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gina_readsbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
“There were no measures that truly protected against disaster; you simply held on to what mattered and hoped that you found your way to the other side.”
I have really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Kevin Wilson, and this was no different. I love that his books are just the right amount of weird. They keep you entertained and guessing.
This story revolves around Izzy and The Infinite Family Project. It’s supposed to be a utopia where she can raise her newborn son along with nine other couples with children the same age. It’s such an interesting premise. The families are supposed to come together to raise the children as one big family. Izzy has this difficult past and sees this as a way out.
It such a lofty experiment that seems to be ok at the beginning. As the lives of all these people intertwine, the strangeness and unease feels palpable. They all react differently to things and the character work really well together. Izzy starts to question a lot of what’s happening as argument starts. Izzy has such a great arc,
As with his other novels, it’s so imaginative and it has such a unique way of exploring family and parenting. I also listened to the audiobook and Thérèse Plummer does a phenomenal job!
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
The adage "it takes a village" is taken to a new level in Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson where ten sets of parents take part of an experiment to raise their children in a collective.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After graduating from high school and finding out that she's pregnant with her mentally unstable art teacher's child, Izzy has limited options on how to proceed. With practically no support structure in her life to raise her son, Izzy opts to pursue her best option and become part of the Infinity Family Project, where her son will be co-raised with nine other children by eighteen other parents for ten years. As the group develops over the years, there are fractures within their ranks that threaten the harmonic balance of this extended family and the research being pursued.
Conceptually, the premise of this story was a rather intriguing and it was rather well executed through a type of time lapse narrative. I found Izzy to be a bit strange and aloof at times; while I do understand a predisposition toward older men, the fact that Izzy makes decisions that involve them regardless of the potential consequences made her less likable. The whole concept of the role of nurture in child rearing was well explored in this novel, both the positive and negative methods and results. There was an element of predictability to the narrative trajectory, particularly the ending, which felt a bit forced.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After graduating from high school and finding out that she's pregnant with her mentally unstable art teacher's child, Izzy has limited options on how to proceed. With practically no support structure in her life to raise her son, Izzy opts to pursue her best option and become part of the Infinity Family Project, where her son will be co-raised with nine other children by eighteen other parents for ten years. As the group develops over the years, there are fractures within their ranks that threaten the harmonic balance of this extended family and the research being pursued.
Conceptually, the premise of this story was a rather intriguing and it was rather well executed through a type of time lapse narrative. I found Izzy to be a bit strange and aloof at times; while I do understand a predisposition toward older men, the fact that Izzy makes decisions that involve them regardless of the potential consequences made her less likable. The whole concept of the role of nurture in child rearing was well explored in this novel, both the positive and negative methods and results. There was an element of predictability to the narrative trajectory, particularly the ending, which felt a bit forced.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
boxghost94's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this more than I thought I would. Wilson is obviously interested in eccentric childhoods and their effects in a Wes Anderson way. This book unfolds over ten years in a utopian collective where children are raised collectively. I wish he had allowed the situation to get as completely batshit crazy as something this weird could get - I think he held back on this one (unlike in his previous novel The Family Fang). It's a solid read though.
libraryalissa's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
emzeidman's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
skynet666's review against another edition
3.0
This was a great premise and it was well written. I liked the characters and the story was very interesting, but there seemed to be something missing.
gabriellasgoodreads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
3.0