Perfection

Julie Metz Hyperion
978-1-4013-4135-0
Source: BookSparks PR Blog Tour

In the aftermath of her worst nightmare, her husband’s sudden and unexpected death, Julie Metz discovers the worst is yet to come and that her seemingly happy life was a fiction of her imagination, a defense of her mind in order to shield her heart from the truth. As Julie heals from the loss of her husband, her world is shattered once again when she discovers the secrets he kept from her and the lies he lived. Forced to recover for the sake of her daughters’ happiness as well as her own, Julie’s personal story unfolds and ultimately changes her life and outlook forever.

Perfection was the horrific story of one woman’s discovery that her marriage and life was not what it seemed. It is utterly suffocating to read, I cannot imagine personally going through this tragedy, discovery and rebuilding. The memoir is haunting. There are parts of the story [spoon & ashes] that I could have done without knowing as they didn’t change the impact of the story or give any deeper understanding to what the characters were going through. Perfection is like a bad dream that you cannot wake up from. It is harrowing, and unforgettable. The story itself is amazing and shocking dependent on the readers’ level of morale. The writing style did not agree with me, and I frequently felt bored and mortified all at the same time.

I am amazed that Julie was able to write this book and tell her dark story. Though her life is much more than the pages of this book, I’m not sure I would have been able to put the event into words for anyone to read. The memoir has a wonderful set of discussion questions for book groups and makes a great topic for discussion as I am sure many different thoughts, feelings and opinions derive from this pointed memoir. The book left me in an odd state. I definitely had to start reading something less devastating and more upbeat.

I would not choose to recommend or not recommend this book. I feel that it is a decision best kept to the individual reader. I do suggest you read the synopsis of this book along with a few reviews before purchasing it. The memoir has great potential for book clubs or other discussion groups. It is a story with potential to help many other women, who may have suffered some of the same traumatic details, to heal and find understanding. I wish the author great happiness in the future. She deserves a break from the painful tale that encompassed so much of her life and heart.

About Julie Metz:

Julie Metz is a graphic designer, artist and freelance writer whose essays have appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Hemispheres, Glamour, and more. Julie received a MacDowell Fellowship in 2008 where she completed work on Perfection and began work on a novel. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Website: http://www.perfectionbook.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Metz/132749525472