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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I love books with a history aspect but it's still fiction. I learned something about the Hapsburg Empire and its fall. The characters were normal. Normal people who have normal irrational reactions like real normal people.
A little slow in the beginning but got more exciting. Enjoyable light read.
The Millers are a completely dysfunctional family. The adult sibs, Ashley, Jake and Beck, barely speak. Ashley lives a lavish lifestyle, married to a lawyer, with two kids. Her world is about to come crashing down when she discovers her husband has been up to no good. Jake is a screenwriter who alienated his family when he wrote about them. His current relationship is on the rocks because he has a problem with honesty. And Beck is coming off a very sad breakup. Their mother Deborah comes back into the picture when grandmother Helen dies. Helen leaves Beck a diamond. Not just any diamond. A Hapsburg diamond. And so the story goes. The family argues and unites, in a limited way, as they try to figure out how Helen ended up with such a gem. An entertaining, if slightly unbelievable tale.
The matriarch of a perfectly imperfect family bequeaths them the perfect diamond -- but is it a family heirloom or stolen treasure? In this clever, meticulously plotted tale of secrets, family dynamics, and resilience, Amy Meyerson takes readers on a "what if?" journey filled with equal parts history, tenderness, and intrigue.
Excellent! Riveting story and interesting plot twists.
The Millers are an imperfect family. Deborah Miller was an absent mother to Beck, Ashley and Jake who were raised mostly by grandmother Helen. The father had long been out of the picture. We learn the backstories of the three children. Each are dealing with their own issues and resentments. Now they have to deal with the death of their grandmother Helen. The death brings the estranged family together.
Helen’s will states that her house goes to her daughter Deborah and the balance of the estate is to be split among the grandchildren with the exception of an unknown yellow diamond brooch which is to go to granddaughter Beck. While the piece of jewelry is found, it is assumed it is a piece of costume jewelry as the family had lived a modest life and the thought of a valuable piece of jewelry being in the family seemed unthinkable. In turns out that the yellow diamond is the missing Florentine Diamond. Missing since 1918 from Austria, the 137-carat treasure is worth millions.
The family seeks to find out how Helen came to own the diamond and the interesting and enjoyable unraveling of the family mystery begins. The journey leads the family back to the Austrian Empire as well as Helen’s journey to the U.S. fleeing the Nazis. While the family’s history is being revealed, the present-day family needs to deal with their own personal problems amassing.
The Imperfects is a good blend of family drama combined with historical fiction. I wish there was a little more on the history of the family and the struggles of Helen and her mother Flora. Deborah and her children are flawed characters – often unlikable. But you’ll root for the family as a whole hoping that learning about their family mystery can help each of them move on and heal.
Review posted at MicheleReader.com
Helen’s will states that her house goes to her daughter Deborah and the balance of the estate is to be split among the grandchildren with the exception of an unknown yellow diamond brooch which is to go to granddaughter Beck. While the piece of jewelry is found, it is assumed it is a piece of costume jewelry as the family had lived a modest life and the thought of a valuable piece of jewelry being in the family seemed unthinkable. In turns out that the yellow diamond is the missing Florentine Diamond. Missing since 1918 from Austria, the 137-carat treasure is worth millions.
The family seeks to find out how Helen came to own the diamond and the interesting and enjoyable unraveling of the family mystery begins. The journey leads the family back to the Austrian Empire as well as Helen’s journey to the U.S. fleeing the Nazis. While the family’s history is being revealed, the present-day family needs to deal with their own personal problems amassing.
The Imperfects is a good blend of family drama combined with historical fiction. I wish there was a little more on the history of the family and the struggles of Helen and her mother Flora. Deborah and her children are flawed characters – often unlikable. But you’ll root for the family as a whole hoping that learning about their family mystery can help each of them move on and heal.
Review posted at MicheleReader.com
I am bumping my rating to a solid 4 stars. While it stumbles a few times in the flow of the story, in the end, it all comes together and with great meaning and impact.
This is a story of families, of anger, of fear, and ultimately of love. The love of a family is complicated and messy and not always simple. But in the end, it is enough.
This is a story of families, of anger, of fear, and ultimately of love. The love of a family is complicated and messy and not always simple. But in the end, it is enough.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"The Imperfects" promises an enticing blend of family drama and historical mystery, but unfortunately delivers a rather lackluster experience. While Meyerson occasionally manages to build moments of genuine intrigue, these brief sparks of excitement get lost in long stretches of predictable plotting and flat storytelling.
The characters, particularly the siblings at the heart of the narrative, never quite come alive on the page. Their personal struggles and family dynamics feel lifted from a template rather than organically developed. Even potentially dramatic moments land with a whimper rather than the intended emotional impact.
The pacing is perhaps this book's biggest flaw. What should be an engaging treasure hunt of sorts gets bogged down by tedious family interactions and slow-moving plot developments. Meyerson's writing is serviceable, but not enough to elevate the material beyond its mediocre execution.
While the premise holds promise, the overall execution leaves much to be desired. Like a puzzle missing several key pieces, "The Imperfects" never quite comes together into something truly engaging.
The characters, particularly the siblings at the heart of the narrative, never quite come alive on the page. Their personal struggles and family dynamics feel lifted from a template rather than organically developed. Even potentially dramatic moments land with a whimper rather than the intended emotional impact.
The pacing is perhaps this book's biggest flaw. What should be an engaging treasure hunt of sorts gets bogged down by tedious family interactions and slow-moving plot developments. Meyerson's writing is serviceable, but not enough to elevate the material beyond its mediocre execution.
While the premise holds promise, the overall execution leaves much to be desired. Like a puzzle missing several key pieces, "The Imperfects" never quite comes together into something truly engaging.