A review by 13rebecca13
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Perfect Child is a book that has been on my radar since it came out and I honestly do not know why I kept putting it off. I recently read Berry's novel Saving Noah which pushed me to finally read this.
Hannah and Christopher Bauer are a married couple in their early forties who have been struggling to conceive. She is a nurse and he is an orthopaedic surgeon. Just when they have decided to give up on having a biological baby of their own and go down the adoption route, a child is brought into the hospital after being found wandering around on her own.
Janie is six years old but due to her malnourishment, she looks more like a toddler. It is obvious that she has been severely abused and neglected. Janie instantly takes a liking to "Doctor Chris" and eventually Hannah and Christopher decide to adopt her.
Lucinda Berry's writing is absolutely brilliant. She really gets into your head and I have found with both books of hers that I have read so far, that I get into a mental battle inside by brain due to the subject matter. This novel really digs deep into how looking after a child with such complex needs as Janie's can affect the caregivers.
I love that it's told from the points of view of both Hannah and Christopher but also from their social worker Piper whilst she is being questioned by police. You know something terrible has happened and are therefore chasing the revelation.
It lost a star for me due to the ending. I found it very abrupt and I needed to know what was going to happen next. I believe there is a short novella which is a follow up so I will definitely be reading that too. Trigger warnings for child abuse and animal abuse.
Hannah and Christopher Bauer are a married couple in their early forties who have been struggling to conceive. She is a nurse and he is an orthopaedic surgeon. Just when they have decided to give up on having a biological baby of their own and go down the adoption route, a child is brought into the hospital after being found wandering around on her own.
Janie is six years old but due to her malnourishment, she looks more like a toddler. It is obvious that she has been severely abused and neglected. Janie instantly takes a liking to "Doctor Chris" and eventually Hannah and Christopher decide to adopt her.
Lucinda Berry's writing is absolutely brilliant. She really gets into your head and I have found with both books of hers that I have read so far, that I get into a mental battle inside by brain due to the subject matter. This novel really digs deep into how looking after a child with such complex needs as Janie's can affect the caregivers.
I love that it's told from the points of view of both Hannah and Christopher but also from their social worker Piper whilst she is being questioned by police. You know something terrible has happened and are therefore chasing the revelation.
It lost a star for me due to the ending. I found it very abrupt and I needed to know what was going to happen next. I believe there is a short novella which is a follow up so I will definitely be reading that too. Trigger warnings for child abuse and animal abuse.