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2.93 AVERAGE
2.93 AVERAGE
The Perfect Mother is not a mystery, it is not a thriller, nor is it a page-turner. The writing is amateur. The point of view is supposed to be the mother, Jennifer, but a couple of times it switched to Emma's which seemed more like a writing error not intentional. There was a glaring editorial error on page 94 (I was not reading an advanced copy). The author did a lot of telling not showing. There is very little action unless you count the restaurants Jennifer goes to while she kills time in Spain. And for each of the restaurants she visits, we are painstakingly given the details of what she orders each time. Much of the book is spent describing what Jennifer is thinking about when she can't see Emma & that includes her developing crush on defense attorney, Roberto. Neither Jennifer nor Emma are like-able characters, so I found myself not caring if Emma was released from prison or if Jennifer fell in love with Roberto or was able to repair relations with her husband. I usually don't finish a book this bad, but it was short. It could have been done in 50 pages though. Needless to say, I do not recommend this book.
First off, I want to say I do not read adult mystery’s very often, meaning my judgement on them might not be the best.
In my opinion, this book was written very well. It kept me wanting more, and it did not bore me. I finished it in a day, it was a really quick and easy read. It’s not super layered, and there’s not a strong protagonist or antagonist. I didn’t like that about it, because there was no characters to fall in love with.
Recommendation wise, I would say if you like a quick mystery to read, it’s good for that. It does talk about sexual assault, which is a sensitive topic, but it doesn’t get super graphic with that. There is few curse words, and overall it is not inappropriate. I would say it would be okay for anyone over 15 to read, but it just depends how mature and sensitive you are to the topics in the book.
All in all, I liked this book. I really liked the way the author wrote, and I recommend it!!!
In my opinion, this book was written very well. It kept me wanting more, and it did not bore me. I finished it in a day, it was a really quick and easy read. It’s not super layered, and there’s not a strong protagonist or antagonist. I didn’t like that about it, because there was no characters to fall in love with.
Recommendation wise, I would say if you like a quick mystery to read, it’s good for that. It does talk about sexual assault, which is a sensitive topic, but it doesn’t get super graphic with that. There is few curse words, and overall it is not inappropriate. I would say it would be okay for anyone over 15 to read, but it just depends how mature and sensitive you are to the topics in the book.
All in all, I liked this book. I really liked the way the author wrote, and I recommend it!!!
I will start by stating that I have not followed the Amanda Knox story. I went in to this book looking for some type of mystery as a mother uncovers the truth behind what happened the night that results in her daughter being held as an accomplice to murder. There was no harrowing emotional suspense as stated by the publisher because we never feel connected to the main character. I kept waiting to feel invested in the mother and therefore the daughter, but we didn't get to know her as "the perfect mother" before the "action" starts to take place. I think that was my biggest problem with the book and it could have been rectified with a bit more preamble at the beginning of the book. Neither the mother or the daughter are sympathetic characters. Perhaps the author didn't want to have us like the daughter, but we never found a reason to like her mother either. That is too bad because the story these characters were involved in could have been good!
I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book through the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
Not a great story, incredibly predictable and I ended up skimming a few pages where I was sure I wouldnt miss anything insightful. The ending greatly dissatisfied me and I felt like I had wasted precious hours with this book. The second star comes from the fact the author in the last two chapters attempts to reveal how victims fall into the mental and physical abuse of their abusers. Other than that, this book is not worth reading.
I for sure didn't hate The Perfect Mother but I did have a lot of issues with it. This is the Law and Order: SVU "ripped from the headlines" version of the Amanda Knox story as told through her mother. Who is a character that I didn't like at all, I don't think we were supposed to like her but I just found her so annoying and bratty and delusional. I feel that the author left a lot off the page and then focused to closely on other...things that just weren't really necessary. The good thing is, that it is an interesting idea for a story and it move relatively fast.
What would you do if your daughter were half a world away and accused of murder? Could you be the perfect mother, supportive and believing, even when things don't add up? Read my review of this mystery/character study novel, here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2014/11/18/a-mother-and-a-mystery/
Darnton provides an entertaining second novel, even if its foundation is pulled from the headlines in a case most tabloid-hungry folks know all too well. When Jennifer Lewis receives a frantic phone call from her daughter, things take a dramatic turn. Emma has been detained in Seville, Spain and is being questioned about a murder within her flat. Jennifer drops everything and heads to Europe, keen to clear things up and bring Emma back to the States. When Jennifer arrives, she discovers that things are more complex than first presumed. Jennifer secures legal counsel for Emma and waits to see the Spanish wheels of justice move. When an investigator is brought onto the case, Jennifer forges a bond with Roberto and tries to work with him to clear Emma, while digging up dirty on a supposed boyfriend, the mastermind of the murder. Jennifer's family suffers back at home and her husband, Mark, must straddle both sides of the Atlantic to pay for the legal fees, while Jennifer remains in Spain, searching for answers. Lines are blurred with Roberto, and the tabloids take advantage of these weaknesses to exacerbate Emma's problems. With Emma's life hanging in the balance, Jennifer must play the role of the perfect mother to ensure her eldest is protected, but at what cost to everyone else?
Darnton is surely a competent writer, though this novel leaves me a little less than impressed. The story is not only 'ripped from the headlines' but also uses the Amanda Knox story and almost replaces names and locales. It has little, if any, unique attribute and is superficial in its departure from the Knox version. Creating a less than stellar romantic connection between 'perfect mother' Jennifer and trial investigator Roberto seemed a little more trivial, especially since the story's depth did not extend into the full legal battle of the event. I would have preferred more nuance or a deeper tale to flesh out more development and less sickly-sweet weak mother trying to put her daughter first.
Kudos for the idea, Mrs. Darnton. While you have the ability to convey a story well, perhaps it's time you focus less on the structure of a well-known case and create one yourself.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Darnton is surely a competent writer, though this novel leaves me a little less than impressed. The story is not only 'ripped from the headlines' but also uses the Amanda Knox story and almost replaces names and locales. It has little, if any, unique attribute and is superficial in its departure from the Knox version. Creating a less than stellar romantic connection between 'perfect mother' Jennifer and trial investigator Roberto seemed a little more trivial, especially since the story's depth did not extend into the full legal battle of the event. I would have preferred more nuance or a deeper tale to flesh out more development and less sickly-sweet weak mother trying to put her daughter first.
Kudos for the idea, Mrs. Darnton. While you have the ability to convey a story well, perhaps it's time you focus less on the structure of a well-known case and create one yourself.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
****I received this copy from good reads in exchange for an honest review****
Jennifer Lewis is sleeping one night when she receives a call in the middle of the night. Her oldest daughter, Emma, who is studying abroad in Spain for the last 8 months, is the prime suspect to the murder of a young Spanish boy. Her whole world seems to fall apart around her. When she arrives in Spain she discovers that her perfect daughter may not be who she thought she was. This book follows Jennifer on her trip to Spain to save her daughter from the lengthy jail time in a foreign country that may come due to her actions.
I loved this book! I found it hard to put down and I found myself NEEDING to know what would happen next. I hated Emma, with a passion, she was so rude to her parents even though they were clearly doing everything in their power to help her. I did find Jennifer very naive and kind of annoying, but I saw where she was coming from most of the time. The book conveys the tension Jennifer feels towards staying loyal to her daughter and facing the reality of her daughters actions very well.
The ending was such a plot twist! I wish there was one or two more chapters that came with the story! I mean, GIVE ME SOMETHING!!! I need to know what happened! I NEED TO
I VOTE FOR SEQUEL!!! I definitely recommend the book!
Jennifer Lewis is sleeping one night when she receives a call in the middle of the night. Her oldest daughter, Emma, who is studying abroad in Spain for the last 8 months, is the prime suspect to the murder of a young Spanish boy. Her whole world seems to fall apart around her. When she arrives in Spain she discovers that her perfect daughter may not be who she thought she was. This book follows Jennifer on her trip to Spain to save her daughter from the lengthy jail time in a foreign country that may come due to her actions.
I loved this book! I found it hard to put down and I found myself NEEDING to know what would happen next. I hated Emma, with a passion, she was so rude to her parents even though they were clearly doing everything in their power to help her. I did find Jennifer very naive and kind of annoying, but I saw where she was coming from most of the time. The book conveys the tension Jennifer feels towards staying loyal to her daughter and facing the reality of her daughters actions very well.
The ending was such a plot twist! I wish there was one or two more chapters that came with the story! I mean, GIVE ME SOMETHING!!! I need to know what happened! I NEED TO
I VOTE FOR SEQUEL!!! I definitely recommend the book!
The plot was actually interesting enough, and kept me reading through the end - I wanted to know what happened -, but the characters are not likeable or interesting, Spain is described as basically a third-world country (has the author even been to Spain?!) and Jennifer, the character whose point of view we follow during the book, is the least likeable of all. It's a shame because the story could have been really great - and the plot twist right at the end was fantastic - but I couldn't really like the book. I "hate-read" it like you keep reading the blog of someone you find infuriating, but I was not enjoying it.