her daughter’s evolving identity, all while navigating the complex terrain of mental illness, family dynamics, and societal change.

This book hit me like a freight train. I felt gutted, enraged, helpless—sometimes all on the same page. Jane’s writing is so open that it borders on raw nerve. She holds absolutely nothing back, which can be both powerful and uncomfortable. There were times I wanted to scream at her, times I wept with her, and times I just sat in stunned silence. Her pain is real. So is her love. But her reactions—her denial, her blame-shifting, her open contempt for her daughter’s partner—were at times hard to digest. And yet, I kept turning the pages because underneath it all was a mother who was simply lost in a world she didn’t recognize anymore, trying her best to understand a child she no longer knew.

The book doesn’t flinch from portraying Jane in an unflattering light. She’s honest, sometimes shockingly so. Her anger can be vicious. Her judgment–brutal. But that’s what makes this story feel so relatable. Jane is not a polished narrator—she’s confused, contradictory, heartbroken, and often wrong. And that’s what makes her voice linger. There are moments of humor and deep tenderness, too, especially in her memories of Jules as a child. But this is not a comfortable read. It’s messy and often painful, but it’s real.

I would recommend One Perfect Daughter to anyone trying to understand the emotional fallout of identity shifts within families, especially those dealing with transgender issues, mental health, or just the loss of what they imagined their future would look like. This book is not a guide. It’s not politically correct. But it is an unfiltered look at a mother’s love, fear, and grief. If you’re looking for honesty—ugly, complicated, vulnerable honesty—this book will stay with you long after the final page.

Pages: 191 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DFBMF7LS