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Fiction, General Fiction

Perfect

Rachel Joyce (author)

Hardback Published on: 04/07/2013

£14.99

31 reviews

Free UK delivery on orders over £25, otherwise £3.99

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Bookseller Reviews

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A moving and beautifully told story

Like many people, I really enjoyed Rachel Joyce's first book, 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry', so was really looking forward to what she would come... READ MORE

Janette Fraser

Perfect

I haven't read Rachel Joyce's previous novel which was so well reviewed, and only picked this up because we had been sent a proof copy - I am so glad I did... READ MORE

Lesley at Commercial Street Dundee

I loved this book

I found this novel incredibly moving I wanted to hug the character's. The story twists and turns as it builds, I found it unputdownable.

Elaine Waterstones Trowbridge

Very moving, I loved it.

Perfect tells a story of the past and the present. Byron is a young boy whose life seems idyllic, he is best friends at a good school with James, his mum d... READ MORE

Natasha Kelly at Peterborough

Perfect by name, perfect by nature!!

I am a huge fan of Rachel Joyce's writing; she manages to capture elements of human behaviour and relationships in such a real and relatable way. Perfect t... READ MORE

Becci Cooper at Worcester

A fantastic follow up

Rachel Joyce's first book, The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, was probably my favourite book of 2012 and in this her follow up novel she has maintained... READ MORE

David Cooper

Two seconds can change a lifetime

Perfect is a novel of how one incident can change a lifetime. Byron becomes obsessed with the idea of two seconds being added to time in 1972 and is convin... READ MORE

Sarah Hiorns at Ipswich

Second novel hit!

Initially I was wary of reading this after 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' became my favourite read of last year. I didn't want to experience 'seco... READ MORE

Emma Smith at Bedford

Synopsis

In 1972, two seconds were added to time. It was in order to balance clock time with the movement of the earth. Byron Hemming knew this because James Lowe had told him and James was the cleverest boy at school. But how could time change? The steady movement of hands around a clock was as certain as their golden futures. Then Byron's mother, late for the school run, makes a devastating mistake. Byron's perfect world is shattered. Were those two extra seconds to blame? Can what follows ever be set right?

Publisher information

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
ISBN: 9780857520661
Dimensions: 225 x 163 x 32 mm
Weight: 573g

Customer Reviews

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Perfect Perfect

A total delight for anyone who harks back to those halcyon days when housewives smartened up their A line skirts and pearls in readiness for their husbands... READ MORE

dogspire

Practically perfect in every way!

I’ll admit that I approached this novel with some trepidation. Rachel’s debut ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ holds such a special place in my hear... READ MORE

Leilah at Doncaster

Perfect

I didn't think I would ever finish this book. I couldn't identify with the characters and found the plot twist predictable. I found myself waiting for some... READ MORE

Becky J

Perfectly heartbreaking

This is a really engaging read with an unusual plot, told in a very believable way. The characters are very well depicted and their stories told in a very ... READ MORE

KSC

A Heart-Warming and Bittersweet Tale

Well written, sad, funny and clever. I have read the author's first book "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' and I enjoyed it very much. I was not dis... READ MORE

Brenda

A fairly average read

‘Perfect’ is an ok and enjoyable book, but I found it to be fairly average. It’s nicely written and easy to read, but the story is a bit depressing and not... READ MORE

Becky Walsh

such a good book

I won this book on waterstones web site. I am so thankful to of had the pleasure to read this time ticking mystery story. I highly recommend this to waters... READ MORE

Bookread2day

Loved it!

A great book, cleverly told from the past and the present... parts to make you laugh, others to make you sad and some very good twists - although I could s... READ MORE

kimbob26

Sad yet captivating

Rachel Joyce is fast becoming one of my favourite writers. In this book she tackles the subject of death and cancer with such tenderness, you can tell this... READ MORE

curlygirl

Utterly Perfect

This book was amazing, I couldn’t put it down. I have since started reading another book and I keep comparing it back to this one and feeling disappointed,... READ MORE

Kirsty Maclean

Disappointed

I had expected a story leaning towards science fiction having read the introduction. It was quite a depressing read and, whilst I generally keep the books ... READ MORE

Debbie

Perfect

I nearly gave up on this book. However after the first 50 pages or so I was drawn into it despite my reservations. Two boys attend private school in an att... READ MORE

Jayceen

A successor to Harold Fry

"Perfect" consists of two separate narratives, with a common character, one set in 1972, one in the present. The 1972 story is told from the viewpoint of B... READ MORE

Kate Barr

good mystery

I loved this book it is the perfect mystery.In 1972 two seconds were added to to time. Were they to blame for happened next?. Diana is doing the morning sc... READ MORE

Bookread2day

An all round good read!

From the minute I turned the first page, this book had me hooked. The opening chapters perfectly set the scene in the 1970's and had me reliving my own 70'... READ MORE

funmummy

A pleasure to read

A book by Rachel Joyce is a pleasure to read. Her beautifully crafted prose is almost poetic in nature, full of imagery, the natural world and colour. The ... READ MORE

Male reader

Obsession leads to tragedy

In 1972 the leap second system was adopted internationally and for an eleven year old boy this meant that time would stop. His fanciful imaginings, spurred... READ MORE

Mykh

well worth it

This was a first Rachel Joyce book for me, she had me hooked from the Prologue. The story has you thinking, Did we land on the moon? If 2 seconds were adde... READ MORE

Debra Willison

Fantastic

Although it took a while for the book to get going as soon as it did I couldn't put it down. Just as you thought you had worked out what was happening ther... READ MORE

CJH

An Emotional Read That Had Me Gripped By The End

This was a touching and quite emotional read, which had me close to tears (something that honestly doesn't happen often). I found myself surprised by a plo... READ MORE

Isla Scott

Perfect

I really couldn't put this book down! "Perfect" tells the story of two school friends, James Lowe and Byron Hemmings. Highly intelligent boys, they attend ... READ MORE

Threllyp

Practically perfect in every way!

I’ll admit that I approached this novel with some trepidation. Rachel’s debut ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ holds such a special place in my hear... READ MORE

Leilah at Doncaster

Well written but sad

I have to admit, this story was outside my usual reading comfort zone but I have to hand it to Rachel Joyce, she kept me guessing to the end. Perfect is we... READ MORE

Sam01

Perfect

Bookseller Reviews

Synopsis

Publisher information

Customer Reviews

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