The Perfect Girl by Gilly Macmillan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
To everyone who knows her now, Zoe Maisey - child genius, musical sensation - is perfect. Yet several years ago, Zoe caused the death of three teenagers. She served her time. And now she's free.
Her story begins with her giving the performance of her life.
By midnight, her mother is dead.
Zoe's higher level of intelligence and musical abilities have given her the ability to see not only the immediate picture portrayed but a wider understanding of influences, events and major changes that have affected her life during the course of this book.
I believe her strong aptitude for music is a magical thing to experience and I am sure many of us would like to have such an ability (I always loved art and drawing but never felt I was good enough). I do however feel that when this occurs in the early stages of a child like Zoe's life, it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure a level of normalcy is maintained, this therefore fosters an ability for Zoe to enjoy and experience other things in her life than music. By pushing too hard I believe her parents were cloying and almost too overprotective of her restricting her life experience and ultimately the cause for her being so naïve as to be manipulated into a fatal event.
After all that Zoe has been through in her short life, I am not surprised that after losing her mother, she moves her main focus on to maintaining her connection and taking on the role of protector for her younger sister both from the toxic situation she now believes herself to be in but also the possible threat from her step father, Grace's father in the future.
So did she do the right thing? Well I believe the initial decision stems felt somewhat rushed and selfish however, as we learn soon after her motives for her decision have wider repercussions on other people and by making this decision, it becomes almost selfless as at the sacrifice made, a larger benefit is felt.I also have a great deal of sympathy for Zoe at this point as the decision is not an easy one and to have to make such an important decision at a heightened level of grief shows how mature she has had to be.
At no time while reading this book did I feel like Maria was a victim, even when she lost her husband and had to relocate to be closer to her sister. Far from it, she was a predatory protector of Zoe but also at least initially one of those awful bullies who feel it is necessary to exert too much pressure on their child when it comes down to a specific talent (in this case music).
Even her death drew little sympathy as she had clearly pretended to be someone she wasn’t when she met Chris and their whole relationship is based on both her deliberately deceiving him and others on her history but also being ignorant to Chris's past with Julia.
Had she been less self-obsessed I do not believe that the family would have to be pushed to this breaking point before realising the danger that lay within it.
The addition of Sam's character enables us the opportunity to look back at Zoe's past and the reason for her own incarceration. His character obviously works from a human element, he is intrinsically linked to her understanding of the legal system.
Sam's relationship with Tessa (Zoe's Aunt) also brings to the fore that in this instance he is helpless to aid Zoe even if he could as he is both legally deemed involved as a witness but also due to his feelings with Tessa.
I believe the details of Sam's health that we are made party to as part of the story is to empathise and reflect the impact something like this can have on your decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
I believe music in the book also has a redemptive power for Zoe, focusing on her love of music enables her to pull away from the negativity around her and blocks this for a short period enabling her to relax and get lost in the relaxing properties, I believe she feels safe there.
If Tess and Richard can reconcile their relationship to what it was, I truly believe that at some point they will discuss their feelings about what they believe Zoe has done, but it's too close to home for now. I don't believe they are completely unaware and probably have a feeling (especially Tessa who was already questioning Chris's behaviour), but I do not believe they will try and rectify the situation for both the love and safety of the children.
I fully believe at the conclusion of this book that Lucas who was a quiet character, who will thrive amongst his new family and the love and support of Tess and Richard. Because of the nature of his relationship with his father I do not believe he will change his mind and tell a more truthful version of events. He was also fostered by his mother into music but it is apparent that his main love is film, so I would like to think that he gets to follow his dreams and not those of someone else.
I do appreciate now that there is a trend for "keeping up with the Joneses" more than ever, not just in the material content of their lives but also in how they are portrayed to others as "the perfect family".
There is no such thing and the more people try and perceive this the more we seem to perpetuate a lack of understanding in of ours and other peoples identities, feelings and ways of life.
The ending enables Zoe to get some kind of payback or resolution both to her own circumstances in the past and that of her mother. I am somewhat concerned that long term this may be a regret she will find difficult to live with and a heavy burden.
I would like to say that Chris deserves the outcome from this book, his despicable character turning out to be a vicious, aggressive, violent bully and the way he has continued to treat his son, his new wife and family it is clear he does not empathise with his fellow man, at no time does he truly show any real grief for either Julia of Maria.
He also offers no support to his son after the outcome of a terrible accident and is only thinking about himself as he again tries to control and manipulate the facts to look out for himself, I do not think he would think twice to throw his son under the bus. I know it is morally wrong but I believe he gets his just deserts.
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
To everyone who knows her now, Zoe Maisey - child genius, musical sensation - is perfect. Yet several years ago, Zoe caused the death of three teenagers. She served her time. And now she's free. Her story begins with her giving the performance of her life.
By midnight, her mother is dead.
Zoe's higher level of intelligence and musical abilities have given her the ability to see not only the immediate picture portrayed but a wider understanding of influences, events and major changes that have affected her life during the course of this book.
I believe her strong aptitude for music is a magical thing to experience and I am sure many of us would like to have such an ability (I always loved art and drawing but never felt I was good enough). I do however feel that when this occurs in the early stages of a child like Zoe's life, it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure a level of normalcy is maintained, this therefore fosters an ability for Zoe to enjoy and experience other things in her life than music. By pushing too hard I believe her parents were cloying and almost too overprotective of her restricting her life experience and ultimately the cause for her being so naïve as to be manipulated into a fatal event.
After all that Zoe has been through in her short life, I am not surprised that after losing her mother, she moves her main focus on to maintaining her connection and taking on the role of protector for her younger sister both from the toxic situation she now believes herself to be in but also the possible threat from her step father, Grace's father in the future.
So did she do the right thing? Well I believe the initial decision stems felt somewhat rushed and selfish however, as we learn soon after her motives for her decision have wider repercussions on other people and by making this decision, it becomes almost selfless as at the sacrifice made, a larger benefit is felt.I also have a great deal of sympathy for Zoe at this point as the decision is not an easy one and to have to make such an important decision at a heightened level of grief shows how mature she has had to be.
At no time while reading this book did I feel like Maria was a victim, even when she lost her husband and had to relocate to be closer to her sister. Far from it, she was a predatory protector of Zoe but also at least initially one of those awful bullies who feel it is necessary to exert too much pressure on their child when it comes down to a specific talent (in this case music).
Even her death drew little sympathy as she had clearly pretended to be someone she wasn’t when she met Chris and their whole relationship is based on both her deliberately deceiving him and others on her history but also being ignorant to Chris's past with Julia.
Had she been less self-obsessed I do not believe that the family would have to be pushed to this breaking point before realising the danger that lay within it.
The addition of Sam's character enables us the opportunity to look back at Zoe's past and the reason for her own incarceration. His character obviously works from a human element, he is intrinsically linked to her understanding of the legal system.
Sam's relationship with Tessa (Zoe's Aunt) also brings to the fore that in this instance he is helpless to aid Zoe even if he could as he is both legally deemed involved as a witness but also due to his feelings with Tessa.
I believe the details of Sam's health that we are made party to as part of the story is to empathise and reflect the impact something like this can have on your decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
I believe music in the book also has a redemptive power for Zoe, focusing on her love of music enables her to pull away from the negativity around her and blocks this for a short period enabling her to relax and get lost in the relaxing properties, I believe she feels safe there.
If Tess and Richard can reconcile their relationship to what it was, I truly believe that at some point they will discuss their feelings about what they believe Zoe has done, but it's too close to home for now. I don't believe they are completely unaware and probably have a feeling (especially Tessa who was already questioning Chris's behaviour), but I do not believe they will try and rectify the situation for both the love and safety of the children.
I fully believe at the conclusion of this book that Lucas who was a quiet character, who will thrive amongst his new family and the love and support of Tess and Richard. Because of the nature of his relationship with his father I do not believe he will change his mind and tell a more truthful version of events. He was also fostered by his mother into music but it is apparent that his main love is film, so I would like to think that he gets to follow his dreams and not those of someone else.
I do appreciate now that there is a trend for "keeping up with the Joneses" more than ever, not just in the material content of their lives but also in how they are portrayed to others as "the perfect family".
There is no such thing and the more people try and perceive this the more we seem to perpetuate a lack of understanding in of ours and other peoples identities, feelings and ways of life.
The ending enables Zoe to get some kind of payback or resolution both to her own circumstances in the past and that of her mother. I am somewhat concerned that long term this may be a regret she will find difficult to live with and a heavy burden.
I would like to say that Chris deserves the outcome from this book, his despicable character turning out to be a vicious, aggressive, violent bully and the way he has continued to treat his son, his new wife and family it is clear he does not empathise with his fellow man, at no time does he truly show any real grief for either Julia of Maria.
He also offers no support to his son after the outcome of a terrible accident and is only thinking about himself as he again tries to control and manipulate the facts to look out for himself, I do not think he would think twice to throw his son under the bus. I know it is morally wrong but I believe he gets his just deserts.
View all my reviews
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