Better Than Perfect

by Melissa Kantor Narrated by Caitlin Davies

Overview

Juliet Newman has it all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early action, and live happily ever after.

But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she's always lived by. Suddenly it's difficult for her to remember why she cared so much about rocking Latin exams or snagging elite internships . . . or if her family was ever as happy as she thought they were. And then there's Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous-and who's totally off-limits.

Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it's cracked up to be?

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

02/16/2015
With affluent and supportive parents, a great boyfriend, a coveted internship, and a plan to attend Harvard, Juliet's future seems written in the stars. Then Juliet's father abandons the family, and Juliet finds her mother passed out from an overdose one night, covered in blood. Juliet's mother enters an inpatient psychiatric facility, and Juliet moves in with her boyfriend's charmed family. But the night of her mother's hospitalization, Juliet unexpectedly hooked up with a boy, Declan. Rather than regretting her decision, she finds exhilaration from straying off the path that has been so carefully laid out for her, questioning whether striving for perfection at all costs has allowed her to develop real self-awareness. Kantor (Maybe One Day) deals with the difficult topic of a parent's depression and recovery with sensitivity and grace. Juliet navigates complex and unfamiliar emotions, eventually arriving at the gratifying if predictable recognition that struggles and setbacks lead to growth. Juliet's attempts to meet the expectations of those around her will readily resonate with readers under similar strains. Ages 13-up. Agent: Rebecca Friedman, Rebecca Friedman Literary Agency. (Feb.)

School Library Journal

11/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Juliet has a charmed life. She is a high school senior with a perfect family, boyfriend, and most likely a perfect score on her SATs. Juliet wants to go to Harvard and has the perfect plan to achieve her goals. Then a bomb goes off in the teen's life. Her father moves out, and her mother ends up in psychiatric hospital. As she struggles with what is important and tries to rebuild her relationship with her parents, Juliet realizes that the life she perceived as flawless is a superficial ruse. Then the protagonist meets the less-than-perfect Declan, whose family encourages her to join their band. Spending time with Declan and the band has Juliet questioning her life choices. Perhaps there is a future for her that is "better than perfect." Kantor poignantly captures what a broken marriage can do to the whole family. The characters are well developed, and readers experience Juliet's pain as she realizes her parents' fallibility. The language is authentic and contains expletives along with references to sex and drugs. The narrative skillfully reflects the protagonist's ups and downs. However, the plot development and pacing at times feels slow and out of sync, not always accurately reflecting Juliet's turmoil. Give this to teens who enjoyed A Different Me by Deborah Blumenthal (Albert Whitman, 2014), another realistic novel that explores the theme of perfectionism and its costs.—Jeni Tahaney, Duncanville High School Library, TX

Kirkus Reviews

2014-11-18
A high school senior's Type A life implodes after her mother takes an overdose of pills. When Juliet finds her mother unconscious on her bathroom floor after her parents' separation, suddenly everything she used to value seems insignificant. She finds herself questioning her relationship with her longtime boyfriend, Jason, her parents' outwardly perfect marriage, even her determination to get into Harvard. She sleeps with Declan, a talented Irish musician she just met, cuts and dyes her hair, and starts singing with Declan's band. She still keeps studying for her SATs and other exams, but she soon realizes that she's only doing it to keep her friends and family happy. "In a horrifying waking nightmare, I saw Jason and my parents and all my future…mentors and bosses telling me to keep doing something I hated doing because someday I would be glad to have done it." As her mother recovers and she rebuilds her relationship with her father, Juliet learns how to ask what makes her happy instead of accepting others' definitions of success. With clear prose and realistic dialogue, Kantor perceptively illustrates the pressure that accomplished teens put on themselves to achieve perfection. This timely story will ring true for today's disillusioned young people, who are discovering that years of good grades, piano lessons and internships don't necessarily result in adult happiness. (Fiction. 13-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170325412
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	02/17/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

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