What do you think?
Rate this book
Flawed #2
Perfect
Celestine North is Flawed.
Ever since Judge Crevan declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick, the only person she can trust.
But Celestine has a secret—one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing.
Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or risk her life to save all Flawed people.
Ever since Judge Crevan declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick, the only person she can trust.
But Celestine has a secret—one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing.
Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or risk her life to save all Flawed people.
341 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2017
About the author
Cecelia Ahern
95 books17.8k followersCecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. She is now published in nearly fifty countries, and has sold over twenty-five million copies of her novels worldwide. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,870 reviews
Want to read
March 22, 2018Words cannot express how much I need this book.
Flawed was absolutely amazing left me with a huge book hangover.
22/03/2018 EDIT: I HAVE IT IN MY HANDS I'M GOING IN YEESSSSS.
Flawed was absolutely amazing left me with a huge book hangover.
22/03/2018 EDIT: I HAVE IT IN MY HANDS I'M GOING IN YEESSSSS.
January 8, 2022
I read this one right after the first one because I had both on my kindle already and I have to say it really annoyed me to constantly have things recounted to me when I had just read them. It also just made the issue of being told things that was present in the first book worse. I don't think author's can never come out and tell us things but things like character's personalities need to be shown through action? I also think it was quite annoying that something that happened a few chapters ago would be recounted in later chapters once more as if I didn't already have the context. I just felt like this was like most other YA books I have read and not even particularly well written or well executed.
January 29, 2023
**3.5-stars rounded up**
After the culminating events of Flawed, the first book in Cecelia Ahern's YA Dystopian Duology, Celestine North finds herself on the run.
A fugitive from the law, Celestine has evidence that could bring down not just Judge Crevan, the man responsible for branding her as flawed, but the entire Guild.
Hiding from the Whistleblowers, Celestine, along with her trusted companion, Carrick, need to figure out their next steps for exposing Crevan's misdeeds.
Even prior to Celestine's case, there were dissidents who wanted to see the end of the system they view as cruel and inhumane. Since her flawed trial, Celestine has become a figurehead for their cause.
This novel, like the first, was fast-paced and engaging the entire way through. Ahern has no problem kicking her stories off with a bang and maintaining that pace.
It has been over a year since I read the first book and I appreciated how Ahern refreshed my memory without regurgitating the entire plot of Flawed.
The dystopian setting is particularly well done, with corrupt leaders and an interesting system for maintaining the obedience of the masses.
I couldn't help but compare Celestine to Katniss; how they both begrudgingly become leaders of such large causes. They're both strong and brave; characters who are easy to stand behind.
I would recommend this for anyone who loves interesting Dystopian stories.
This one isn't too far off from our world, which adds a touch of a frightening element to it. One of those, oh shit, this could really happen feelings.
Overall, I'm really happy that I finally picked this one up and finished this duology. It was really good. I'm actually surprised I haven't heard more people talking about it.
Another successful backlist bump!!!
After the culminating events of Flawed, the first book in Cecelia Ahern's YA Dystopian Duology, Celestine North finds herself on the run.
A fugitive from the law, Celestine has evidence that could bring down not just Judge Crevan, the man responsible for branding her as flawed, but the entire Guild.
Hiding from the Whistleblowers, Celestine, along with her trusted companion, Carrick, need to figure out their next steps for exposing Crevan's misdeeds.
Even prior to Celestine's case, there were dissidents who wanted to see the end of the system they view as cruel and inhumane. Since her flawed trial, Celestine has become a figurehead for their cause.
This novel, like the first, was fast-paced and engaging the entire way through. Ahern has no problem kicking her stories off with a bang and maintaining that pace.
It has been over a year since I read the first book and I appreciated how Ahern refreshed my memory without regurgitating the entire plot of Flawed.
The dystopian setting is particularly well done, with corrupt leaders and an interesting system for maintaining the obedience of the masses.
I couldn't help but compare Celestine to Katniss; how they both begrudgingly become leaders of such large causes. They're both strong and brave; characters who are easy to stand behind.
I would recommend this for anyone who loves interesting Dystopian stories.
This one isn't too far off from our world, which adds a touch of a frightening element to it. One of those, oh shit, this could really happen feelings.
Overall, I'm really happy that I finally picked this one up and finished this duology. It was really good. I'm actually surprised I haven't heard more people talking about it.
Another successful backlist bump!!!
July 11, 2022
This jumps straight into the action right after FLAWED, with Celestine on the run after her family is threatened and tensions are high. She’s finally reunited with Carrick, who we haven’t heard even a word from over the course of the first book, but here, their romance finally has a chance to blossom.
This gets super twisty and complicated as Celestine has to decide how she wants to proceed with potentially damaging information against her ex-boyfriend’s father, the man who branded her, who also happens to be the leader of the guild. Does she want redemption for herself, or is she fighting for all of the flawed? Cecelia Ahern raises some great questions in this, and it was a fast-paced, interesting dystopian piece from start to finish.
This gets super twisty and complicated as Celestine has to decide how she wants to proceed with potentially damaging information against her ex-boyfriend’s father, the man who branded her, who also happens to be the leader of the guild. Does she want redemption for herself, or is she fighting for all of the flawed? Cecelia Ahern raises some great questions in this, and it was a fast-paced, interesting dystopian piece from start to finish.
June 28, 2017
Eine tolle Dilogie für Jugendliche! Schöner Erzählstil, authentische Charaktere & eine wichtige Message hinter der ganzen Story 👍🏻👍🏻 Dieser Teil hat mir sogar besser gefallen als der erste! 😍😍 Auch als Hörbuch sehr empfehlenswert!
February 7, 2017
Inhaltlich deutlich schwächer als sein Vorgänger, aber weil es dennoch Spaß gemacht hat zu lesen, gibt's von mir noch knappe & gnädige 4 Sterne :)
April 1, 2017
A great ending to a great duology. I absolutely flew through this! My thoughts on this book are pretty much the same as my thoughts on book one, as this didn't so much feel like a sequel and more so felt like a continuation of Flawed, which I really enjoyed as it kept the story flowing brilliantly. I've not read many dystopians but after reading this duology, I'd definitely like to explore the genre more!!
•
I made a whole video on this duology, in which I found out whether I'm perfect or flawed... https://youtu.be/S0XieiZSkMc
•
I made a whole video on this duology, in which I found out whether I'm perfect or flawed... https://youtu.be/S0XieiZSkMc
March 15, 2017
i don't know if i should be sad that i finished the book, or happy that i got to read it.
i enjoyed this story a lot! it is one of a kind. i love the author, the way she presents the reality we often ignore.
for me, flawed and perfect are her best book so far. this books remaind me why i started reading each of them.
the stories are fresh, emotional, profund and a great lesson.
a must from cecelia ahern.
i enjoyed this story a lot! it is one of a kind. i love the author, the way she presents the reality we often ignore.
for me, flawed and perfect are her best book so far. this books remaind me why i started reading each of them.
the stories are fresh, emotional, profund and a great lesson.
a must from cecelia ahern.
May 9, 2017
“Who are you to judge the life I live?
I know I'm not perfect
-and I don't live to be-
but before you start pointing fingers...
make sure you hands are clean!”
----Bob Marley
Cecelia Ahern, the international best-selling author, pens the sequel to the Flawed, an YA dystopian series, called, Perfect that opens with the protagonist on the run as a fugitive from the society that labelled and branded her as the most Flawed, despite of her kind and perfect heart, and time is running short and that she must help, protect and rescue all those who are just like her before the judge gets his hands on her, despite of a dangerous secret this girl knows about that could destroy the world of the Flawed.
Synopsis:
The thrilling, shocking and romantic sequel to the bestselling YA debut FLAWED is finally here. When we embrace all our flaws, that’s when we can finally become PERFECT…
Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured – all her freedoms gone.
Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with the complicated, powerfully attractive Carrick, the only person she can trust. But Celestine has a secret – one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground.
Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save only herself, or risk her life to save all the Flawed. And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed?
Celestine has finally managed to flee from the grips of the cunning and most villainous man of her Perfect-deemed society, where aiding a Flawed can brand anyone as another Flawed. Celestine too was branded Flawed by her society and her ex boyfriend, Art's father, Judge Crevan and now the Judge wants Celestine badly because she holds a leverage to destroy the reputation of the judge by bringing out an ugly truth about his judgement against Celestine. Celestine is on the run now and must find Carrick, the only person who knows the truth about her and the only person whom she can trust, to help save the community of the Flawed and to rescue those who are wrongly labelled as Flawed because of their humanity. But little did anyone knew that Celestine's own ugly secret can destroy the community they are trying to save desperately.
The author's writing is excellent and perfect, just like the title of the book! The narrative is enchanting that kept me glued to the heart of the story. The scenes are written with lots of description and it felt like the scenes kept unfolding right before of my eyes and the perspective of Celestine put me into her shoes that let me peek inside her perfect yet flawed mind. The pacing is really fast as the story develops with thrilling events and complicated challenges.
Although in the first book, the development of this dystopian universe is done vividly by the author, so the readers will expect less development in that front, and for that the readers must read the first book to understand the dynamics of this story. But nothing to be dissapointed about, as the author in this book reveals a lot about the universe of Celestine and the dark secrets and the foundation stone of such a defected world, that Celestine tries to change.
PS: You might get a strong sniff of Divergent or The Hunger Games and not to mention the stark similarity of all the three bad-ass heroines.
The main character is strongly developed and felt highly unrealistic as teenagers like her do not exist in reality, someone who is perfect beyond imagination. Celestine North is perfect in everything she puts her heart and mind into. At times, her way too perfect attitude annoyed me. Although in this story, she grew beyond my expectation and beyond all her perfectness. This is where she learns to embrace her flaws. Carrick is the one to look forward to in this story, where the author gives him a strong personality and a back story to support his protective demeanor. The supporting cast is quite well-developed and the author holds a strong grip on their psychological aspects all through out the story line. There is lot of teenage love drama between Celestine and Carrick, but most of the time it will feel like romance has a backseat in this book. (Thank God for that! )
Overall, this is an motivating as well as an enthralling YA dystopian story which will make the readers anticipating till the very end and not to mention, the author has given a satisfying and a justifying climax to this series.
Verdict: A promising dystopian series that you need to look out for.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
I know I'm not perfect
-and I don't live to be-
but before you start pointing fingers...
make sure you hands are clean!”
----Bob Marley
Cecelia Ahern, the international best-selling author, pens the sequel to the Flawed, an YA dystopian series, called, Perfect that opens with the protagonist on the run as a fugitive from the society that labelled and branded her as the most Flawed, despite of her kind and perfect heart, and time is running short and that she must help, protect and rescue all those who are just like her before the judge gets his hands on her, despite of a dangerous secret this girl knows about that could destroy the world of the Flawed.
Synopsis:
The thrilling, shocking and romantic sequel to the bestselling YA debut FLAWED is finally here. When we embrace all our flaws, that’s when we can finally become PERFECT…
Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured – all her freedoms gone.
Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with the complicated, powerfully attractive Carrick, the only person she can trust. But Celestine has a secret – one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground.
Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save only herself, or risk her life to save all the Flawed. And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed?
Celestine has finally managed to flee from the grips of the cunning and most villainous man of her Perfect-deemed society, where aiding a Flawed can brand anyone as another Flawed. Celestine too was branded Flawed by her society and her ex boyfriend, Art's father, Judge Crevan and now the Judge wants Celestine badly because she holds a leverage to destroy the reputation of the judge by bringing out an ugly truth about his judgement against Celestine. Celestine is on the run now and must find Carrick, the only person who knows the truth about her and the only person whom she can trust, to help save the community of the Flawed and to rescue those who are wrongly labelled as Flawed because of their humanity. But little did anyone knew that Celestine's own ugly secret can destroy the community they are trying to save desperately.
The author's writing is excellent and perfect, just like the title of the book! The narrative is enchanting that kept me glued to the heart of the story. The scenes are written with lots of description and it felt like the scenes kept unfolding right before of my eyes and the perspective of Celestine put me into her shoes that let me peek inside her perfect yet flawed mind. The pacing is really fast as the story develops with thrilling events and complicated challenges.
Although in the first book, the development of this dystopian universe is done vividly by the author, so the readers will expect less development in that front, and for that the readers must read the first book to understand the dynamics of this story. But nothing to be dissapointed about, as the author in this book reveals a lot about the universe of Celestine and the dark secrets and the foundation stone of such a defected world, that Celestine tries to change.
PS: You might get a strong sniff of Divergent or The Hunger Games and not to mention the stark similarity of all the three bad-ass heroines.
The main character is strongly developed and felt highly unrealistic as teenagers like her do not exist in reality, someone who is perfect beyond imagination. Celestine North is perfect in everything she puts her heart and mind into. At times, her way too perfect attitude annoyed me. Although in this story, she grew beyond my expectation and beyond all her perfectness. This is where she learns to embrace her flaws. Carrick is the one to look forward to in this story, where the author gives him a strong personality and a back story to support his protective demeanor. The supporting cast is quite well-developed and the author holds a strong grip on their psychological aspects all through out the story line. There is lot of teenage love drama between Celestine and Carrick, but most of the time it will feel like romance has a backseat in this book. (Thank God for that! )
Overall, this is an motivating as well as an enthralling YA dystopian story which will make the readers anticipating till the very end and not to mention, the author has given a satisfying and a justifying climax to this series.
Verdict: A promising dystopian series that you need to look out for.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
October 8, 2018
Why is it so easy to read a good book? I mean... when you read a book that’s well written, the time and space don’t exist anymore. It’s like there is nothing beside you and the book. This is how this awesome book made me feel. I loved it! With all my heart! ❤️
In a society where there is no justice for people who made innocent mistakes, Celestine did it. She turned the story in her favour! And damn, it felt good! I was a little bit worried about the end, because I didn’t know who will she pick, Art or Carrick? I liked Art in a way, because he was just a boy who didn’t know if he should have picked his family or the girl he loved. But somehow, it all turned out to be Perfect.
In a society where there is no justice for people who made innocent mistakes, Celestine did it. She turned the story in her favour! And damn, it felt good! I was a little bit worried about the end, because I didn’t know who will she pick, Art or Carrick? I liked Art in a way, because he was just a boy who didn’t know if he should have picked his family or the girl he loved. But somehow, it all turned out to be Perfect.
July 1, 2016
Flawed is an amazing book.I finished flawed and I couldn't find perfect online and when I saw the date.......................
*dies*
*dies*
March 6, 2017
A perfect ending to a wonderful duology.
Celestine North is the most Flawed person there is, just for standing up for basic human rights, and going against the Guild. Now on the run, Celestine can't trust anyone. With the new knowledge that she holds the power of destroying The Guild, Celestine must learn who she can really trust, and figure out a plan to reverse her branding, and put a stop to discrimination against the flawed people.
I read the first book in this series (which if you have not read yet, go do that now) in a day. Perfect took me two days to read (even though I would have done it in one, if I had the time). It was full of action, filled with some wonderful character development, and it keeps you wanting more throughout the whole book.
The problem I had with Celestine in the first book, was that everyone (including Celestine) kept saying how smart and intelligent she is, but getting tricked by her classmates made me think otherwise. In this book, I was waiting for Celestine to make a mistake and prove to the reader, once again, that she's not as smart as she thinks she is. Fortunately, that did not happen in this book. I'm not saying that Celestine never messed up, but throughout the whole book she kept making back up plans incase her original plant went wrong. This was such a brilliant work of character development, you can really see Celestine becoming smarter, opening up to a side of her that she's never known before and embracing who she is now. I absolutely loved her as a main character. She was definitely Perfect in this book.
In this book, we see the love triangle come back into full play. With Carrick still madly in love with Celestine, he is desperately searching for her in order to reunite. Celestine is awaiting her reunion with Carrick, but she still thinks about Art (and yes he does come back into the story). While the romance in this book was really good at times, it could also get a tad annoying. It is very obvious who Celestine is going to end up with (at least it was for me), so the constant going back and forth was a bit over played in my opinion.
This book was so close to being the "Perfect" book for me, unfortunately because of two small reasons, I had to give this book 4/5 stars. First of all, the author created such a beautiful world and such an amazing story, it felt a bit rushed to read it all in two books. While I was happy that there was a ton of action to make the book hard to put down, I was also sad to see the series end so soon. I definitely would have enjoyed the series more if it was at least another book longer.
The second reason, is one that people will probably read and skip over without thinking, but it really hit home for me. For those of you who know me, you may know that I am currently doing my bachelor's of science in the department of microbiology. My project area of study, is focusing on antimicrobial resistance, especially when it comes to our vaccines. When Carrick's mother said that her and her husband used to be doctors, and they were branded for speaking out about the dangers of vaccination, my stomach dropped. I'm not sure which is worse, the author not doing her research on a controversial topic like this, or the author assuming it is something normal because so many non-credible sources are speaking out about this. As a scientist, I advise you to always do you research, and when you do, make sure its from credible-sources, not just some random people on the internet, or famous people without Ph.D's on the topic. I know its only a sentence, but it really hurt when I read it.
Overall, I still highly recommend this series to anyone who loves action packed, dystopian books. It is definitely for all the fans of The Hunger Games, and Divergent (minus the last book). I loved this duology so much, I sincerely wish that it would have been longer.
Happy Reading,
Aneta.
Celestine North is the most Flawed person there is, just for standing up for basic human rights, and going against the Guild. Now on the run, Celestine can't trust anyone. With the new knowledge that she holds the power of destroying The Guild, Celestine must learn who she can really trust, and figure out a plan to reverse her branding, and put a stop to discrimination against the flawed people.
I read the first book in this series (which if you have not read yet, go do that now) in a day. Perfect took me two days to read (even though I would have done it in one, if I had the time). It was full of action, filled with some wonderful character development, and it keeps you wanting more throughout the whole book.
The problem I had with Celestine in the first book, was that everyone (including Celestine) kept saying how smart and intelligent she is, but getting tricked by her classmates made me think otherwise. In this book, I was waiting for Celestine to make a mistake and prove to the reader, once again, that she's not as smart as she thinks she is. Fortunately, that did not happen in this book. I'm not saying that Celestine never messed up, but throughout the whole book she kept making back up plans incase her original plant went wrong. This was such a brilliant work of character development, you can really see Celestine becoming smarter, opening up to a side of her that she's never known before and embracing who she is now. I absolutely loved her as a main character. She was definitely Perfect in this book.
In this book, we see the love triangle come back into full play. With Carrick still madly in love with Celestine, he is desperately searching for her in order to reunite. Celestine is awaiting her reunion with Carrick, but she still thinks about Art (and yes he does come back into the story). While the romance in this book was really good at times, it could also get a tad annoying. It is very obvious who Celestine is going to end up with (at least it was for me), so the constant going back and forth was a bit over played in my opinion.
This book was so close to being the "Perfect" book for me, unfortunately because of two small reasons, I had to give this book 4/5 stars. First of all, the author created such a beautiful world and such an amazing story, it felt a bit rushed to read it all in two books. While I was happy that there was a ton of action to make the book hard to put down, I was also sad to see the series end so soon. I definitely would have enjoyed the series more if it was at least another book longer.
The second reason, is one that people will probably read and skip over without thinking, but it really hit home for me. For those of you who know me, you may know that I am currently doing my bachelor's of science in the department of microbiology. My project area of study, is focusing on antimicrobial resistance, especially when it comes to our vaccines. When Carrick's mother said that her and her husband used to be doctors, and they were branded for speaking out about the dangers of vaccination, my stomach dropped. I'm not sure which is worse, the author not doing her research on a controversial topic like this, or the author assuming it is something normal because so many non-credible sources are speaking out about this. As a scientist, I advise you to always do you research, and when you do, make sure its from credible-sources, not just some random people on the internet, or famous people without Ph.D's on the topic. I know its only a sentence, but it really hurt when I read it.
Overall, I still highly recommend this series to anyone who loves action packed, dystopian books. It is definitely for all the fans of The Hunger Games, and Divergent (minus the last book). I loved this duology so much, I sincerely wish that it would have been longer.
Happy Reading,
Aneta.
April 30, 2017
The perfect people, perfect only until they or people close to them become the Flawed.
The Flawed, the outcast and rightless, whose brands are seared into their skin by the Guild torturers.
'The Guild, the government-supported tribunal that puts people on trial for their unethical, immoral acts.'(c)
The rebellion is approaching...
Q:
He has fighting hands, big and thick like shovels, but then in contradiction to that, they’re nurturing hands, too. They’ve sewn and grown, from his own land, and held and protected his own daughter and grandchildren. These hands that could choke a man are the same hands that reared a woman, that have cultivated the land. Maybe the strongest fighters are the nurturers because they’re connected to something deep in their core, they’ve got something to fight for, they’ve got something worth saving.
(c)
Q:
There are some employers who treat Flawed like slaves. Long hours and on the minimum wage, if they’re lucky. Many Flawed are just happy to be employed and work for accommodation and food. The majority of Flawed are educated, upstanding citizens. They aren’t criminals; they haven’t carried out any illegal acts. They made moral or ethical decisions that were frowned upon by society and they were branded for it. An organized public-shaming, I suppose. The judges of the Guild like to call themselves the “Purveyors of Perfection.”
(c)
Q:
I’ve also learned that reporting people as Flawed to the Guild is a weapon that people use against one another. They wipe out the competition, leaving a space for themselves to step into, or they use it as a form of revenge. People abuse the system. The Guild is one gaping loophole for opportunists and hunters.
I broke a fundamental rule: Do not aid the Flawed. This act actually carries a prison sentence, but I was found Flawed instead. Before my trial, Crevan was trying to find a way to help me. The plan was that I was supposed to lie and say that I didn’t help the old man. But I couldn’t lie; I admitted the truth. I told them all that the Flawed man was a human being who needed and deserved to be helped. I humiliated Crevan, made a mockery of his court, or that’s how he saw it anyway.
As a result, I was seen to have lied to the Guild. I brought them on a journey of deceit, grabbed people’s attention, and then admitted the truth publicly. They had to make an example of me. I understand now that my brandings were really for misleading the Guild, for embarrassing them and causing people to question their validity.
(c)
Q:
One of the strengths of the Guild is that they feed the media. They work alongside each other, feeding each other, and the media feeds the people. We are told that the judges are right, the branded are wrong. The story is obscured, never fully heard, the voice of reason lost through the foghorn of a Whistleblower siren.
(c)
Q:
Before I make my way back to the others, I can’t help it—the strawberries are too tempting and, just for old time’s sake, for the memory of me and Juniper as children picking our own strawberries, I reach down into the bucket and place one in my mouth. I can smell its sweetness, and, as I’m used to happening this year, expect nothing more. But as I bite into it, my eyes pop open. My mouth doesn’t know what to do with the sensation.
I scream, a high-pitched shriek. The talking and laughter stop immediately. I run from the strawberry beds.
When I reach my family and friends, they’re all standing, watching out for me, alert, worried, ready to attack, looking for predators and intruders because we’ve had our fair share of them.
Carrick drops his shovel and marches away from the cooking pit that he’s working on with Granddad, Dad, and Adam, and hurries toward me, eyes black.
“What’s wrong?”
I drop the tin bucket of strawberries and run to him. I leap up and he catches me, my legs wrapped around his body, clinging to him, my hands on his stunned face.
I ignore the fact that everyone is looking, that Kelly is looking at us dreamily, that Juniper is whooping, that Dad is uncomfortable and Mom is laughing at him, that Ewan is pretending to vomit, that Raphael Angelo’s kids have replicated the very same move and are now swinging out of one another, making smoochy kissing sounds, that Mona, Lennox, Fergus, and Lorcan are cheering us on. Granddad cheers, which annoys my dad even more, and Pia Wang giggles, with her husband and two children beside her.
Or at least I pretend to ignore them, but I feel them with me, every single molecule of their energy, with happiness.
I gaze into Carrick’s eyes. Green as can be. I press my lips to his, and I finally taste his kiss.
(c)
Q:
THERE’S THE PERSON you think you should be and there’s the person you really are. I’m not sure who I should be, but I now know who I am.
And that, I say, is the perfect place to start again.
(c)
The Flawed, the outcast and rightless, whose brands are seared into their skin by the Guild torturers.
'The Guild, the government-supported tribunal that puts people on trial for their unethical, immoral acts.'(c)
The rebellion is approaching...
Q:
He has fighting hands, big and thick like shovels, but then in contradiction to that, they’re nurturing hands, too. They’ve sewn and grown, from his own land, and held and protected his own daughter and grandchildren. These hands that could choke a man are the same hands that reared a woman, that have cultivated the land. Maybe the strongest fighters are the nurturers because they’re connected to something deep in their core, they’ve got something to fight for, they’ve got something worth saving.
(c)
Q:
There are some employers who treat Flawed like slaves. Long hours and on the minimum wage, if they’re lucky. Many Flawed are just happy to be employed and work for accommodation and food. The majority of Flawed are educated, upstanding citizens. They aren’t criminals; they haven’t carried out any illegal acts. They made moral or ethical decisions that were frowned upon by society and they were branded for it. An organized public-shaming, I suppose. The judges of the Guild like to call themselves the “Purveyors of Perfection.”
(c)
Q:
I’ve also learned that reporting people as Flawed to the Guild is a weapon that people use against one another. They wipe out the competition, leaving a space for themselves to step into, or they use it as a form of revenge. People abuse the system. The Guild is one gaping loophole for opportunists and hunters.
I broke a fundamental rule: Do not aid the Flawed. This act actually carries a prison sentence, but I was found Flawed instead. Before my trial, Crevan was trying to find a way to help me. The plan was that I was supposed to lie and say that I didn’t help the old man. But I couldn’t lie; I admitted the truth. I told them all that the Flawed man was a human being who needed and deserved to be helped. I humiliated Crevan, made a mockery of his court, or that’s how he saw it anyway.
As a result, I was seen to have lied to the Guild. I brought them on a journey of deceit, grabbed people’s attention, and then admitted the truth publicly. They had to make an example of me. I understand now that my brandings were really for misleading the Guild, for embarrassing them and causing people to question their validity.
(c)
Q:
One of the strengths of the Guild is that they feed the media. They work alongside each other, feeding each other, and the media feeds the people. We are told that the judges are right, the branded are wrong. The story is obscured, never fully heard, the voice of reason lost through the foghorn of a Whistleblower siren.
(c)
Q:
Before I make my way back to the others, I can’t help it—the strawberries are too tempting and, just for old time’s sake, for the memory of me and Juniper as children picking our own strawberries, I reach down into the bucket and place one in my mouth. I can smell its sweetness, and, as I’m used to happening this year, expect nothing more. But as I bite into it, my eyes pop open. My mouth doesn’t know what to do with the sensation.
I scream, a high-pitched shriek. The talking and laughter stop immediately. I run from the strawberry beds.
When I reach my family and friends, they’re all standing, watching out for me, alert, worried, ready to attack, looking for predators and intruders because we’ve had our fair share of them.
Carrick drops his shovel and marches away from the cooking pit that he’s working on with Granddad, Dad, and Adam, and hurries toward me, eyes black.
“What’s wrong?”
I drop the tin bucket of strawberries and run to him. I leap up and he catches me, my legs wrapped around his body, clinging to him, my hands on his stunned face.
I ignore the fact that everyone is looking, that Kelly is looking at us dreamily, that Juniper is whooping, that Dad is uncomfortable and Mom is laughing at him, that Ewan is pretending to vomit, that Raphael Angelo’s kids have replicated the very same move and are now swinging out of one another, making smoochy kissing sounds, that Mona, Lennox, Fergus, and Lorcan are cheering us on. Granddad cheers, which annoys my dad even more, and Pia Wang giggles, with her husband and two children beside her.
Or at least I pretend to ignore them, but I feel them with me, every single molecule of their energy, with happiness.
I gaze into Carrick’s eyes. Green as can be. I press my lips to his, and I finally taste his kiss.
(c)
Q:
THERE’S THE PERSON you think you should be and there’s the person you really are. I’m not sure who I should be, but I now know who I am.
And that, I say, is the perfect place to start again.
(c)
February 7, 2017
Maybe even 4.5* - Advanced copy received via NetGalley for honest review.
I don't really have a lot to say about this one because if you're planning on reading it then you've probably already read Flawed. And this is pretty much more of the same really. The writing was consistent in its refreshing simplicity and the story was well paced with lots of action to maintain interest. It was also clearly well thought out because at one point I thought I'd picked up a little flaw in the plot, but no sooner had I done so hen it was immediately addressed.
As in Flawed, Celestine's character continued to be very likeable and this second instalment, I think developed her feminist side which made her character even more stronger. One of the things I loved about both Flawed and Perfect was the positive relationships Celestine had with her family. Something which is definitely missing from a lot of YA.
I was about to say that this is the perfect (pun intended) duology for younger YA readers. But I'm 38 and I thoroughly enjoyed it too; so yeah, recommended to anyone who just wants to pick up a nice, quick and easy read that's fast paced with a satisfying conclusion.
I don't really have a lot to say about this one because if you're planning on reading it then you've probably already read Flawed. And this is pretty much more of the same really. The writing was consistent in its refreshing simplicity and the story was well paced with lots of action to maintain interest. It was also clearly well thought out because at one point I thought I'd picked up a little flaw in the plot, but no sooner had I done so hen it was immediately addressed.
As in Flawed, Celestine's character continued to be very likeable and this second instalment, I think developed her feminist side which made her character even more stronger. One of the things I loved about both Flawed and Perfect was the positive relationships Celestine had with her family. Something which is definitely missing from a lot of YA.
I was about to say that this is the perfect (pun intended) duology for younger YA readers. But I'm 38 and I thoroughly enjoyed it too; so yeah, recommended to anyone who just wants to pick up a nice, quick and easy read that's fast paced with a satisfying conclusion.
April 5, 2017
Perfect is the second book in the YA dystopian duology by Cecilia Ahern.
The plot picks up a few days after the end of Flawed. The last time we saw Celestine she was running away from home and the judge. Now, she found temporary safety at her grandfathers farm. But she can't stay there forever. The whistleblowers, most importantly her former whistleblower Mary May, and the Guild still hunting her and she becomes more and more a symbol of resistance.
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology. I liked the premise of a society where a court judged and punished people's morality and how this could and was perverted. Unfortunately, the second book didn't fulfil my expectations of the first book... or more precisely it had a lot more problems than the first one.
I've seen many people accuse Ahern of building a love triangle between Celestine, Art, and Carrick and the insta-love between Celestine and Carrick. In the first book I defended her. To me the connection between Celestine and Carrick made sense and wasn't exactly pointing to love (though I'm not and idiot and it was pretty clear she was building them up to be the end game). But her wish to find him made sense to me outside of an infatuation. Unfortunately, in the second book this love story wasn't treated well. The love part was just suddenly there! It would have been perfectly fine to have that be a budding relationship and only bring them together in the last chapter or even between the last chapter and the epilogue. Instead, this time it actually did feel insta-lovy and slightly forced.
Art wasn't treated particularly great either. Not for a second did it occur to me he might hate Celestine, but that was the going narrative of the book/slash Celestine (remember this books is a first person narration by Celestine). That seemed nonsensical to me.
But those problems were minor in my opinion compared to the one huge problem I had. Everyone who read it will know what I mean. Let me just say: Screw balance!!! What kind of crap was that?! It was completely unnecessary for the plot and if you think it through it might even have played into the hands of the Guild! After all, she did what they were accusing her of! I get her decision not to get rid of her scars in the end, but that! That was just disgusting and highly, highly problematic not only plotwise. As it was, it had no consequence in the story and was just a shocking moment that made me really really angry!
What I did enjoy was how a lot of pieces that seemed random in the first book suddenly became important in this book. I enjoyed how Celestine wasn't actually some super powered heroine but just tried her best with the knowledge she had. I could identify with her decisions and actions really well (in consequence, the 'plot twist' in the end didn't surprise me at all. I would have been annoyed if it hadn't happened).
All in all I likely would have given this book a solid four stars if it wasn't for this one huge messed up scene! So, it's gonna be three stars. A quick read with a great premise that reminds us that we are all fallible and should be less judgemental.
The plot picks up a few days after the end of Flawed. The last time we saw Celestine she was running away from home and the judge. Now, she found temporary safety at her grandfathers farm. But she can't stay there forever. The whistleblowers, most importantly her former whistleblower Mary May, and the Guild still hunting her and she becomes more and more a symbol of resistance.
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology. I liked the premise of a society where a court judged and punished people's morality and how this could and was perverted. Unfortunately, the second book didn't fulfil my expectations of the first book... or more precisely it had a lot more problems than the first one.
I've seen many people accuse Ahern of building a love triangle between Celestine, Art, and Carrick and the insta-love between Celestine and Carrick. In the first book I defended her. To me the connection between Celestine and Carrick made sense and wasn't exactly pointing to love (though I'm not and idiot and it was pretty clear she was building them up to be the end game). But her wish to find him made sense to me outside of an infatuation. Unfortunately, in the second book this love story wasn't treated well. The love part was just suddenly there! It would have been perfectly fine to have that be a budding relationship and only bring them together in the last chapter or even between the last chapter and the epilogue. Instead, this time it actually did feel insta-lovy and slightly forced.
Art wasn't treated particularly great either. Not for a second did it occur to me he might hate Celestine, but that was the going narrative of the book/slash Celestine (remember this books is a first person narration by Celestine). That seemed nonsensical to me.
But those problems were minor in my opinion compared to the one huge problem I had. Everyone who read it will know what I mean. Let me just say: Screw balance!!! What kind of crap was that?! It was completely unnecessary for the plot and if you think it through it might even have played into the hands of the Guild! After all, she did what they were accusing her of! I get her decision not to get rid of her scars in the end, but that! That was just disgusting and highly, highly problematic not only plotwise. As it was, it had no consequence in the story and was just a shocking moment that made me really really angry!
What I did enjoy was how a lot of pieces that seemed random in the first book suddenly became important in this book. I enjoyed how Celestine wasn't actually some super powered heroine but just tried her best with the knowledge she had. I could identify with her decisions and actions really well (in consequence, the 'plot twist' in the end didn't surprise me at all. I would have been annoyed if it hadn't happened).
All in all I likely would have given this book a solid four stars if it wasn't for this one huge messed up scene! So, it's gonna be three stars. A quick read with a great premise that reminds us that we are all fallible and should be less judgemental.
April 7, 2017
Perfect picks up where Flawed left off – Celestine is on the run after being branded as Flawed. Judge Crevan, the man who sentenced her to her five brands and gave her an illegal sixth brand, is determined to find her before she can tell anyone what he did to her. Celestine has to learn who she can trust and what it’s like to live as Flawed.
First, let me just say that I love the fact that Flawed was a duology and wasn’t dragged on and on like other series have been. I think two books was the perfect length for this story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and loved the conclusion. There were some great friendships formed throughout the story, and I loved seeing those grow and develop. I also felt like Celestine was so smart throughout the book! She came up with her own plans and stayed one step ahead of people when it mattered. I felt like she really took a stand in this book, where in Flawed, she sort of wanted to keep her head down. Now, she knows that the Guild is in the wrong, and now she wants to stand up for herself and save her friends and family from being wrapped up in her problems. Celestine was able to inspire others and make them realize that the Flawed system is flawed itself, and she took on a lot of responsibility (and risk) to make that happen.
The one thing I didn’t love was the love triangle. I think it wasn’t necessary, since it was very clear from the first book that Celestine wanted to be with Carrick. I do like that Art was brought back, and I think it was mostly clear that Celestine wasn’t flip flopping between the two love interests, but I think it could have been wrapped up in a conversation between Art and Celestine that focused on their past and didn’t involve one of them wanting a future together.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and love the way everything was wrapped up. This was a 4 star book for me, and I’d recommend this series for any fans of dystopian books, The Hunger Games, or Divergent! Thank you to Netgalley, Cecelia Ahern, and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. Perfect is out now, so be sure to pick this one up!
First, let me just say that I love the fact that Flawed was a duology and wasn’t dragged on and on like other series have been. I think two books was the perfect length for this story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and loved the conclusion. There were some great friendships formed throughout the story, and I loved seeing those grow and develop. I also felt like Celestine was so smart throughout the book! She came up with her own plans and stayed one step ahead of people when it mattered. I felt like she really took a stand in this book, where in Flawed, she sort of wanted to keep her head down. Now, she knows that the Guild is in the wrong, and now she wants to stand up for herself and save her friends and family from being wrapped up in her problems. Celestine was able to inspire others and make them realize that the Flawed system is flawed itself, and she took on a lot of responsibility (and risk) to make that happen.
The one thing I didn’t love was the love triangle. I think it wasn’t necessary, since it was very clear from the first book that Celestine wanted to be with Carrick. I do like that Art was brought back, and I think it was mostly clear that Celestine wasn’t flip flopping between the two love interests, but I think it could have been wrapped up in a conversation between Art and Celestine that focused on their past and didn’t involve one of them wanting a future together.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and love the way everything was wrapped up. This was a 4 star book for me, and I’d recommend this series for any fans of dystopian books, The Hunger Games, or Divergent! Thank you to Netgalley, Cecelia Ahern, and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. Perfect is out now, so be sure to pick this one up!
January 8, 2019
Schwächer als der erste Teil aber trotzdem mitreißend.
Celestine ist jetzt die fehlerhafteste Person, in der Gesellschaft die so nach Perfektion strebt, und auf der Flucht weil Richter Crevan noch verrückter ist als das System der Gilde.
Sie findet Zuflucht, muss dann wieder fliehen und immer weiter um Gerechtigkeit kämpfen.
Viel Aufregung, viel Verrat. Die Figuren entwickeln sich alle authentisch und wie schon im ersten Buch weiß man nicht wem man trauen kann.
Irgendwann hatte ich aber das Gefühl es gibt zu viele Hürden und Schwierigkeiten, so als ob die nur eingefügt wurden um die Geschichte zu strecken. Die plätschert nämlich auch teilweise, weil das Ganze nicht mehr neu, viel nicht relevant ist und deutlich vorhersehbarer, dadurch dann auch weniger emotional.
Trotzdem gibt es einige Überraschungen und Twists, die es spannend machen und es macht einfach Spaß das Buch zu lesen.
Dazu ist die Sache mit Art und Carrick gut gelöst, wie ich finde, auch wenn Celestine in der Hinsicht nicht ganz so nachvollziehbar ist.
Dazu ist der Schreibstil wieder super, also alles in allem gut gelungene Fortsetzung.
Celestine ist jetzt die fehlerhafteste Person, in der Gesellschaft die so nach Perfektion strebt, und auf der Flucht weil Richter Crevan noch verrückter ist als das System der Gilde.
Sie findet Zuflucht, muss dann wieder fliehen und immer weiter um Gerechtigkeit kämpfen.
Viel Aufregung, viel Verrat. Die Figuren entwickeln sich alle authentisch und wie schon im ersten Buch weiß man nicht wem man trauen kann.
Irgendwann hatte ich aber das Gefühl es gibt zu viele Hürden und Schwierigkeiten, so als ob die nur eingefügt wurden um die Geschichte zu strecken. Die plätschert nämlich auch teilweise, weil das Ganze nicht mehr neu, viel nicht relevant ist und deutlich vorhersehbarer, dadurch dann auch weniger emotional.
Trotzdem gibt es einige Überraschungen und Twists, die es spannend machen und es macht einfach Spaß das Buch zu lesen.
Dazu ist die Sache mit Art und Carrick gut gelöst, wie ich finde, auch wenn Celestine in der Hinsicht nicht ganz so nachvollziehbar ist.
Dazu ist der Schreibstil wieder super, also alles in allem gut gelungene Fortsetzung.
June 14, 2017
Did I really use the words “a definitely extreme roller coaster ride of emotions” on Flawed??? Did I really do that?? I thought that Flawed is already an extreme roller coaster ride. But NO. It isn't the Flawed that is extreme. It is Perfect that is extreme. And I'm sure of it.
Perfect continues the story of Celestine North and her society that implements a system where perfection is a must and where there is no room for any imperfections or flaws. Having found that you have imperfections and/or have made bad or immoral judgments will make you be branded Flawed and be ousted in the society. Flawed for them – the Perfects – were disgusting, dangerous creatures. And they were treated as second-class citizens.
Perfect is the kind of book you’ll need someone by your side to hold you when you cannot control the emotions you are feeling anymore. It was a read that was just so exhausting but exciting and will make you nervous but curious at the same time because it’s just so hard to figure out some of the characters’ motives. “Trust no one” should be your mantra while reading this book. It was like every chapter has something “bomb” to offer. I was on the edge of my seat bed all throughout while reading this. And I will say, IT WAS ONE FREAKING HELL OF A RIDE.
I really love Celestine’s character. I definitely love Celestine’s character even more here than on Flawed. She’s an example of how complex humans can be. The character development of her in this book is again, ON POINT just like on the first book in the duology which is entitled Flawed. There were also more acts of her bravery that just made me LITERALLY burst into tears. She’s a unique and remarkable one. If you think you already saw everything in Flawed, you’re utterly wrong. She surprised me in times I didn’t think she’s still capable of doing so.
Celestine’s character wasn’t just the only surprising one. In fact, all of the characters did or had something that made me surprised or even proud. There was clearly development on the other characters as well. I especially loved the character development showed by Celestine’s family, how supportive they were, how they stood with each other all through the end. It was just so heart-warming. And it’s just something I definitely love seeing in YA.
We also get to learn more about the story of the side characters. Two of them were Art and Carrick, Celestines’ love interests. Carrick is serious and sexy, far different from Art who’s funny and seems like can’t take anything seriously, who is also the son of Celestine’s mortal enemy. I honestly thought that this will be another cliché love triangle while I was still reading Flawed. But I was proven wrong. In fact, what happened was beyond what I had imagined. The different relationships of these two with Celestine were just both beautiful and strong in two different ways.
If Flawed was focused on Celestine, the girl who’s the most flawed of them all, now, it isn’t just about Celestine anymore. It is now about everyone. Literally everyone. It’s now about her nation. The story expanded and revolved around everyone from the Flawed and Perfect citizens to the people who are in position in the government – be it the greedy, the corrupt, or the honest and dignified ones.
I almost can’t recall any scene where the protagonist got the chance to rest or where things cooled down for a bit. There were actually some but those were just minimal and already hard to remember. When the book started, she was already in danger – we all know that because of Flawed’s end – and she was in that kind of situation the whole story.
Or should I say, we.
I felt that I was the one in danger the entire book. I felt like I was the one who’s experiencing it all. It felt like I am the one who needs to be careful. Like I am the one who was betrayed. Like I was the one hurting. Like I was the one falling in love. Like I was so smart. Like I was so brave. Like I was the one who needs to be strong – not for myself but for others.
Things were just unpredictable, there were hardly foreshadowing. If there were even some, they were so tricky they were actually just false that will give you wrong predictions making things more surprising. Or maybe I was definitely oblivious – which rarely happen.
This duology offers not just a simple tale. It has meaningful messages and lessons. It also shows how the weak can become strong, how a tiny voice can be heard, how power and greediness can turn people mad and just how great power people have if they’ll have unity.
There may be some aspects that are already cliché for a Dystopian duology, like, an ordinary girl standing against all the odds who has something that will end the antagonist and an antagonist greedy for something – precisely power – who wants that girl dead and will kill/harm anyone who will be in his way, but still, Flawed duology has something different. This is a whole lot new world and a whole lot new story with whole lot new characters. And it is one of my favorites.
Overall, Perfect by Cecelia Ahern is as perfect as how a last installment in a duology could be. It’s the kind of book that will make you feel exhausted after reading. You’ll feel emotionally exhausted but it will leave you with great amount of satisfaction. I highly recommend reading Perfect for those who have already read Flawed. And for those who haven’t yet, I recommend Flawed duology.
June 13, 2017
DNF @ 30%
I just can't do it anymore. Book 1 was so good for the first 40% and then sooo bad; and here's book 2 with even worse writing than the last half of book 1. If I didn't know any better I'd say that someone wrote the first half of book 1 and a totally different person wrote the rest and has carried into book 2.
This is book 2 in a series that has a brilliant dystopian premise. Right up there with Divergent and Hinger Games for creativity and impact. Unfortunately the rest of it is painful.
This series/book suffers from the very typical YA pitfalls:
- the main love interest thinks he's better than everyone
- the lead gal is whiny and annoying; except when it's convenient for her to be a strong leader, then she's suddenly super smart
- the interactions between characters are wooden and dull
- the handling of loosing a gal loosing her virginity is really, really poorly handled (as in mentioned but no emotional depth at all!!)
- the adults are so dumb and easily played by this wussy lead teenager
It's like someone wrote down a list of all of the typical issues in YA books and incorporated them in.
Did I mention that I'm truly disappointed as I really love, love, LOVE the premise of this world and I think there are some amazing, deep and philosophical things that could be done with the dystopian construct. A huge opportunity missed in my opinion.
You can this review and more on my book review blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
I just can't do it anymore. Book 1 was so good for the first 40% and then sooo bad; and here's book 2 with even worse writing than the last half of book 1. If I didn't know any better I'd say that someone wrote the first half of book 1 and a totally different person wrote the rest and has carried into book 2.
This is book 2 in a series that has a brilliant dystopian premise. Right up there with Divergent and Hinger Games for creativity and impact. Unfortunately the rest of it is painful.
This series/book suffers from the very typical YA pitfalls:
- the main love interest thinks he's better than everyone
- the lead gal is whiny and annoying; except when it's convenient for her to be a strong leader, then she's suddenly super smart
- the interactions between characters are wooden and dull
- the handling of loosing a gal loosing her virginity is really, really poorly handled (as in mentioned but no emotional depth at all!!)
- the adults are so dumb and easily played by this wussy lead teenager
It's like someone wrote down a list of all of the typical issues in YA books and incorporated them in.
Did I mention that I'm truly disappointed as I really love, love, LOVE the premise of this world and I think there are some amazing, deep and philosophical things that could be done with the dystopian construct. A huge opportunity missed in my opinion.
You can this review and more on my book review blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
April 12, 2021
Sequels are usually worse than the first book. This one isn't exception. And the main character become even more stupidier and annoying 😒
February 22, 2022
2.5 up to three as it kept me reading to the end, no matter the depths of ridiculousness the entire story lowered itself to. I enjoyed Flawed, the first book in this duology with some misgivings as to the over the top nature of these dystopian novels, but by the half way point in this one, the entire premise became ludicrous.
It was fun though, some great characters and Celestine is a most admirable Catniss without the violence in her nature. Fun but severely flawed ;).
It was fun though, some great characters and Celestine is a most admirable Catniss without the violence in her nature. Fun but severely flawed ;).
May 9, 2017
Ok, so as is clear from my 1 star rating, I did not enjoy this book.
This is disappointing to say the least. The premise of this duology had so much potential, and after a fairly 'meh' experience of Flawed, I had hoped that Perfect would finish the series in some sort of incredible, completely mind blowing fashion.
It did not. In fact, I found the ending to be the weakest part. Everything wrapped up a little too easily and quickly.
My main issue with this series is the romance. It could have been a slow burn, I could have been invested in it. But it's execution was simply not up to scratch. On one hand you have Celestine desperately trying to explain this random but supposedly completely natural connection to Carrick.
Which, simply put, I don't buy.
Then on the other hand she continues to make comments like 'Art, my Art.'
I mean, come on girl, he's clearly not 'your Art' anymore!
This, plus the fact that Celestine and Carrick have constant arguments that last about half a page until suddenly they've made up and all is well again, made for a pretty irritating relationship to follow. I just can't get behind it.
I don't feel like there was any significant character development in this novel. The fact that there were so many characters (some of which only feature for a few chapters then aren't mentioned again, so are pretty much useless) probably contributed to this.
In fact, in some cases I felt as if Ahern kind of forgot what her characters' features were.
(SPOILER TO FOLLOW)
For example at the end of the book, when Mary May basically has a nervous breakdown about her 'mummy' (seriously? This woman is like 50+, and it's not weird to call her mother 'mummy?') this really confused me. Throughout both books, she was this unbreakable battle-axe that no one messed with. Next thing, her mum skips breakfast and suddenly she's waving a gun in the air and accusing an 18 year old girl of murder?
This made zero sense.
My final rant topic is that fact that in my last review I noted that I liked how the Flawed movement was focused on gaining rights for the Flawed At Birth.
Well, that was hardly mentioned at all. In fact all I remember of it is in the final pages, where it's basically referred to as an after thought. 'Oh yeah, and that got sorted out too, by the way.'
So no, I wouldn't recommend this novel. Although maybe I'm being too critical seeing as it's rated 4+ stars.
Or maybe everyone is just much more open minded than I am. Either way, it's a no from me.
This is disappointing to say the least. The premise of this duology had so much potential, and after a fairly 'meh' experience of Flawed, I had hoped that Perfect would finish the series in some sort of incredible, completely mind blowing fashion.
It did not. In fact, I found the ending to be the weakest part. Everything wrapped up a little too easily and quickly.
My main issue with this series is the romance. It could have been a slow burn, I could have been invested in it. But it's execution was simply not up to scratch. On one hand you have Celestine desperately trying to explain this random but supposedly completely natural connection to Carrick.
Which, simply put, I don't buy.
Then on the other hand she continues to make comments like 'Art, my Art.'
I mean, come on girl, he's clearly not 'your Art' anymore!
This, plus the fact that Celestine and Carrick have constant arguments that last about half a page until suddenly they've made up and all is well again, made for a pretty irritating relationship to follow. I just can't get behind it.
I don't feel like there was any significant character development in this novel. The fact that there were so many characters (some of which only feature for a few chapters then aren't mentioned again, so are pretty much useless) probably contributed to this.
In fact, in some cases I felt as if Ahern kind of forgot what her characters' features were.
(SPOILER TO FOLLOW)
For example at the end of the book, when Mary May basically has a nervous breakdown about her 'mummy' (seriously? This woman is like 50+, and it's not weird to call her mother 'mummy?') this really confused me. Throughout both books, she was this unbreakable battle-axe that no one messed with. Next thing, her mum skips breakfast and suddenly she's waving a gun in the air and accusing an 18 year old girl of murder?
This made zero sense.
My final rant topic is that fact that in my last review I noted that I liked how the Flawed movement was focused on gaining rights for the Flawed At Birth.
Well, that was hardly mentioned at all. In fact all I remember of it is in the final pages, where it's basically referred to as an after thought. 'Oh yeah, and that got sorted out too, by the way.'
So no, I wouldn't recommend this novel. Although maybe I'm being too critical seeing as it's rated 4+ stars.
Or maybe everyone is just much more open minded than I am. Either way, it's a no from me.
April 7, 2017
Is being flawed just another word for being human? In a dystopian world where people are branded flawed on a whim, Celestine has faced the worst the world has to offer and grown since her branding. She has been labeled public enemy number one and her life is in danger if she is caught. What does Judge Crevan have against her personally that she should be so persecuted?
Living life on the run with the one person she can trust, the danger mounts and other Flawed are disappearing….but why? As Celestine puts on a brave front, she becomes a rallying point for resistance and a time will come when she must choose to save herself or save the masses from a desperately flawed government and the cruelties they impose.
Cecelia Ahearn’s PERFECT will bring readers to their feet cheering the bravery of one teen on and bring them to tears as they relive the events she has suffered. Fall into this tale and witness the growth of personal strengths, convictions and love, as well as a twisted society that lives in fear of those in power. Ride the roller coaster of emotional twists, high stress moments and humanity in all of its forms. From start to finish, action-packed tense and riveting, as well as heartrending and really, just simply great reading!
I received an ARC edition from Feiwel & Friends in exchange for my honest review.
Duology: Flawed - Book 2
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 4, 2017)
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 352 pages'
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Living life on the run with the one person she can trust, the danger mounts and other Flawed are disappearing….but why? As Celestine puts on a brave front, she becomes a rallying point for resistance and a time will come when she must choose to save herself or save the masses from a desperately flawed government and the cruelties they impose.
Cecelia Ahearn’s PERFECT will bring readers to their feet cheering the bravery of one teen on and bring them to tears as they relive the events she has suffered. Fall into this tale and witness the growth of personal strengths, convictions and love, as well as a twisted society that lives in fear of those in power. Ride the roller coaster of emotional twists, high stress moments and humanity in all of its forms. From start to finish, action-packed tense and riveting, as well as heartrending and really, just simply great reading!
I received an ARC edition from Feiwel & Friends in exchange for my honest review.
Duology: Flawed - Book 2
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 4, 2017)
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 352 pages'
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 29, 2019
3,5 Sterne - Nach der Hälfte dachte ich wirklich, dass Band 2 nur 2 Sterne von mir bekommt, aber dass das Buch zum Ende noch einmal so eine Kehrtwende hinlegt, hätte ich nicht gedacht. Am Ende fügt sich alles ineinander und es bleiben keine Fragen offen. Noch dazu hat es eine Art der Emotionalität, die einen zum Ankommen verhilft oder einem beweist, dass ein Neuanfang manchmal besser ist als das System komplett umzukrempeln, jedoch die Grundlage so zu belassen. Ich finde Cecilia Ahern hat sich da an einer soliden 4 Sterne Dystopie versucht, die ihr in Teilen sehr gut gelungen ist. Deshalb kann man die Reihe definitiv einmal gelesen haben.
June 29, 2017
Hat mir besser gefallen, als der erste Teil.
March 13, 2018
Insgesamt gefällt mir die Dystopie gut. Der Schluss lässt noch ein, zwei Fragen offen. Es gibt verstörende, realistische und schöne Momente, die einen mitfühlen lassen 🙂
December 25, 2017
Mir ist schlecht. Auf eine beeindruckende, erschreckende und beklemmende Art und Weise. Auf eine Weise, wie es nur eine Geschichte hervorrufen kann, die wirklich unter die Haut geht. "Perfect" ist nach "Flawed" nicht nur ein würdiger zweiter Teil sondern auch ein außerordentlich gutes Finale. Ich glaube ich werde ein kleine Weile brauchen, um mich wirklich von diesem Buch zu erholen - zumal es ein Thema beinhaltet, das auch in der Realität immer wichtiger zu werden scheint. Perfektion. Der Zweiteiler von Cecelia Ahern treibt zum Nachdenken an und ist sicherlich keine leichte Kost, ganz im Gegenteil. Dieses Buch hat mich zum Weinen gebracht, hat mich im eigenen Bett unter der warmen und behütenden Decke zittern lassen. Wer in die Welt von und um Celestine North eintauchen will, sollte sich darauf gefasst machen, dass sie einen mitreißt und auch nach dem Beenden des letzten Kapitels nicht sofort wieder aus seinen Fingern lässt. Es tut weh, die Charaktere zurück zu lassen. Wie immer, wenn man Personen aus Büchern erst einmal lieb gewonnen hat, kann man gar nicht aufhören, fragen zu stellen. Man will immer mehr wissen, lesen, erfahren. So geht es mir auch hier - aber es ist okay. Denn dieses Buch war ein Abschluss, wie er kaum gelungener hätte sein können.
March 5, 2021
The second part of this series was much better. I liked the character development of Celestine and we could finally see some of her logic and intelligence! Also, the story was far better and showed more of the dystopian character of the world. What I particularly liked were the turn of events which I didn't foresee and I read this second book in just one reading session. I also liked the feel-good happy end, I was really looking forward to it.
What I didn't like were the repetitions in the beginning where the author referred to some parts from the first book. I read both books at a similar time so maybe these repetitions were meant for those who are reading the second book after a longer period. Nevertheless, the author should actually trust the reader that they can remember some essential points. (I could have easily deleted 50 pages)
What I didn't like were the repetitions in the beginning where the author referred to some parts from the first book. I read both books at a similar time so maybe these repetitions were meant for those who are reading the second book after a longer period. Nevertheless, the author should actually trust the reader that they can remember some essential points. (I could have easily deleted 50 pages)
September 5, 2017
Ich habe so lange für dieses Buch gebraucht und das Hörbuch jetzt endlich beendet - gegen Ende wurde es wieder wesentlich besser, aber alles in allem war es zu zäh, zu langatmig, zu ereignislos. V.a. wurde Celestine mir zwischendurch ein wenig unsympathisch. Dennoch fand ich die Handlung am Ende sehr gut aufgelöst. Selten habe ich ein Buch gelesen, in dem alles so diplomatisch geklärt wurde, was zur Abwechslung auch mal nicht schlecht war.
September 16, 2018
Oh mein Gott *weint leise vor sich hin*. Irgendwas an diesem Buch hat mich zutiefst berührt 😭
Band 1 fand ich noch ganz nett, aber die Fortsetzung war in meinen Augen um ein Vielfaches besser.
Übrigens habe ich dieses Buch innerhalb von 1 1/2 Tagen als Hörbuch gehört. Ich bin eigentlich nicht so der Hörbuch Fan, aber das war wirklich gut vertont!
Band 1 fand ich noch ganz nett, aber die Fortsetzung war in meinen Augen um ein Vielfaches besser.
Übrigens habe ich dieses Buch innerhalb von 1 1/2 Tagen als Hörbuch gehört. Ich bin eigentlich nicht so der Hörbuch Fan, aber das war wirklich gut vertont!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,870 reviews