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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved everything about this book. It made me angry, sad and broken hearted. I cried at the end for everything this poor family went through. I found myself heart broken for the boy and for what the mom was going through. Feeling like she should have protected her son when it was out of her control.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia
Moderate: Murder
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
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
I've read many Jodi Picoult books before, her tone is distinctive and her plots are usually very well thought out. Some of my favourite books are Picoult's such as [b:The Pact|10916|The Pact|Jodi Picoult|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347254421s/10916.jpg|3349846] and [b:Vanishing Acts|14865|Vanishing Acts|Jodi Picoult|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348212260s/14865.jpg|3254054] but in the case of Perfect Match, I found myself being sorely disappointed. To begin with, I think the characterization needed a bit more work here and I didn't find her plot twists to be as effective as in other books. To notch up the angst factor, there were many illogical decisions being made and no matter how Picoult tried to justify these decisions as a result of Nina's love for her son, I never really bought them (for reasons I will explain below).
Perfect Match is a story about Nina Frost, an assistant District Attorney who's worked the system by prosecuting child molesters. We're given a realistic (though somewhat biased) view of the legal system and how flawed it is, in that children who are unable to give a coherent answer in a pre-trial are not allowed to testify against their abusers. We are also asked to sympathesize with these children who've been through so much emotional and physical trauma but are still called upon to face their abusers in court, in front of many adults. Nina's acutely aware of the flaws in the system and is quite willing to work within the legal framework. However, this all changes when Nathaniel, her son, is discovered to be have been abused by someone close to home. It is then that Nina decides to take action into her hands and there are devastating consequences as a result.
Nina is our protagonist and it is in her POV that we stay most of the time. I found that her characterization was rather poorly done, because even though she's described as a skilled and highly competent assistant DA, she made so many illogical leaps when it came to her son's abuser and the actions that she chose to take against him. Yes I grant that she wouldn't have been in the best state of mind but her actions are to the point of ridicule.
Picoult's plot twists are a trademark of her work and has been effectively used in many of her previous works. Unfortunately it doesn't hold up as well here. I've mentioned one twist that didn't work out for me in the spoiler section above and there are many more here:
2. That Nina didn't suffer much of a sentence despite her actions. I didn't find this very believable considering the weight of the evidence against her. Furthermore I didn't understand how the jury could still find her sympathetic given that she's shown to not be a victim but a murder who went after the wrong man. How then did she get a hung jury? And how then did the judge give her a suspended sentence? I don't get it.
Perfect Match was a very disappointing read and I would have expected more out of Picoult.
Perfect Match is a story about Nina Frost, an assistant District Attorney who's worked the system by prosecuting child molesters. We're given a realistic (though somewhat biased) view of the legal system and how flawed it is, in that children who are unable to give a coherent answer in a pre-trial are not allowed to testify against their abusers. We are also asked to sympathesize with these children who've been through so much emotional and physical trauma but are still called upon to face their abusers in court, in front of many adults. Nina's acutely aware of the flaws in the system and is quite willing to work within the legal framework. However, this all changes when Nathaniel, her son, is discovered to be have been abused by someone close to home. It is then that Nina decides to take action into her hands and there are devastating consequences as a result.
Nina is our protagonist and it is in her POV that we stay most of the time. I found that her characterization was rather poorly done, because even though she's described as a skilled and highly competent assistant DA, she made so many illogical leaps when it came to her son's abuser and the actions that she chose to take against him. Yes I grant that she wouldn't have been in the best state of mind but her actions are to the point of ridicule.
Spoiler
Shooting your son's alleged abuser in court does not make any sense, especially since the DNA report hadn't come out yet. I wasn't exactly surprised when it turned out that Father Glen wasn't the abuser. This action really doesn't fit in with what we know of Nina Frost and because it plays such an important role in everything else that happens, it's quite a glaring flaw in Nina's characterization.Picoult's plot twists are a trademark of her work and has been effectively used in many of her previous works. Unfortunately it doesn't hold up as well here. I've mentioned one twist that didn't work out for me in the spoiler section above and there are many more here:
Spoiler
1. Caleb exacting revenge the whole time that he was supposedly "judging" Nina for her actions. This didn't fall in line with what we knew of Caleb either. He's supposedly a patient, strong spouse who didn't rush Natheniel when he couldn't speak, unlike the anxious Nina. Yet, he supposedly goes out to find the real perpetrator to deal out his own brand of justice (and brought his son along when doing so?). And it made things a bit confusing because what was he so pissed off with Nina about then? Because she wasn't as discreet as him in carrying out revenge?2. That Nina didn't suffer much of a sentence despite her actions. I didn't find this very believable considering the weight of the evidence against her. Furthermore I didn't understand how the jury could still find her sympathetic given that she's shown to not be a victim but a murder who went after the wrong man. How then did she get a hung jury? And how then did the judge give her a suspended sentence? I don't get it.
Perfect Match was a very disappointing read and I would have expected more out of Picoult.