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Title: Perfect

Author: Rachel Joyce

Narrator: Paul Rhys

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-18-13

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In 1972, two seconds were added to time. It was in order to balance clock time with the movement of the earth. Byron Hemming knew this because James Lowe had told him and James was the cleverest boy at school. But how could time change? The steady movement of hands around a clock was as certain as their golden futures.

Then Byrons mother, late for the school run, makes a devastating mistake. Byrons perfect world is shattered. Were those two extra seconds to blame? Can what follows ever be set right?

Members Reviews:

I gave up

I loved the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and the Love Song of Queenie and was aware from other reviewers that Perfect would be very different and that it would take time to become engaging. I've listened for many hours as two disconnected amble along in a directionless way. I could have kept on listening to these mildly interesting stories but for the tiresome writing style overburdened with similes: hardly any description stands alone but has to be "like" something else to emphasize the allusion. Few emotions or situations escape being over-egged to be "as if" some other thing. I couldn't stand anymore of this deluge of verbiage and gave up.

The narrator does a grand job. Pity he has to wade through so much superfluous prolixity.

Very unique

I should start by saying this is different from the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, except for its tone and its beautiful prose, and in the way the author portrays the mind of unique characters. I loved this book, I found it touching and delicate. It's a slow burn, but if you're the kind of reader who doesn't need thrill after thrill, you'll enjoy the story- not to say that it's boring, because it isn't. This is the kind of book that made me find more chores to do around the house, just so that I could listen to one more chapter. The narrator is just superb and gives the right intonation to the children's thoughts and really brings to life the writing.

I struggled with this but actually it was worth it

For the first time in ages I nearly gave up on this one. I found the first half slow and very disappointing. I had loved Harold Fry, one of my all time favourites. Strangely I just kept going thinking it will get better and it did. For some this slow build may work, for me just to slow and ambling.

I do not want to say much as the story is clever and often surprising.

All I can say if you are struggling with this one do stick with it I am so pleased I did.

There's always one (bad review)...

...and this one is it. I loved "Harold Fry" and was looking forward to the next book from Joyce. It didn't need to be all the way up there with the "Pilgrimage" but I was sure it would be good. Unfortunately half way into the book I got so bored I just couldn't continue (and it doesn't happen to me very often). I just skimmed the rest to see if my predictions were correct (which they generally were).

The characters (every single one of them) were annoyingly naive and acted like they were from another planet. All seemed very artificial. The plot felt weird and unlikely.