Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Perfect Child

I therefore conclude that Janie, the sociopathic 6-year-old child, was not the red flag: Christopher was.

Christopher was the dumbest male character I have ever read about. He infuriated me immensely. He was not thinking. He was purely foolish. And he is an orthopedic surgeon?! Come on. Where did his brain go? I cannot count how many times I gritted my teeth due to his stupidity.

Hannah deserved a better husband, because let's face it: Christopher didn't deserve Hannah. It just so happened that the one involved was a child, but if Christopher was attached to another woman his age, I am 100% certain he would have an affair and gaslight Hannah once she confronted him.

As for Janie, she was a mere child dealing with immense trauma. She needed more guidance. Hannah did her best, but Christopher, in his ignorance, continually interfered. He believed he was acting in Janie's best interest, but in reality, his actions exacerbated her condition. Such a pitiful child.

And Hannah... dear Hannah. I'm deeply sorry for the hardships you endured due to your foolish husband. You sought what was best for Janie, exerted every effort to assist her, but your husband chose not to support you or be part of your team. I hope you lead a fulfilling life, and I hope you permanently part ways with your husband. He's not the right man for you. His ability to reason is completely lacking.

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bekahzabel's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Perfect Child is told in alternating points of view. Focusing on a couple who’s struggled with infertility, a social worker assigned to a strange child abuse case, and a seemingly innocent mysterious child.

All the Bauer’s ever wanted was a baby. When a mysterious young girl shows up at the hospital with terrible injuries, she wins over Christopher Bauer’s heart. The Bauer’s decide to take Janie into temporary foster care, with the intentions of helping her transition and adjust to a better life. As Janie’s behaviors and past begin to unfold, things seem to get darker at every turn and crossroads.

Boy oh boy, things got pretty dark between these two covers. Very hefty child abuse and violence trigger warnings.

For me, The Perfect Child had me white knuckling my kindle, and salivating for the next page. Even though I guessed some of the twists, this dark tale was a great read for me. My only qualm is how abruptly it wrapped up. 4/5 stars! 🌟

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averageawkwardasian's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Version: audiobook narrated by Christine Williams, Erin Bennett and Dan John Miller

Start slow and warm then gets rather upsetting towards the end. The contrast paired with the rush towards the stark ending makes the whole experience more unsettling.

The 3-person narrative brings different perspective to the same events and added more suspense and mystery.

Certain triggers in the later part of story might be hard to stomach.

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theinstabookworm's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I started this on audio but switched to my Kindle because even though there were two narrators, they alternated voices every chapter, not character. And hearing a female voice read a male character's perspective when I had just heard the male character read his perspective, was jarring and created a disorienting reading experience. I wish the narrators had alternated based on characters because I was enjoying the audiobook other than that.

I wouldn't call this a thriller or even a suspense, but rather a psychological fiction. Janie drove me nuts and just acted like a spoiled brat. If her behavior had been more sinister I probably would have liked this more. There was nothing particularly shocking - just a child with a lot of psychological trauma and issues that acted out and needed professional help. I wouldn't recommend this one.

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katelynndzindzio's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

If you have ever wondered if someone is born evil or if that is possible then Janie is here for proof. Chris and Hannah wanted nothing more than to have a happy family, as a surgeon and nurse they were the perfect parents for the problems that Janie had. Or so they thought.

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