Imperfections

by Bradley Somer

What do you call a man with no arms and no legs locked in the trunk of a car?
The answer is not “Jack.”
It’s Richard Trench.

In the opening scene of Imperfections, a new novel by Bradley Somer, Richard Trench finds himself reduced to a torso in the trunk of an ’82 Monte Carlo. What follows is a captivating story of how Trench came to be in this situation, with a plot that twists in and out of the lives of circus freaks, supermodels and everyday folk.

At once down to earth and vividly fantastical, Imperfections explores society's relationship with physical perfection. It meddles with the boundaries between the beautiful and grotesque and blurs the hilarious with the horrific. Underlying themes of beauty and destiny are topped off with an always surprising plot and an eccentric cast of characters—including Trench's body building, ABBA-obsessed father and an obituary writer. It takes the reader from backyard BBQ's and barnyard beauty pageants to the world or raucous fashion shows and glittering photo shoots in exotic locations.

Here’s some buzz about Imperfections:

“As they say in the fashion world, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. In this sharp, ribald and surprisingly moving debut novel, Bradley Somer shows he has it and definitely flaunts it. Imperfections is a wild send-up of the modelling industry and our obsession with the culture of beauty. Equal parts absurdism and societal critique, it is a comic romp on par with Mordecai Richler’s Cocksure.
--Quill and Quire Starred Review (January 2013)

“Bradley Somer has written a transgressive, satirical takedown of the Western obsession with beauty and immortality.  Like the unruly child of Chuck Palahniuk and Mary Gaitskill, Imperfections disturbs and haunts by holding a mirror to a part of us we would rather not see.”
- Billie Livingston, author of One Good Hustle

"By turns tragic and buoyant, uncomfortable and funny, realistic and zany, Imperfections is a fast-paced exploration of the seemingly random and benign happenings of our everyday lives.  From his mother's cool inspection of his ‘imperfect’ body at birth to the requisite physical critiques that come with a modelling career, Richard Trench gives voice to a colourful examination of beauty—illuminated by exploding flash-bulbs and visceral memory.  Bradley Somer is a writer to watch."
- Samantha Warwick, author of Sage Island

Imperfections is one of the Canadian Independant Booksellers Top Picks for 2012.
- Quill and Quire

“Touching on the unusual, Somer seeks to look at the duality of beauty and ugly, and how the two aren't that far apart in what we seek. With strong humor and much to ponder, Imperfections is not a read to be overlooked.”
- Midwest Book Review

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2012

About the author

Bradley Somer’s novels have been published in over twenty countries, translated into several languages, and produced in many print, digital, and audio formats. A few have even been optioned for screen.

His newest, WE ARE ALL OF US LEFT BEHIND, will be released in the Fall of 2025.

He is the author of three previous novels: EXTINCTION (Blackstone Publishing & HarperCollins UK, 2022), FISHBOWL (St. Martin’s Press & Penguin Random House UK, 2015), and IMPERFECTIONS (Nightwood Editions, 2012). He has also written a ton of short fiction, which has appeared in literary journals, reviews, and anthologies over the past twenty years.

Bradley holds degrees in Archaeology and Anthropology, where his studies focused on paleoenvironments and human prehistory in North America. He lives with his husband at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Between sitting for hours reading and chronic bouts of writing, he enjoys snowshoeing and hiking the outdoors.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peopled with quirky characters that are sometimes unlikeable but always interesting, who move through situations ranging from mundane to improbable and ludicrous, and replete with gorgeous prose, this is a book to read slowly, for greatest enjoyment. Probably best read at sometime other than "before bed", too, because these images stick with you (well, me) and leap out of of the subconscious into dreams that are the ordinary flavour of bizarre, and turn them into utterly inexplicable sleep experiences. Your mileage may vary, of course.

The prose is richly evocative, and the protagonist's experience of many different varieties of freak show - family, summer camp, fairground, beauty industry, etc. - come across in all their glorious colour, cacophony, and stench. The beauty industry is perhaps the biggest freak show (though there some crossover with the others) and one gets the sense that less exaggeration was required to achieve the desired level of satire there than in other areas of the story.

This book deserves all the positive buzz it's been getting. Write more, Brad!

[Leanne Shirtliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

IMPERFECTIONS is a brilliant book, a clever and highly entertaining satire that challenges our perceptions of beauty. Author Bradley Somer shares Chuck Palahniuk’s penchant to write about the unthinkable and John Irving’s ability to build a cast of quirky characters who are both off-putting and loveable. This book is getting awesome reviews in Canada, and I can see why. It’s also a fabulous read for a book club, as there is much to discuss…from labiaplasty to maneuvering in airplane bathrooms (and of course, the satirical treatment of the beauty industry).

[Zihan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imperfections is a striking book that puts a deeper meaning behind the life of a supermodel. Though it is for a more mature audience, the author, Bradley Somer, gives the reader a leaving impression to think further more. Highly recommended! Great author and read!

[Janie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn’t a single boring sentence in this novel, let alone a boring page. Bradley Somer has crafted a subversive novel that’s part allegory, part expose, and totally mesmerizing. Which is the freak show, the carnival or the high-fashion runway? Original, chilling, hilarious and poignant.

[Nancy M. Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful quirky read. Loved it.

[Kirsten Reay · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading “Fishbowl” I wanted more of Bradley Somer’s writing. This one was very different though like “Fishbowl” it was introspective, though unlike “Fishbowl” it got too involved in trying to prove itself to the reader with insight and deep thoughts instead of focusing on the story. All in all it was an intriguing book and I am glad I read it.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick review whilst I am travelling for the holidays: A mostly interesting book with a disturbing premise,Bradley Somer's Imperfections has a lot going for it in the early pages, but squanders much of its intrigue through a structure that is, for the most part, debilitatingly slow and lacking the fear and momentum of its first chapter. This tale of the pitfalls and positives of the modelling world is not without its charms, but most of the characters felt rather empty and without a great deal of growth to them - they exist as embodiments of conflicts and problems faced by the main character, Richard Trench, but are never fully fleshed out in their own right. Two elements used in flashbacks to support some of this attempted character weight - Leonard's possibly psychic connection to death and the experience in the carnie's tent shared by him and Richard in their youth - are never given enough attention to feel like they are more than plot devices to add tension to the story where it is sorely lacking some. And the twist at the end? The whodunnit revealed left me cold and feeling as if I'd been cheated. There simply wasn't enough on the pages to give believability to the situation Richard finds himself in at the bookends to this tale. Yes, there are coincidences through time, and groundwork is laid early on for the twist, but there is not enough emotional follow-up to make that twist feel as if it's more than a foul ball out of left field.

I liked and would recommend Imperfections, especially for anyone with a passing desire to witness a skewering/human-zoo-comparison of the fashion industry, but I would temper one's expectations towards the resolution, as the mystery, once solved, is less interesting than what came before.

[Sexinthelibrary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Richard Trench is a model. His face is on all the billboards. He makes millions of dollars. He is also bulimic, arrogant, and a drug addict. The world of high fashion is shown in all its stunning, terrible beauty. To call the characters that people this book bizarre is too simplistic. From the first chapter, when we find Richard in the trunk of a car with his arms and legs cut off, to the characters that weave through his life continually, the tale is interlaced with a collection of very flawed characters.

There is an interesting section on breast implants. Overall, the drugs and orgies of the life of a model are so casually mentioned, the reader is allowed to merely shrug them off. At times the book feels like the depressing downward spiral of Mistry’s A Fine Balance. At times, Somer seems to be using it to titillate us- with 4 pages of how to have sex on an airplane, for example.
In the end though, the book is disturbing with boorish and rather single dimensional characters.

[Rhi G · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts off with a man in the trunk of a car after his arms and legs have been cut off.

One thing became clear to me when I started reading Imperfections, and that was that there was no way I could read this in one sitting. (It's a much heavier book than what I am used to, so I read a little at a time.)

The writer gives you the incentive to think more about what is going on around you. A thought provoking read.

[Lin Weich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very few novels make me really think, examine my perspectives and draw me into their webs. This one did. Reading Bradley Somers Imperfections is like peeling an onion. The layers are many and must be lifted carefully. I should have expected the ending but was very surprised. My interest was captured from the first page. My fascination and curiousity were sustained throughout. Excellent, disturbing, realistic prose. Well done. A novel and an author you will remember.

[Keely Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many parts Imperfections floats comfortably along the surface, lulling you into complacency. When it dips into massively dark, stomach-churning ambulance-watching territory you have no idea how you didn't see it coming, much in the same fashion that Richard Trench experiences his life unfolding. This contrast effect technique cleverly mirrors the theme of the book but you don't feel any better for having figured it out.

This book is quixotic. I have no idea what that means.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weird and thought provoking satire of the beauty industry. I both loved and hated this book.