Better than Perfect

Reviewed by: Sara Ottomano - Wells Public Library, Wells, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 10, 2016

Review

This coming-of-age story about a teen struggling with perfection was a promising but ultimately unfulfilled novel. Geared towards teens in grades 10-12, this novel addresses the stresses of college applications, the pressure to know what you want to do with your life, and mental health issues. The main character, Juliet Newman, is a senior in high-school that is struggling to cope with her mother’s overdose and parents’ separation; the two major events that fracture her perfect life. Unfortunately, her life to begin with is unrealistic and causes the reader to not sympathize with Juliet’s plight. The protagonist is incredibly privileged, rich, and intelligent. She is a 3rd generation Harvard legacy, has maids, describes being comfortable as being in a cashmere sweater, lives in large house, got a car for her 17th birthday, got a perfect 2400 on her SATs, and has stable, four-year relationship with a boyfriend that is also all the above, just to name a few. While this could have been a technique to contrast with her eventual break from perfection and acceptance of non-perfection, the break was actually too perfect in its own way. She found an intelligent, foreign, attractive musician with whom she cheats on her boyfriend (twice, and never sees repercussions) and it is discovered that she is magically perfect at singing. (She literally gets praised for her rendition of Happy Birthday at a sound check which is extremely improbable given that the song is 9 notes and only maybe one person has made it musical.) So even in breaking from her planned path in life, she finds an equally perfect alternative. While this may appeal to teens actively questioning their path in life, it will not resonate with many due to its unrealistic characters and situations.

Overall Book Score: poor