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This Perfect World
Heddy Partridge was never my friend. I have to start with that. Heddy Partridge was never my friend because I was pretty, popular, clever and blonde and my friends were pretty, popular, clever and generally blonde, too. Heddy Partridge was none of these things. Laura Hamley is the woman who has everything: a loving and successful husband, two beautiful children, an expensi...more
Kindle Edition, 316 pages
Published
November 30th 2010
by Pan Books
(first published March 5th 2010)
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Aug 30, 2011
Nicola
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-own,
chick-lit
I was a bit unsure about starting this book, because I wasn't sure if it would really be my kind of thing. However, after only the first page, I was completely captivated.
It was so refreshing and different to read from the point of view of a character who is terribly flawed, yet still be able to empathize with her. Laura is living in a world of French classes for toddlers and play-dates only with the ''right kind'' of children.
She thinks she has left her past behind her, until the mother of a gi...more
It was so refreshing and different to read from the point of view of a character who is terribly flawed, yet still be able to empathize with her. Laura is living in a world of French classes for toddlers and play-dates only with the ''right kind'' of children.
She thinks she has left her past behind her, until the mother of a gi...more
I stumbled across this book while looking for something similar to Sophie Hannah's crime novels (which I love). At first glance it seemed to have the same sort of heroine with a dark past and promised intriguing plot twists. In reality it proved to be very different in style and genre. Despite the dark themes in Sophie Hannah's books, they are ultimately redemptive and have a positive vibe running through them - you know everything will turn out well for the central character in the end, even if...more
Laura Hamley has everything - a perfect life, good husband, beautiful children and supportive friends, but old memories are reopened when she receives an unexpected phone call from the mother of a girl she once bullied at school. Laura has managed to successfully block from her life all the unpleasantness which was associated with her unusual relationship with Heddy Partridge, but when Heddy's mother asks for Laura's help in getting Heddy released from hospital, Laura must face the hidden demons...more
At the age of thirty-six, Laura Hamley lives the life of a stereotypical ‘yummy mummy’ — married to a successful lawyer, attractive children, yoga classes, paninis and air-kissing and dinner parties with friends. She has attained an aspirational dream of the times, but a phone call threatens to dredge up her past. The caller is Violet Partridge, whose daughter, Heddy, went to school with Laura. Heddy has been placed in a psychiatric institution, and Violet wants to get her released; perhaps Laur...more
This Perfect World is a spellbinding read, that draws the reader in from page one. Well written and a fairly quick read but also at times, a very difficult read.
Narrated by Laura, a woman who lives the seemingly perfect life - with the perfect children, husband, house and circle of friends. Her friends are women who are all married to rich men, women who spend their time talking hair, shoes, lunch and judging each other by what they have or do not have. A totally superficial life based on wealth...more
Narrated by Laura, a woman who lives the seemingly perfect life - with the perfect children, husband, house and circle of friends. Her friends are women who are all married to rich men, women who spend their time talking hair, shoes, lunch and judging each other by what they have or do not have. A totally superficial life based on wealth...more
I'd have given this book 3.5 stars if I could. I liked it but didn't really love it, but saying that the story was compelling and I read it in a relatively short space of time and would read other books by the author.
The story flits between the present and the past. Laura is a 30 something living a middle-class life in suburban England. She takes her young kids to French classes, does yoga and lunch with her friends, and chats about shoes, home decor and other concerns of stay at home yummy-mumm...more
The story flits between the present and the past. Laura is a 30 something living a middle-class life in suburban England. She takes her young kids to French classes, does yoga and lunch with her friends, and chats about shoes, home decor and other concerns of stay at home yummy-mumm...more
This book really is an adventure, not only has Laura got to deal with her two children and a husband whom is barely there, she facing the bad things she did as a child creeping back up on her. Soon she finds she's back up to some of her old tricks; such as making other people suffer for her own enjoyment but of course, it's only a joke... It just got too far...
Laura's life changes dramatically in such a short space of time due to Mrs Partridge, an old family friend and the mother of the girl she...more
Laura's life changes dramatically in such a short space of time due to Mrs Partridge, an old family friend and the mother of the girl she...more
Laura Hamley inhabits a world of suburban bliss, with her perfect husband, her perfect children, and the perfect social storm of friends and hangers-on whirling around her. Heddy Partridge was the stereotypical fat social pariah of the playground, but now she is a patient in a psychiatric hospital. Heddy�s mother, desperate to help her daughter, reaches out to Laura, who rapidly finds herself entangled in the famiy�s problems. This perfect world of hers has little room for guilt, for introspecti...more
I did not expect to like this book. I read it because it was chosen for a book club I belong to. I actually found it incredibly readable - so much so that I read it in one day! And the story told is terribly touching. It is one of those stories that is about being human and being fallible, and about the way that as fallible humans we can do horrible things. Sometimes that we realise are horrible, and sometimes that somehow we manage not to see. As a result, this book is heavily about guilt and a...more
I really enjoyed this book, it was quite an easy read but the subject matter was quite interesting. It tells the story of Laura who has always had the 'right' friends in the 'right' circles throughout her life.
The story is set in the present day and flashes back to when Laura was a child and the relationships that she had with both her family and her peer group. It is the sort of story that is easy to relate to, especially if you were never in the 'in' crowd at school. In the present day Laura s...more
The story is set in the present day and flashes back to when Laura was a child and the relationships that she had with both her family and her peer group. It is the sort of story that is easy to relate to, especially if you were never in the 'in' crowd at school. In the present day Laura s...more
Not too sure about this book...it made very unconfortable reading, i was almost cringing in places lol. The central theme of the book is bullying, and being a mother myself (and having been on the receiving end of bullying as a child) made me dislike the main character immensely, so i was kind of pleased that she ended up being treated the way she did by her friends. I am soooo glad i dont mix in those kind of circles, but i know that its very true to life, having met people like that myself.Al...more
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This was a fantastic book which called back the narrator's memories of childhood bullying, but from the perspective of the perpetrator.
Laura recalls Heddy Partridge's treatment at her hands when Heddy is brought back into her life following a call from her mother.
As Laura questions her actions in childhood, the thin veneer of her seemingly perfect life as a middle-class suburban housewife starts to crumble.
This is a sad and soul-searching tale of bullying, self-harm, guilt and the question of...more
Laura recalls Heddy Partridge's treatment at her hands when Heddy is brought back into her life following a call from her mother.
As Laura questions her actions in childhood, the thin veneer of her seemingly perfect life as a middle-class suburban housewife starts to crumble.
This is a sad and soul-searching tale of bullying, self-harm, guilt and the question of...more
I found this a compelling though not a comfortable read. Once I started it I found it difficult to put down
Laura, the narrator, leads a rather Stepford Wives existence with a handsome successful husband and two beautiful children. Then she receives a phone call from the mother of Heddy a girl she was at school with. Heddy a victim of bullying as a child, is being held in a mental hospital after a breakdown. Her mother wants Laura's help in getting Heddy released. Laura is initially reluctant to...more
Laura, the narrator, leads a rather Stepford Wives existence with a handsome successful husband and two beautiful children. Then she receives a phone call from the mother of Heddy a girl she was at school with. Heddy a victim of bullying as a child, is being held in a mental hospital after a breakdown. Her mother wants Laura's help in getting Heddy released. Laura is initially reluctant to...more
I keep picking up quite depressing books, and this is one of them. The story was darker than I thought it was going to be, and most of the characters unlikeable. When you read books / watch films about groups of popular girls alienating others because of their differences, they need to be aspirational. None of the characters in this book hit the right note. They were too suburban. They weren't Heathers enough. Heddy as a child was perfectly drawn. I'm not so sure the adult portrayal of her was o...more
I have just finished reading this and have to say I really enjoyed it.
As someone who was bullied as a child it really struck a cord in me and I did actually really like Laura, she was just a child at the time and sometimes as a child you dont really know better and obviously her parents didnt help anything and actually made her worse than what she probably would have been if they hadnt kept forcing the situation on her. Also her husband what a total *beep beep beep* makes me realise how fantast...more
As someone who was bullied as a child it really struck a cord in me and I did actually really like Laura, she was just a child at the time and sometimes as a child you dont really know better and obviously her parents didnt help anything and actually made her worse than what she probably would have been if they hadnt kept forcing the situation on her. Also her husband what a total *beep beep beep* makes me realise how fantast...more
Synopsis:
Laura Hamley has everything - loving and successful husband, beautiful children etc. But her perfect world is shattered when she is called by the mother of a woman whom she bullied when they were children.
Laura was (deliberately) hard to like. She had bullied Heddy when they were children, but now Heddy is in a mental instutute and her mother wants Laura to help. Slowly, the full truth of their childhood is revealed.
I did enjoy reading this although it was emotionaly hard-going at times...more
Laura Hamley has everything - loving and successful husband, beautiful children etc. But her perfect world is shattered when she is called by the mother of a woman whom she bullied when they were children.
Laura was (deliberately) hard to like. She had bullied Heddy when they were children, but now Heddy is in a mental instutute and her mother wants Laura to help. Slowly, the full truth of their childhood is revealed.
I did enjoy reading this although it was emotionaly hard-going at times...more
This is a book about childhood bullying written from the bully's perspective. Laura and her friends made Heddy's life a nightmare- but her father continued to insist that she accompany Heddy to ballet and brownies.
Out of the blue Heddy's mum calls her and asks for her help. Heddy has suffered a breakdown and is in hospital. She wants Laura's help to get her home again. She reluctantly gets drawn in- and reveals images of the past. Her seemingly perfect world begins to unravel and the 'friends' s...more
Out of the blue Heddy's mum calls her and asks for her help. Heddy has suffered a breakdown and is in hospital. She wants Laura's help to get her home again. She reluctantly gets drawn in- and reveals images of the past. Her seemingly perfect world begins to unravel and the 'friends' s...more
Despite feeling uncomfortable reading this book, I thought it was cleverly written. Reading about the bullying did make me squirm at times and none of the characters were particularly endearing, but then they weren't supposed to be. The impact of the bullying for both sides was very sad, and Laura's current life showed that bullying was still prevailant but in a much more subtle 'keeping up with the Joneses' way. Not a cheery book but certainly provides food for thought!
The long term consequences of childhood cruelty are explored in this very nuanced book. Consequences to the victim yes, but also to the bully. When Laura is reluctantly forced to confront her own past behavior she is horrified by her actions. As she slowly works towards some kind of redemption, she begins to examine everything that makes up her own " perfect life ".
I enjoyed this very much. An uncomfortable read at times. The cruelty to "poor Heddy Partridge" was painful to experience, but the...more
I enjoyed this very much. An uncomfortable read at times. The cruelty to "poor Heddy Partridge" was painful to experience, but the...more
1 like
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like
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Apr 18, 2011
Lisa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2011,
library-loan
This is a story about childhood bullying, It was a little upsetting to read in places, as the story tell how a group of girls taunted and humilated one girl that happened not to fit into their "perfect world"
The story is told by Laura, who was one of the bullies and how in later years finds herself having to help the Mother of Heddy(the child who was bullied)
The story flows easily and I read it in 2 nights, well worth a read
The story is told by Laura, who was one of the bullies and how in later years finds herself having to help the Mother of Heddy(the child who was bullied)
The story flows easily and I read it in 2 nights, well worth a read
Have you ever been bullied or been a bully yourself?? You HAVE to read this book, it really opens your eyes and makes you think. Laura was the bully and Heddy was the victim, or do you feel that Laura was also a victim? Laura's life changes dramatically and she finds the real her, the real Laura - could she really have been that cruel?
This is a MUST read. I was bullied at various times in my life and it never goes away!!!
This is a MUST read. I was bullied at various times in my life and it never goes away!!!
9th March, 2011
The story of a group of girls who at school are clever, pretty and popular, they are also self obsessed bullies. They focus their attention on one particular girl and make her life a misery. Later in life they are still friends with children, they consider themselve to be better than a lot of the other parents and of course still clever and pretty. The book tells the story of Laura who is suddelnly faced with her past and finds what she encounters there to be unpleasant and uncomf...more
The story of a group of girls who at school are clever, pretty and popular, they are also self obsessed bullies. They focus their attention on one particular girl and make her life a misery. Later in life they are still friends with children, they consider themselve to be better than a lot of the other parents and of course still clever and pretty. The book tells the story of Laura who is suddelnly faced with her past and finds what she encounters there to be unpleasant and uncomf...more
Ever heard of the saying what goes around comes around ? This book has plenty of that.This book is about bulling,living the high life,realising what you want from life & helping the one you bullied for so long as a child. Heart warming at times & i really got into the character of Laura. I do feel that maybe Heddy's character could have come out more but this was a great book & hard to put down at times.
just finished this book first for me by this author and omg it was just awesome i could not put it down. loved the relationship between heddys mum and laura and loved watching how the relationship with laura and heddy would pan out. really well written with believable characters a fantastic read
I loved this book and I literally could not put it down, I would steal a minute here and there just to read one page. Brilliant and highly recommend. Just would have liked more from Heddy, what did she think when Laura reappeared after all those years.
I really enjoyed this book, although heart wrenching at times! I couldn't put it down, read really quickly too. She sounds like she has the 'perfect world' But Laura's past catches up with her she has much to deal with. Kids are horrible sometimes!
It's a very readable book - it's like a story you have heard from your friend or your neighbour . It's a story about bullying , self-hurting and the guilt. But mostly the book is about the competitive world we live in, the society we try to fit in even for a price of losing our self. It's so true that we have to pose and wear happy social faces even when we want to say ' I am not happy in my marriage',' I can't cope being working mum - it's so bloody hard' . Instead we have to pretend that we ar...more
Would have given it 3.5. Couldn't quite fathom the lead character. Too easy to want to hate her complete superficiality, yet she seemed to be acutely aware of her own failings, even if she didn't articulate them directly. Overall I really enjoyed this book, although a lot of it was very uncomfortable reading for a variety of reasons. Read it quite quickly so it clearly drew me in. Would definitely read other books by same author.
What a depressing book ! Didn't take to this at all. Not sure whether it was the topic or the characters that failed to ignite a spark. It all felt rather 'yucky' and I was glad to get to the end of it.
I really liked the way this book was written. In some places it felt like my own life, however, I was very disappointed with the ending. That said, I would recommend it to my friends.
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SO GLAD you enjoyed it!
Mar 24, 2011 05:40am