Perfect

Byron Hemmings is an eleven-year-old boy in 1972 England who becomes consumed by two extra seconds being added to time. His friend James helps fuel his obsession as they both grapple with the implications of this scientific adjustment to the world's clocks. In parallel, the narrative follows Jim, a middle-aged man in the present day who lives a structured life of routines while working at a cafe. His carefully maintained existence begins to shift when new people enter his world and trigger memories he has long suppressed. The story moves between these two timelines, connecting past and present through themes of guilt, friendship, and the weight of childhood events. The impact of small moments and seemingly insignificant decisions ripples through decades, shaping the trajectories of multiple lives. Both a coming-of-age story and an exploration of trauma, Perfect examines how time itself can be both precise and fluid - marking both clock faces and human experiences in ways that defy measurement.

Readers found the parallel storylines compelling but noted the slow pace through the first half. Many connected emotionally with Byron's childhood perspective and his friendship with James, praising Joyce's portrayal of childhood anxiety and guilt. Readers appreciated: - Authentic depiction of mental illness and trauma - Complex mother-daughter relationship - Rich character development - Resolution that ties storylines together Common criticisms: - Takes too long to gain momentum - Jim's adult timeline less engaging than Byron's - Some plot points felt contrived - Ending rushed compared to detailed setup Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (17,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (1,200+ ratings) "The childhood sections transported me completely," wrote one reader on LibraryThing, while another noted "the modern-day segments disrupted the flow." Several reviewers mentioned struggling through the first 100 pages but finding the payoff worthwhile, with one Amazon reviewer calling the conclusion "both devastating and hopeful."

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce A man walks across England to visit a dying friend, leading to reflections on life's regrets and redemption.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman A grieving widower's structured life changes when new neighbors force him to confront his past and find purpose.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan A man collects lost objects and assigns stories to them, leading to connections between people and their forgotten treasures.

The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood The death of an 11-year-old boy brings together a 104-year-old woman and the boy's father through shared grief and unfinished tasks.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg A widower forms an unexpected bond with a troubled teenager while visiting his wife's grave, creating a new kind of family.

🌟 Rachel Joyce wrote "Perfect" after being inspired by a conversation with her son about adding two seconds to time, which actually happened in 1972 to adjust atomic clocks to solar time. 🌟 The author spent three years researching obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to authentically portray the character of Jim in his adult years. 🌟 The novel interweaves two timelines - 1972 and the present day - mirroring Joyce's earlier success with "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry." 🌟 Byron Hemmings' character was partially inspired by Joyce's own childhood experiences of anxiety and her tendency to worry about seemingly small details having catastrophic consequences. 🌟 The setting of the book, the Wessex countryside, is based on the area where Rachel Joyce herself lives, lending authenticity to the detailed descriptions of the landscape.