The Perfectionists

by Gail Godwin

“Real artistry . . . A finely crafted and absorbing novel.”— Los Angeles Times

Dane is an American magazine journalist, and John, a British psychotherapist. He says he knows everything about her, how she thinks, what she wants from life. Under the force of his certainty, Dane marries John and takes up the care of his silent three-year-old son, Robin.

They go on vacation to Majorca to try to become a family, but ten months into their marriage Dane finds herself growing more and more distant from John, impatient with his endless analysis of their relationship, and repulsed by his clumsy attempts at understanding. As ever, Robin's silence hangs constantly between them, a symbol of pure anger and hate. As the two weeks stretch on forever, Dane grows closer to a decision she can't quite make, and Robin sits silently in the middle, a reminder to her of all she cannot control....

Praise for The Perfectionists

“This is so skillfully in the classical tradition, and at the same time so accurate on the old Adam and Eve battle. I thought the British psychiatrist an only too convincing male monster.” —John Fowles

“Tense, tight . . . complete with highly dramatic scenes, in an unembarrassed, uncluttered manner.” — The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Original in its situation, astute in its insight, and quite impeccably styled.” — Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Fiction

219 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Gail Kathleen Godwin is an American novelist and short story writer. She has published one non-fiction work, two collections of short stories, and eleven novels, three of which have been nominated for the National Book Award and five of which have made the New York Times Bestseller List.

Godwin's body of work has garnered many honors, including three National Book Award nominations, a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts grants for both fiction and libretto writing, and the Award in Literature from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Five of her novels have been on the New York Times best seller list.
Godwin lives and writes in Woodstock, New York.

Reviews

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jag läste den här boken för 30 år sedan, men kom inte ihåg innehållet. Men det måste finnas en anledning varför jag sparat den? Så jag läste om den, och greps genast och förstod ... stilen tillhör de jag alltid faller för. Där den nygifta kvinnan, Dane, är huvudperson, och vi ser allt ur hennes synvinkel, problemen med styvsonen, hennes psykoterapeut till make, som ständigt analyserar henne. Utgiven 1970, så hör den till en period som intresserar mig mycket.

Dane är långt från trevlig. Inte heller hennes make, eller någon av de andra av karaktärerna. Men därför mänskliga. Men det är ett psykoterapeut-tema, psykoanalys, där intellektet får undertrycka alla verkliga känslor. Vilket de själva ansåg som högsta perfektion, att analysera sin relation. Styvsonen, Robin, känns som en metafor för det inre barnet, vår sårbarhet, men här nästan autistisk, avtrubbad, som tiger och stirrar tillbaka med iskalla blå ögon.

Det som gör mig olycklig är barnmisshandeln. När blev barn-aga förbjudet? Men om jag fortsätter med min analys där barnet är metafor för det inre barnet/sårbarheten, då är det sig själv Dane kväver för att kunna stanna i äktenskapet. Samtidigt som hon ljuger för sig själv, att allt är perfekt - fast det uppenbarligen inte är det.

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t waste your time on this shitty book I didn’t even finish it but I decided to add it to this platform cause I saw it accumulating dust at the corner of my room. I may as well add it before I give it to someone I hate to waste their time on this earth.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. This is my first Gail Godwin but it won't be my last.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gail Godwin is one of my favorite authors, but I did not like this, her first book. It was not enjoyable to read, although the story was quite believable and realistic. But I thought the ending was appalling.

[Pam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some of her novels are better than others and this one was just weird. Maybe it is just me but I didn't really get it and won't recommend it. A husband, his wife, and their child who is autistic maybe? All seemed a little nuts.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really am not sure what the point of this book was. I finished it in one sitting, hoping something was going to happen. It did, but not what I had expected.

I've read nearly all her other books. Just not impressed with this one.

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gack! Didn't like the plot or the characters.

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Everything I've ever read by her is depressing and border-line deranged (not in a good way). Don't bother.

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was awful, it jumped around, and the ending was poor, like it finished mid-way through, no resolution

[Joann Doughty]

I am not even going to give this book one star. It was a waste of my time.