Jodi Picoult is a highly regarded author who has long been a favorite of mine. Over the years, I have devoured many of her books, enthralled by her unique storytelling and complex characters. However, with this particular novel, I found myself less engaged than usual. While I still enjoyed the book to some extent, it simply didn't hold my interest in the same way as some of her previous works.

One of the main reasons for this was that I didn't feel as connected to the characters. In Picoult's other books, the characters have always seemed so real and relatable, making it easy for me to invest emotionally in their stories. But in this one, I struggled to form that deep connection.

Despite this, I can still appreciate the skill and craftsmanship that went into writing this book. Jodi Picoult is a talented author, and even when a book doesn't completely resonate with me, I can still recognize the quality of her work. I will continue to read her books in the future, hoping to find that same level of magic and connection that I have experienced in the past.

Airplane read.

The treatment of domestic violence in this book is underwhelming, with a weak ending that leaves much to be desired. I found myself spending a significant portion of the book anticipating that it would delve into the challenges of truly connecting with someone who is constantly acting, or perhaps explore how the romance novels Cassie read during her marriage might have influenced her tolerance for abuse. However, as I neared the end, I realized that it was essentially just a romance novel disguised as something more profound. This was a disappointment, especially considering that a romance novel would have cost less, to be frank.

What particularly bothered me was the way Cassie's decision to expose her husband as abusive was presented. It was framed as her realizing that she had to make him hate her because she would always love him... or something along those lines. This still placed the emphasis on what was best for him rather than what was best for her. If this had been a better and more nuanced book, I might have been able to accept this or view it as a critique of the effects of domestic violence, such as Stockholm syndrome. But unfortunately, this was not the case.

Furthermore, after a while, all the rapturous descriptions of sex with Alex began to undermine the storyline. I simply couldn't believe that Cassie was living in constant fear of him when her sexual relationship with him seemed so positive. If she were truly in fear, it would have manifested in her ability to relate to him sexually. Overall, I was left disappointed and ultimately annoyed with this book.

My video opinion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4KMI...

What a disappointment! I have had such great experiences with Jodi Picoult and this book doesn't even seem to be written by the author. It seems like a "pulp romance", so different from the other themes with a lot of research behind them...

I was really sad...

Jodi Picoult is known for her thought-provoking and well-researched novels. However, this particular book fails to meet the expectations set by her previous works. The story lacks depth and the characters are not as developed as in her other books. It feels like a rushed and unpolished piece of writing. I was really looking forward to reading this book, but it has left me feeling let down. I hope that Jodi Picoult will go back to her roots and write more of the kind of novels that made her famous in the first place.

First of all, the synopsis is a bit misleading as it hides the true theme of the book, which is domestic violence and it is not a book where the main focus is on Cassie's search for identity.

"Perfect Illusion" tells us the story of Cassie Barrett, a successful anthropologist who one day wakes up in a cemetery and doesn't know who she is. She soon discovers that she is married to the biggest star in Hollywood and can't believe her luck. But the rich and famous actor Alex Rivers is not the perfect husband that everyone thinks he is. Behind the dream marriage that everyone sees is the aggression and violence of Alex and Cassie is his main victim. When she discovers that she is pregnant, Cassie has to choose between saving her child and herself, or continuing with the man she loves. Separating from Alex is not so easy. The fear that something will happen to him and leave her child in the hands of the other parent is Cassie's greatest fear, and she will do everything to protect Connor. It is a powerful book, with a heavy psychological load, as the author has accustomed us to. I hate these themes of violence and it really confuses me how victims accept the situation they live in and believe in the motto 'The more you hit me, the more I like you'... I just can't understand. Together with 'The Tenth Circle', it is the book that I liked the least to read.

I guess I have a penchant for stories in which a woman is discovered in a certain place, completely devoid of memories regarding who she is, how she arrived there, or who her husband might be.

*3.5*

This particular tale was a rather good read. It managed to hold my attention from start to finish. What I especially appreciated was Jodi Picoult's remarkable writing style. Her words have a way of painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind, making it easy to envision the scenes and the emotions of the characters.

*3.5*

The story had its share of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing what would happen next. Jodi Picoult's ability to create complex and relatable characters added another layer of depth to the narrative. I found myself truly invested in the protagonist's journey as she tried to piece together her fragmented past and make sense of her present situation.

*3.5*

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a touch of romance and a whole lot of heart.

It took me a considerable amount of time to truly engage with this book. The reason for this was the rather complex narrative structure, which involved frequent changes in the way the story was told and jumps between different time periods.

At the beginning, this made it a quite challenging read. I had to constantly try to piece together the different elements and make sense of how they all fit together. However, as I delved deeper into the story and started to understand the characters better, it gradually became easier to follow.

I was able to see how Alex's past life was having a significant impact on his present. His past experiences were like shadows that loomed over him, affecting his decisions and actions.

Unfortunately, the ending of the book felt very abrupt. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and there was no real sense of resolution. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and a feeling of dissatisfaction. Overall, while the book had its interesting aspects, the narrative structure and the ending left something to be desired.

On Women's Day, I finished this book about a reality that so many women live: what love makes them forgive.

When we are on the outside of relationships, it is super easy to talk, criticize, and say that "if it were me, I would do this or that", but when we go through them, everything is different. Yes, there are women who can really free themselves overnight, there are women who suffer for years until they manage to do it, and women who die because they can't. Women who endure until they leave, women who kill to be free.

They say that one cannot love an abuser, or that if the abuser abuses, then it is because he does not love. But the truth is that love is a mysterious feeling, sometimes stronger than everything, other times fleeting.

This book, although it has nothing to do with my life - fortunately, I don't suffer and never suffered any kind of violence in a relationship - moved me... It made me nervous, it made me think where it would end, and I always thought it would be a tragic ending, one of those that would leave me washed in tears. Perhaps if it continued, the result would be that because it is a bit open-ended (in my opinion).

But I liked it, I liked it a lot. I liked it so much that I decided to send this one for the exchange among friends instead of what I had planned.

Women... strength and courage...

While reading, I try not to have high expectations for Jodi's books because this author's books are not easy. The author likes to choose painful and often uncomfortable themes. Just like this time.

The anthropologist Kesse Baret meets the famous Hollywood star Alex Rivers while working. From that moment, Kesse understands that finally everything in life has fallen into place. Alex is loving and caring, intelligent and charming. It seems that life is just perfect. They have a small wedding in Africa where they both work and met. After that, the couple decides to return to California. Then their lives change drastically.

Kesse realizes that not everything that glitters is gold. Everything at home changes in an instant. So, after a while, the image of a perfect marriage begins to crumble into small pieces.

The woman understands that she can't go on like this anymore. But it's probably easier said than done. The truth?

Before reading this book, I wasn't very impressed with the books I had read by this author, so I really wanted a good book. Although I heard that this book wasn't liked by everyone, it was exactly what I needed at the moment.

I haven't read all of Jodi's books yet, but I can say that this one is definitely different from the last ones I read. A slightly different writing style and the story presented in a different way, but in my eyes, it wasn't bad. I would agree with those who think that this book is not Jodi's strongest work, but in this case, you can also notice the pluses. At least I notice more of them than the minuses

Oj, kiek vidinių prieštaravimų man sukėlė šios knygos veikėjai, jų mąstymas ir gyvenimo būdas... Jodi Picoult vėl palietė ne itin malonią temą ir privertė perkratyt savo įsitikinimus. Kalbėdama apie šią knygą, negaliu neatskleisti šiek tiek siužeto. Tad, jei kas, toliau bus daugiau detalių.

Asmeniškai, niekaip negaliu suprasti moterų, kurios metai iš metų renkasi gyventi ir kentėti vyro pavydo scenas, alkoholizmą, o juolabiau smurtą. Taip, sakau renkasi, nes mano suvokimu juk yra ir kitas kelias. Kam aukotis ir save žlugdyti dėl to, kuris nevertina tavęs? Kuriam esi tik objektas savo susierzinimui išlieti? Tad, kai knygos siužeto eigoj Kesė sumušta savo vyro - super Holivudo žvaigždės, kaltina save ir tyli, tiki jo atsiprašinėjimais ir maldavimais atleisti, gaili jo, o tai, be abejo, ir toliau kartojasi. Labai norėjau užversti knygą ir padėti į šalį. Bet iš didelės meilės Jodi to nepadariau. Tikėjausi, kad visgi kažką joje atrasiu sau artimo ir autorė vėl paliks su pilna galva apmąstymų.

Na labai artimo neatradau, bet keletas vidinių įsitikinimų pakito:

Išorinis grožis ir spindesys dažnai slepia vidinius demonus, kuriuos ne visi pastebi ir ne visi turi galimybę juos pažinti. O pažinus retas, kuris neišsigasta ir nepaisant visko lieka kartu.

Meilė tikrai yra akla, bet jei nori įmanoma laiku praregėti. Padėti ne tik sau, bet ir tam, kuris sau padėti nesugeba.

I have heard a great deal about this author, and I truly love her writing style. It has always been a source of inspiration for me.

However, when it comes to this particular book, which is centered around the theme of 'Abuse', it unfortunately did not meet my expectations. Perhaps I had set my hopes too high.

Despite this disappointment, I still have a glimmer of hope that her other works will be more to my liking. I am eager to explore and discover the unique charm and depth that I know she is capable of presenting.

For now, I am left with this 2-star rating, but I look forward to the possibility of being pleasantly surprised by her future writings.

Jodi Picoult's books are generally an effortless and enjoyable read. However, my concern is that she appears to be driven to make them more than just that. She does this by infusing a certain element that she deems educational, aiming to give the book "depth." In this particular instance, it was about life on a Navajo reservation. I resided in the Southwest for a significant period, and I find it hard to believe that an unmarried, white, pregnant woman would be so readily accepted by the Navajo community and gain such respect and affection within just a few months. Moreover, this aspect wasn't even an essential part of the story. It merely occupied space and added a touch of "culture."

The narrative of spousal abuse was already compelling enough without this diversion. It seems that sometimes, in an attempt to add more layers, the story can become muddled. Instead of focusing solely on the powerful theme of spousal abuse, the inclusion of the Navajo reservation element detracted from the overall impact. It would have been more effective if Picoult had concentrated on developing the main storyline and characters without introducing unnecessary and somewhat unbelievable cultural elements.

I really liked this book. I finished it last night.

Finally, it's not a book by Jodi Picoult that involves a court case. I constantly expected that to happen, but thankfully it didn't.

This is a book that I consider to be an easy and quick read. It was so engaging that I finished it in one sitting.

I wish there was a part 2. It left me wanting more. Now, I'm wondering what to read next.

Maybe I'll look for another book in the same genre or by the same author. Or perhaps I'll explore a new genre altogether.

The possibilities are endless, and I'm excited to discover my next great read.