The Perfect Child

This book was ok. Story was slightly predictable. Book was easy to read.

I think it's extremely unfair that people are giving low ratings based on the "graphic" content. In truth, child abuse is horrific and most definitely graphic, but I would not call the the content of this book particularly graphic. Disturbing, yes! Graphic, meh.....not really. I'm not sure how people expect an author to write about PTSD resulting from abuse without discussing the "T", unless they don't understand that the "T" is for trauma. The child in this book is very, very emotionally disturbed, and the author did a phenomenal job of making this story very real. Yes, it bothered me beyond words to read certain passages, but that's what a writer's job is! Nobody wants to read a book that doesn't reach out and pull you in. Seriously. The facts and details are realistic due to the author's profession, and her experience with cases like Janie's. If you don't want to read (and learn, yes LEARN a little) about survivors of trauma then simply do not read this book. There are many lessons to be learned in this book, and I applaud the author for tackling such a tough topic. Don't get me wrong, this is not a self-help book. It is fiction. It is written as fiction, and it reads like fiction. But that's the entire point! So please, don't read the book if your delicate sensibilities cannot handle such an in-your-face story. Furthermore, please don't read it and then post such negative drivel because you didn't like the topic of the story. I have to assume that the reviewers who are so upset about the content are the same people who don't watch the news because it upsets them. All in all, this book is exactly what it says it is. A book about a child who has been abused, the lasting effects it has on her and how it impacts her adoptive family. In real life love does not conquer all, and this book is one of those examples. **The characters are very well written, and I easily formed attachments to (or distaste for) them. **The plot moves along steadily and keeps you drawn in. I was always eager to find out what was next. **The factual information is entirely reliable. The author is a doctor and knows her stuff! **The language style and dialog are realistic and easily relatable. **The vocabulary is still easily understood for laymen, even though the author is a doctor. I wanted so badly to give 5 stars to this book, and up until the last page I was positive I would. But......(and this is my one and only complaint for the entire book) the book ends with a small cliffhanger. Some people might enjoy the cliffhanger-style ending, but I always feel ripped off. Especially when the author has done such a fantastic job of making me feel invested with the characters! I want to know what happens next! I need to know what happens next! All of the main and major points are wrapped up neatly (and realistically) by the time you reach the end, but one issue remains intentionally unresolved with that last page. So, yes, there are some passages that make your skin crawl, but they're supposed to elicit that reaction. If child abuse doesn't make you feel queasy, then I hope to never know you. There are no descriptions of sex abuse though, so if that is a specific concern you'll be ok. There are two instances of animal abuse, but they are not haphazardly tossed in as gratuitous gory details. They are used for the specific purpose of demonstrating Janie's complete inability to feel empathy. I highly recommend this book. If you also do not like cliffhanger endings, I STILL recommend this book. It's most definitely worth the read.

It was a great book. Loved all the points of view. It kept me Interested.

In my quest to tackle all the books gifted to me this year, I recently delved into a compelling narrative courtesy of my secret Santa. Apologies for the delay in sharing my thoughts; it took some time to gather my emotions post-read. Let me dive into the story now. "Christopher and Hannah" centers on a couple yearning for parenthood. Their lives take a dramatic turn when they encounter Janie, a neglected child in need of care. Despite warnings about Janie's troubled past, Christopher's unwavering affection blinds him to the potential dangers, while Hannah grapples with stark realism. The narrative unfolds through alternating viewpoints, offering insight into the perspectives of Christopher, Hannah, and Piper, Janie's social worker. The novel meticulously explores the ramifications of Janie's traumatic experiences, with Christopher and Hannah seemingly poised to provide the care she needs. However, Christopher's obliviousness to Hannah's valid concerns and Janie's manipulation adds layers of tension and complexity to the narrative. While the suspense builds gradually, the revelation of the central conflict arrives late, heightening the novel's chilling atmosphere. Yet, it is precisely this grim subject matter and the discomfort it evokes that hindered my enjoyment, prompting a three-star rating. Nevertheless, the book's continuation in a short story format promises a quick yet intriguing follow-up, which I look forward to exploring during my upcoming readathon.

You know those age-old sayings, "Be careful what you wish for," or "Things are not always what they seem?" Boy, have I got a story for you. In this book, you have Chris and Hannah Bauer, an early 40's couple that have been married for about a decade. They are both medical professionals, Chris an orthopedic surgeon, and Hannah, an RN. They have a healthy marriage, nice home, friends, and high paying careers. There's just one thing missing: they want a child. Hannah has had numerous miscarriages to the point where whenever she manages to get pregnant, she doesn't even get excited anymore and expects to lose the baby anyway. She and Chris consider adopting a child. One day, while Chris is at work, a child is found wandering the parking lot of the hospital. She's malnourished, visibly injured and disoriented. When people at the hospital examine her, the outrage builds. She has a host of injuries ranging from bruises to bones that have been broken and not healed properly. Everyone thinks she's three years old due to her size, but it turns out that she's actually a six-year old girl. Her name is Janie. Everyone feels compassion for Janie and wonder what sort of monster would do such a thing to an innocent little girl. Janie makes the news due to the nature of her case and because her mother was killed. No one knows who did it or why. What they found at the scene was evidence of Janie being restrained in a closet like an animal. Again, who would do such a thing to a little girl? Chris becomes Janie's doctor and fixes her improperly healed bones. He immediately bonds with her despite her severe issues; Janie is a very disturbed child. She throws fits and is obsessed with being fed; people attribute this to her abuse and accept that her behavior, while not desired is normal for a child who has gone through what she has. Hannah eventually meets Janie and she too falls for her and since Janie has no family to take her(her grandmother is in jail and wants nothing to do with her and no one knows who the father is), they become initially temporary foster parents. They get her home and that's when the trouble starts. She throws fits when she does not get her way(or sometimes just out of the blue), she breaks things, she urinates and defecates(she's not potty trained), she doesn't sleep, and she does this creepy thing where she just stands over them while they sleep. They learn how to deal with her due to going to child psychologists, but things get worse and worse. When it's time to start school, she deliberately does things to get kicked out; she went through several schools(hurting kids and smearing feces will do that). They get her a kitten, and well. .. you know the rest. She even says, "I like hurting people." It becomes apparent that she may be more than just some kid damaged due to abuse. Hannah(who Janie never truly warms up to) eventually begins to face the chilling reality that perhaps Janie isn't bad due to abuse, perhaps Janie was just. . .born bad. Someone that came out of the womb fundamentally broken. By this time, the Bauers have officially adopted Janie and Chris unfortunately no matter what, is pro-Janie and absolutely refuses to entertain the notion that his little Janie is a bad person no matter how many times Hannah presents him with evidence indicating otherwise; this causes a massive rift in their marriage; Chris always takes Janie's side and makes his wife out to be the bad guy. This is a well written book that is written in the first person and told from three points of view: Chris's view, Hannah's view, and Piper's(their social worker) view. My only complaint was that he ending was kind of unsatisfying. I can appreciate endings that leave you speculating about what may have happened later, but this one just kind of ended. I could keep writing, but I won't. There is a lot of material here and I don't want to fill this with spoilers. Just know that this one stays with you for a while and it's a chilling and disturbing read.

Non è poi malvagio, ma non aspettatevi un thriller. Di psicologico c'è moltissimo poiché la struttura narrativa inizia e finisce nei meandri dei disturbi sviluppati da bambini abusati ma, a parte la connotazione drammatica, non è una storia che vi farà sobbalzare. È tutto perfettamente inquadrabile nell'ambito di una tragica storia famigliare. Con un solo" inquinante" interrogativo finale: e se esistessero bambini nati "cattivi"? Abusanti prima ancora che abusati? Finale irrisoluto.

The author has crafted an intense, chilling, and unforgettable psychological thriller with The Perfect Child. From the very first page, I was hooked! Berry’s background in psychology adds so much depth to the characters, making their struggles feel heartbreakingly real. The emotional turmoil, suspense, and eerie atmosphere kept me on edge the entire time. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist shocked me! If you love dark, psychological thrillers with complex characters and a gripping plot, this book is a must-read. Highly recommend!

This book was a page turner! I didn’t want to put it down. I would have liked a better ending, but overall the book was good.

A colleague of mine read this book and recommended it to me so when I saw it was on kindle unlimited, I thought why the hell not! (Not that that effects my review in any way) I read the entire book in one sitting and was hooked by the first few chapters. I liked how it was written and the chapters were short. Normally I don't like books that flick between characters but I found this one really easy and didn't get muddled up at all. I liked how Piper's side of the story was set after the incident and it kept me gripped. "This case will live with me for the rest of my life" and "Maybe it would of helped" kept me guessing WHAT HAPPENED?! I thoroughly enjoyed The Perfect Child and will be looking into Lucinda Berry's other books. I never ever look at reviews before reading a book as I don't want my opinion to be swayed by others and I'm glad I didn't. After I finished reading, I came on here to have a look what others thought and am surprised others didn't enjoy it as much as me... Both my parents and my uncle and aunt are foster parents and I have grown up surrounded by the experiences of foster care and troubled children. A lot of the reviews I read were how it's unrealistic but in actual fact, it really isn't. My uncle took in a young boy a good 10 years ago who actually done a fair few things mentioned in The Perfect Child and my own parents have had troubles of their own. My parents have fostered one boy for the last 7 years and we've definitely had our up's and down's and there's been plenty of times my mum has physically pulled her own hair out and cried for hours over the stress of it, she has to write daily reports and have a weekly check in with social workers but not once have they ever felt the need to intervene or think we're struggling (when in fact we have, and we've needed help more than once) even when my mum asked for help! To read reviews on how this book is unrealistic and social workers/professionals would of picked up that Christopher and Hannah were struggling and needed help, is unrealistic in itself. People are blind to the real life of foster carers/social workers/foster children. I personally think The Perfect Child was a brilliant, well thought out, realistic story and will highly recommend it to others. Good job Lucinda Berry.

This is my first book by Lucinda. It was a crazy addictive ride. I couldn't keep it down and read it in one go. I didn't sleep trying to finish the book, and the ending doesn't help still. I'll be haunted by the story for weeks.