I’m not a big fan of series, and Perfect by Cecelia Ahern is a great example of why I dislike them. Flawed, the author’s first book in the series, was amazing. I fell deep into the world Celestine was living in and the different characters that were weaved into her life. I loved the progression of the novel, the climax and that the end of the novel had me wondering what was next for Celestine North. However, Perfect didn’t strike me the same way.
I’ve annoyed my family and friends with all the details of Flawed and how much I think it relates to our own screwed up society; Celestine’s bravery in continuing to fight against the all-powerful Guild, the way her life is turned completely upside down because of one good deed and how being “flawed” and making mistakes is what makes us human. I’ve gone on and on about how I couldn’t wait to read the next book that the author might be bringing out. However, now that I’ve got a copy of the novel, read all 337 pages in two days and digested the story, I don’t feel as passionate about the second book as I did about the first. Don’t get me wrong, Perfect is a fabulous read, and I’ve dog-eared (yeah, I know that’s horrible) all the parts in the novel that stood out to me, but it feels like all the events that happened in Perfect could’ve easily been a part of the first novel.
Regardless of my expectations of Perfect, the novel capitalized on another aspect of our society – being able to trust one another. Celestine, while being on the run, feels as though she is jeopardizing the lives of all her loved ones and can’t seem to find someone she can trust outside of Carrick; even Art manages to let her down again. I knew for sure that when she and Carrick were hiding out in the factory that the hippie guy could not be trusted (no one can be that chill while under such tough circumstances). I think that it was easy to spot the characters Celestine couldn’t trust and a little aggravating when she trusted them even though it was obvious that she shouldn’t. Thankfully, by the time the novel comes to an end, she wises up a bit and outmaneuvers the Guild.
I felt as though the ending was nothing short of sappy. One minute Celestine and her crew were fighting the Guild and their followers and the next everything was rainbows and sunshine. It just felt as though the story needed to have an ending and the author quickly thought one up. It’s hard for me to write these words because I really, REALLY loved Flawed and had such high expectations for its sequel.
Instead of a continuation to an already fabulous story, I received a typical dystopian YA novel.
Perfect by Cecelia Ahern is now available wherever books are sold.
Advertisement
Advertisement