Perfect Peace

Author and professor Daniel Black’s novel Perfect Peace tells the story of a rural, African American family that is forced to grapple with their own concepts of gender and gender identity after a mother admits that she has raised her youngest son to be the daughter that she always wanted. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the 1940s American South, the novel addresses a range of themes that examine the fluidity of gender and the impact of gender on society. The intersections of race, gender, and sexuality are also explored, along with the role of family and community in shaping individual identity.

This guide refers to the first paperback edition published by St. Martin’s Press in 2010.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss racism and colorism, enslavement, forced transition and gender dysphoria, discrimination and violence toward transgender people, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual violence, sexual activity between children, anti-gay bias and discrimination, child loss, and suicide and suicidal ideation.

Plot Summary

Set in rural Arkansas during the mid-20th century, Perfect Peace begins by telling the story of a woman named Emma Jean Peace, who is physically abused by her mother when she is a child.