Search - Perfect: A Novel

An amazing book that shows just because a person appears perfect and has no problems or troubles does not mean that it is so. Isabelle represents a very real girl in a very real situation. She transforms through the book in a very positive way making it a fantastic read with a very real message.

I think this book was aimed at a younger audience...because I thought the book was a little pre-teenish (It was too easy to read and I was unsatisfied when I finished). So it's very good for teenagers but not interesting (or surprising) enough for most adults I think.

Not a great book for those with an eating disorder. Read like a story, without information about the disease or information on getting help or understanding it from an outsiders view point.

Positives:

* Deals with a very tough issue in a very real way
* Explores guilt, the way a child takes over adult roles too early in life, grief, and a multitude of very real emotions that we don't usually talk about
* Simple words make her easy to understand

Negatives:

* I don't like the descriptions that the author uses.
* No resolution with anything, I don't even think they accurately portray the healing process of any of the major issues discussed in the book
* I feel tempted to try the things that she does, rather than stay away from. That scares me because I know that a teenager reading it will have less self control than I do. (No offense to my students who are all wonderful)
* There are very few positive moments, answers given to the problems, etc. The psychologist that plays a positive role could have provided some facts so that teenagers receive an accurate interpretation and don't lead themselves to other conclusions.

The story of a bulimic girl who discovers that everyone has problems.

Since Isabelle's father died, she is having a hard time coping with her emotions. She turns to bulimia in an attempt to regain control of her life, and winds up in "Eating Disorder and Body Image Therapy" group. She is amazed when Ashley Barnum, the prettiest, most popular girl in her grade is in the group as well, because she feels her life is perfect. Isabelle learns that more than appearances matter as she gets to know Ashley as a person, and realizes that learning to cope with your sadness is a part of growing up. This would be a great book to read with a pre-teen daughter as a springboard for the questions she may have but is afraid to ask. This book is geared for a young adult audience, but I enjoyed it very much. If you enjoy sad, funny reads, "Perfect" would be an excellent selection for you.