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Hannah Bauer #1
The Perfect Child
A page-turning debut of suspense about a young couple desperate to have a child of their own—and the unsettling consequences of getting what they always wanted.
Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.
But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.
Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.
Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.
But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.
Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.
370 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2019
24706 people are currently reading
239643 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Berry
30 books22k followersUSA Today bestselling author Lucinda Berry is a former psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma. She’s written multiple bestsellers reaching millions of readers worldwide. Some of her bestselling works include The Perfect Child, Saving Noah, When She Returned, The Best of Friends, and Keep Your Friends Close. Her books have been optioned for film and translated into several languages.
If Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon. To hear about her upcoming releases and other author news, visit her on social media (@lucindaberryauthor) or sign up for her newsletter at https://lucindaberry.com.
If Berry isn’t chasing after her son, you can find her running through Los Angeles, prepping for her next marathon. To hear about her upcoming releases and other author news, visit her on social media (@lucindaberryauthor) or sign up for her newsletter at https://lucindaberry.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 20,057 reviews
May 13, 2019
Christopher was a blind IDIOT. I can't tell you how livid he made me. How can a supposed intelligent DOCTOR be in such denial??? And do you want to know what else infuriated me? The fact that-
(Hate the way I ended my rant? Then you'll hate the way the author ended this book.)
(Hate the way I ended my rant? Then you'll hate the way the author ended this book.)
February 10, 2019
There was a knock on the door, I peeped behind the curtains to see who it was then I didn't bother to write a review after all.
December 11, 2024
➳
4/5 stars
"Our life was forever marked in a before/after sequence. Life before Janie and life after"
"THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE MOST DISTURBING THRILLERS I'VE EVER READ."
This book blew my mind, not for its plot, but for how disturbing it was. I was shocked the whole time reading it.
The story follows Christopher and Hannah Bauer, a couple struggling to have a child and even failing at adoption. When Janie, a severely traumatized and troubled child, enters their lives at the hospital, Christopher is instantly captivated by her and insists on adopting her. In her desperation to become a mother, Hannah agrees. Little did they know, bringing Janie into their home would lead to events that would turn their world upside down.
Janie is introduced as a severely traumatized and malnourished child, so much so that she doesn't even look her age. From the very beginning, it’s clear that something is off about her. She could flip her personality on a dime—acting shy and sweet when she was around Chris or people she liked, but becoming cruel and manipulative when women, especially Hannah, were present. At first, it seemed impossible for a child to be so calculating, and I found myself questioning if she was really behind the chaos. But as the story progressed, it became undeniable that Janie was intentionally driving a wedge between Chris and Hannah, slowly unraveling their lives. And shockingly, it worked.
The plot took a shocking turn when Hannah discovered she was pregnant. Despite Chris’s previous desire for a child, his reaction was surprisingly subdued. This change in him was unsettling, especially considering the ongoing turmoil Janie had caused. As Hannah’s pregnancy progressed, the couple's relationship continued to deteriorate. They found themselves locked in constant arguments, leaving Hannah isolated and struggling to manage on her own.
When their baby was finally born, the situation reached a new level of chaos. The turmoil in their home, already worsened by Janie’s manipulative behavior, intensified dramatically. The shocking part was the realization that a six-year-old child could create such a devastating sequence of events. The story revealed a level of complexity and darkness that made it almost impossible to believe, pushing the boundaries of what one could imagine a child capable of.
Not gonna lie, Chris pissed me off throughout the entire book. He constantly chose to believe and support Janie, a child they adopted only months ago, over his own wife. I get that it sounds insane to think a kid could be so manipulative, but sometimes you've got to be realistic. He always supported Janie no matter what, completely forgetting he had a wife to care for. What made it worse is that he saw some of the things happening right in front of him and still chose to turn a blind eye. Even their therapists warned him about Janie, yet he refused to believe anyone. He was stuck on the idea that she was just a little kid, incapable of doing such things. Initially, that made sense, but as the threats grew, he should have become more aware and thought realistically. Instead, he realized too late—only when his family was on the brink of destruction—that a child could indeed be capable of all this.
This thriller disturbed me in ways I never imagined. The chaos Janie created were truly insane, and I found myself constantly questioning how a child could be this manipulative and psychotic. Throughout the book, I was on edge, asking myself, "What the fuck is even happening?"
One thing I didn’t like, though, was how well the suspense was built, only for the ending to fall flat. I had such high expectations, hoping for a jaw-dropping twist, but that moment never came. The unsatisfying ending was the last straw for me. The characters were already unsettling, and this disappointing conclusion just made it worse.
— So why did I rated it four stars if it disturbed me so much? Because it pulled me out of a month-long slump and kept me on edge. Plus, the suspense was well-executed, even if the ending wasn't.
°˖➴ "Overall, if you're in the mood for a thriller that'll keep you on edge, give you chills, and maybe even a little paranoia, this might be your catch." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
꒰🌷⊹ ࣪ pre-read review ᯓᡣ𐭩
In a bad slump, but maybe this book’s my way out🤞🏻💘
"Our life was forever marked in a before/after sequence. Life before Janie and life after"
"THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE MOST DISTURBING THRILLERS I'VE EVER READ."
This book blew my mind, not for its plot, but for how disturbing it was. I was shocked the whole time reading it.
The story follows Christopher and Hannah Bauer, a couple struggling to have a child and even failing at adoption. When Janie, a severely traumatized and troubled child, enters their lives at the hospital, Christopher is instantly captivated by her and insists on adopting her. In her desperation to become a mother, Hannah agrees. Little did they know, bringing Janie into their home would lead to events that would turn their world upside down.
Janie is introduced as a severely traumatized and malnourished child, so much so that she doesn't even look her age. From the very beginning, it’s clear that something is off about her. She could flip her personality on a dime—acting shy and sweet when she was around Chris or people she liked, but becoming cruel and manipulative when women, especially Hannah, were present. At first, it seemed impossible for a child to be so calculating, and I found myself questioning if she was really behind the chaos. But as the story progressed, it became undeniable that Janie was intentionally driving a wedge between Chris and Hannah, slowly unraveling their lives. And shockingly, it worked.
The plot took a shocking turn when Hannah discovered she was pregnant. Despite Chris’s previous desire for a child, his reaction was surprisingly subdued. This change in him was unsettling, especially considering the ongoing turmoil Janie had caused. As Hannah’s pregnancy progressed, the couple's relationship continued to deteriorate. They found themselves locked in constant arguments, leaving Hannah isolated and struggling to manage on her own.
When their baby was finally born, the situation reached a new level of chaos. The turmoil in their home, already worsened by Janie’s manipulative behavior, intensified dramatically. The shocking part was the realization that a six-year-old child could create such a devastating sequence of events. The story revealed a level of complexity and darkness that made it almost impossible to believe, pushing the boundaries of what one could imagine a child capable of.
Not gonna lie, Chris pissed me off throughout the entire book. He constantly chose to believe and support Janie, a child they adopted only months ago, over his own wife. I get that it sounds insane to think a kid could be so manipulative, but sometimes you've got to be realistic. He always supported Janie no matter what, completely forgetting he had a wife to care for. What made it worse is that he saw some of the things happening right in front of him and still chose to turn a blind eye. Even their therapists warned him about Janie, yet he refused to believe anyone. He was stuck on the idea that she was just a little kid, incapable of doing such things. Initially, that made sense, but as the threats grew, he should have become more aware and thought realistically. Instead, he realized too late—only when his family was on the brink of destruction—that a child could indeed be capable of all this.
This thriller disturbed me in ways I never imagined. The chaos Janie created were truly insane, and I found myself constantly questioning how a child could be this manipulative and psychotic. Throughout the book, I was on edge, asking myself, "What the fuck is even happening?"
One thing I didn’t like, though, was how well the suspense was built, only for the ending to fall flat. I had such high expectations, hoping for a jaw-dropping twist, but that moment never came. The unsatisfying ending was the last straw for me. The characters were already unsettling, and this disappointing conclusion just made it worse.
— So why did I rated it four stars if it disturbed me so much? Because it pulled me out of a month-long slump and kept me on edge. Plus, the suspense was well-executed, even if the ending wasn't.
°˖➴ "Overall, if you're in the mood for a thriller that'll keep you on edge, give you chills, and maybe even a little paranoia, this might be your catch." 💌
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
꒰🌷⊹ ࣪ pre-read review ᯓᡣ𐭩
In a bad slump, but maybe this book’s my way out🤞🏻💘
February 3, 2019
No ending!
Great story, but then it just stopped. It was as if the author got tired and quit. Such a disappointment.
Great story, but then it just stopped. It was as if the author got tired and quit. Such a disappointment.
July 26, 2020
“No matter how many times I was questioned by the police, it never got easier. My nerves jumped into high gear automatically. They always made me feel like I was lying, even when I was telling the truth.”
― Lucinda Berry, The Perfect Child
Oh wow. I have SO MUCH to say but I am sure you do not wan t to hear a long and extremely furious book tantrum from me so I will try to keep it short.
First..recommended. Even if I only gave it a three. This is one of the most disturbing books I have ever read.
TRIGGER ALERT.
Child Abuse..brutal animal abuse and killing.
I spent last night reading many reviews. So..this is why GR is so AWESOME. I thought it was just me! When I finished this book, I wondered how I'd write a review of this when I disliked the well meaning dad so much I wanted to punch him. (And I am not a violent person!)Really!
I did not know I would find like minds on this issue. Well..I found alot more than I could ever have imagined. thank you fellow readers! So..let me have my rant now.
This book is creepy. It is disturbing. Nothing scares me more than creepy children. This book was well written and scared the crap out of me.
Yet there is Hubs.
WHAT A WUSS! WHAT A DICKHEAD! I mean..ok, he wants to adopt the kid. We all got that. But his behavior..I mean..he is batshit crazy or else he is in love with the sociopathic kid. I know of no other reason for him to be such a huge and self righteous moron.
To Janey he was the epitome of a "useful idiot". How Putin would love Doctor Chris! I mean:
SPOILERS:
Kid kills a cat. No problem says Chris. Kid tells Chris she likes to see people suffer. No problem says Chris cheerfully adjusting his conscience.
Kid almost kills mom by biting her breast. She did not mean it screams the useful idiot. She stares at her family as they sleep. So what? says Mr. Chris.
Wife gets pregnant. Hubs not happy. He is wondering how little sociopath beastly child will handle it.
Wife can't take it anymore. Chris slaps her. YES, SLAPS HER! Then wife loses her mind. Daddy Chris just does not understand.
Little evil child has no place to go? Let her stay with Aunt Alice.
Alice is creeped out. "She's family" yells useful idiot.
Child KILLS Aunt Alice. "She didn't mean it". Yells King of all wimps, daddy Christopher..
I have nothing else to say. I can see now why Pete Townsend used to break Guitars onstage. Yes, it must feel good to break something when you encounter this much blatant stupidity.
Make no bones about it though..this book left me shaken. It is genuinely scary. If there is a sequel I will read it.
I just hate Chris. Janie is evil. Awful. I hope she is put away for life.
Bet Mr. Clueless with all his Janie issues will still visit her though.
― Lucinda Berry, The Perfect Child
Oh wow. I have SO MUCH to say but I am sure you do not wan t to hear a long and extremely furious book tantrum from me so I will try to keep it short.
First..recommended. Even if I only gave it a three. This is one of the most disturbing books I have ever read.
TRIGGER ALERT.
Child Abuse..brutal animal abuse and killing.
I spent last night reading many reviews. So..this is why GR is so AWESOME. I thought it was just me! When I finished this book, I wondered how I'd write a review of this when I disliked the well meaning dad so much I wanted to punch him. (And I am not a violent person!)Really!
I did not know I would find like minds on this issue. Well..I found alot more than I could ever have imagined. thank you fellow readers! So..let me have my rant now.
This book is creepy. It is disturbing. Nothing scares me more than creepy children. This book was well written and scared the crap out of me.
Yet there is Hubs.
WHAT A WUSS! WHAT A DICKHEAD! I mean..ok, he wants to adopt the kid. We all got that. But his behavior..I mean..he is batshit crazy or else he is in love with the sociopathic kid. I know of no other reason for him to be such a huge and self righteous moron.
To Janey he was the epitome of a "useful idiot". How Putin would love Doctor Chris! I mean:
SPOILERS:
Kid kills a cat. No problem says Chris. Kid tells Chris she likes to see people suffer. No problem says Chris cheerfully adjusting his conscience.
Kid almost kills mom by biting her breast. She did not mean it screams the useful idiot. She stares at her family as they sleep. So what? says Mr. Chris.
Wife gets pregnant. Hubs not happy. He is wondering how little sociopath beastly child will handle it.
Wife can't take it anymore. Chris slaps her. YES, SLAPS HER! Then wife loses her mind. Daddy Chris just does not understand.
Little evil child has no place to go? Let her stay with Aunt Alice.
Alice is creeped out. "She's family" yells useful idiot.
Child KILLS Aunt Alice. "She didn't mean it". Yells King of all wimps, daddy Christopher..
I have nothing else to say. I can see now why Pete Townsend used to break Guitars onstage. Yes, it must feel good to break something when you encounter this much blatant stupidity.
Make no bones about it though..this book left me shaken. It is genuinely scary. If there is a sequel I will read it.
I just hate Chris. Janie is evil. Awful. I hope she is put away for life.
Bet Mr. Clueless with all his Janie issues will still visit her though.
May 1, 2019
One word to sufficiently describe this book: DISTURBING!!!
Dr. Christopher Bauer and his wife, Hannah, have been struggling with infertility for years. Hannah, now 41, has all but given up hope of having children until.....
A young girl is found abandoned and walking alone through a parking lot covered in blood, malnourished, and once examined, is found to have multiple old and new bone fractures, none of which have ever been treated. Once thought to be a toddler it turns out after surgery that she is actually 6 years old. Christopher, being an orthopedic surgeon, is the one to perform the many surgeries she requires and from here he keeps a close vigil on young Janie. When it comes time for Janie to be released from the hospital and entered into the foster care system Christopher is just beside himself. He ever so casually brings up to Hannah the idea of them taking in Janie. After all this may be the blessing they have been waiting for. Hannah is reluctant but nevertheless agrees and from here their lives will never be the same again.
We have alternating chapters between Christoper, Hannah, and Piper (Janie's social worker) and they all work beautifully to move the story forward. The entire time your reading you know that it is leading up to something big but that reveal doesn't come until the last 25% which will have you furiously flipping the pages.
Lucinda Berry has penned quite the nightmarish tale. This was my first read by her but I assure you it will NOT be my last. I'm going to get my greedy grabby hands on anything she has written. 5 terrifying stars!
**This book is not for the faint of heart and has instances of child and animal abuse so if those are triggers for you then I suggest passing this one by.**
Dr. Christopher Bauer and his wife, Hannah, have been struggling with infertility for years. Hannah, now 41, has all but given up hope of having children until.....
A young girl is found abandoned and walking alone through a parking lot covered in blood, malnourished, and once examined, is found to have multiple old and new bone fractures, none of which have ever been treated. Once thought to be a toddler it turns out after surgery that she is actually 6 years old. Christopher, being an orthopedic surgeon, is the one to perform the many surgeries she requires and from here he keeps a close vigil on young Janie. When it comes time for Janie to be released from the hospital and entered into the foster care system Christopher is just beside himself. He ever so casually brings up to Hannah the idea of them taking in Janie. After all this may be the blessing they have been waiting for. Hannah is reluctant but nevertheless agrees and from here their lives will never be the same again.
We have alternating chapters between Christoper, Hannah, and Piper (Janie's social worker) and they all work beautifully to move the story forward. The entire time your reading you know that it is leading up to something big but that reveal doesn't come until the last 25% which will have you furiously flipping the pages.
Lucinda Berry has penned quite the nightmarish tale. This was my first read by her but I assure you it will NOT be my last. I'm going to get my greedy grabby hands on anything she has written. 5 terrifying stars!
**This book is not for the faint of heart and has instances of child and animal abuse so if those are triggers for you then I suggest passing this one by.**
March 15, 2019
I honestly can’t believe this book had such high ratings. It is poorly written, poorly paced and completely unoriginal. But more than that: it feeds into the prevailing narrative that adopting kids in foster care is a last resort compared to having biological children or even international adoption - it actually goes further than that: it plays on the stereotype that children in foster are are dangerous.
It was horrifying to see how many of these ridiculous stereotypes and tropes were shoved into this novel but I was at a complete loss for words that the author is a “trauma psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma”. How irresponsible of her to perpetuate this extreme, rare and unfair portrayal of abused children in the foster care system, the assumed superiority of biological children (i.e. “settling” for adopting a 6 year old when they “really wanted” a baby). It is difficult enough to place children in foster care into stable and caring homes without this kind of novel written by an expert.
Terrible book. Terrible insinuations. Author should be ashamed.
It was horrifying to see how many of these ridiculous stereotypes and tropes were shoved into this novel but I was at a complete loss for words that the author is a “trauma psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma”. How irresponsible of her to perpetuate this extreme, rare and unfair portrayal of abused children in the foster care system, the assumed superiority of biological children (i.e. “settling” for adopting a 6 year old when they “really wanted” a baby). It is difficult enough to place children in foster care into stable and caring homes without this kind of novel written by an expert.
Terrible book. Terrible insinuations. Author should be ashamed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2024
Not Me!
I am truly curious about certain people. The masochistic kind. What makes a person with a good comfortable life want to upset the apple cart?
What makes someone want to bring pain, misery and evil drama into his or her life?
This is a book about a little girl who is terrible! Makes you not want to have any children.
The book is told in the flashback style. I want to say more, but I don’t know how to do that without telling spoilers.
Suffice to say, the chapters are all very small, so the book moves along quickly. A few moments are over the top and too convoluted to give this book five stars.
Four fabulous stars. ✨✨✨✨
I am truly curious about certain people. The masochistic kind. What makes a person with a good comfortable life want to upset the apple cart?
What makes someone want to bring pain, misery and evil drama into his or her life?
This is a book about a little girl who is terrible! Makes you not want to have any children.
The book is told in the flashback style. I want to say more, but I don’t know how to do that without telling spoilers.
Suffice to say, the chapters are all very small, so the book moves along quickly. A few moments are over the top and too convoluted to give this book five stars.
Four fabulous stars. ✨✨✨✨
March 6, 2024
Beginning hooked me - but I kept waiting for the twists and turns that never actually came. Elaborate details on everything except what should have been detailed. I am left with more questions now that I’ve finished reading than I had in the beginning of the book. 2 stars for a good start but poor execution.
October 23, 2019
FULL REVIEW UP!
Watch the Line Between Fiction and Reality Get Truly Blurred in this Chilling Novel
A Perfect October Read.
Christopher and Hannah have it all - except one thing . . . A child.
They had pretty much given up all hope . . . until they met Janie.
Janie was exposed to unimaginable horrors and abuse and while Christopher and Hannah were aware of her history, she seemed like a wonderful little girl, despite it all. While Janie took a shine to Christopher and didn't seem to warm up as much to Hannah, Hannah was sure that it would just take time. Oh. . . how wrong she was.
This book was a true nail-biter in every sense of the word. I could not put it down nor could I stop thinking about the characters long after the final page was turned. I had never read a book by Lucinda Berry and I was blown away by her talent. She puts the word 'psychological' in the 'psychological thriller'. I found out that she is a practicing psychologist and her uncanny ability to interpret the brain and behavior was made abundantly clear. She also has the capability of writing disturbingly realistic thrillers that leave you trembling, wondering,. . . "Could that ever happen to me ? ? ? "
If you want a unique, edge of your seat, psychological thriller. . . Look No Further. This book will BLOW YOU AWAY.
Watch the Line Between Fiction and Reality Get Truly Blurred in this Chilling Novel
A Perfect October Read.
Christopher and Hannah have it all - except one thing . . . A child.
They had pretty much given up all hope . . . until they met Janie.
Janie was exposed to unimaginable horrors and abuse and while Christopher and Hannah were aware of her history, she seemed like a wonderful little girl, despite it all. While Janie took a shine to Christopher and didn't seem to warm up as much to Hannah, Hannah was sure that it would just take time. Oh. . . how wrong she was.
This book was a true nail-biter in every sense of the word. I could not put it down nor could I stop thinking about the characters long after the final page was turned. I had never read a book by Lucinda Berry and I was blown away by her talent. She puts the word 'psychological' in the 'psychological thriller'. I found out that she is a practicing psychologist and her uncanny ability to interpret the brain and behavior was made abundantly clear. She also has the capability of writing disturbingly realistic thrillers that leave you trembling, wondering,. . . "Could that ever happen to me ? ? ? "
If you want a unique, edge of your seat, psychological thriller. . . Look No Further. This book will BLOW YOU AWAY.
February 9, 2019
I'm not sure I've ever read such a crazy, intense, non-stop, haunting, anxiety producing novel...but only in the best and most desirable way. I didn't want it to end.
Once this book has you in it's grips, it won't let go. I started it this morning and literally could not put it down. My poor husband probably feels deprived.
Having received The Perfect Child free as a Kindle First February option, I honestly didn't have high expectations. These freebie books are hit or miss for me. Sometimes they're decent, sometimes they absolutely stink, and sometimes, they slowly mesmerize you with their intensity and unparalleled chaos.
The Perfect Child was like that...I was absolutely mesmerized. The characters, particularly Hannah, were so beautifully tragic...she felt very real to me. I could relate so very much to her feelings, her anxieties...virtually everything. Having said that, at times I also felt frustrated, primarily with Christopher. His choices and actions were questionable, even during the best of times. But the character who had my jaw dropping at virtually every turn of the page was Janie. HOLY COW! I don't want to say much for fear of giving anything away, but Janie may be the best "villain" I've read in years. Little girl was beyond vile!
Is the story a bit predictable? I'd say yes, which is why I didn't give it a full 5 stars. One of the main threads was incredibly obvious to me, but that took nothing away from the story-line. And there were a couple twists which shocked me...not necessarily because they were unexpected, but because of how they actually occurred. There is also some animal torture/death, which is another deduction for me. I HATE animal torture in any book. Fair warning.
I can't end this review without making the obvious comparisons to Baby Teeth. Clearly, Lucinda Berry was somewhat inspired by the Zoje Stage novel. There are many similar threads throughout...but the stories diverge enough to make them each incredibly readable in their own ways.
I'm a fan, fellow readers. I haven't checked to see if this is Ms. Berry's first novel or not, but she has definitely become a must read author in my eyes. I'll be thinking about this novel for a long, long time.
Once this book has you in it's grips, it won't let go. I started it this morning and literally could not put it down. My poor husband probably feels deprived.
Having received The Perfect Child free as a Kindle First February option, I honestly didn't have high expectations. These freebie books are hit or miss for me. Sometimes they're decent, sometimes they absolutely stink, and sometimes, they slowly mesmerize you with their intensity and unparalleled chaos.
The Perfect Child was like that...I was absolutely mesmerized. The characters, particularly Hannah, were so beautifully tragic...she felt very real to me. I could relate so very much to her feelings, her anxieties...virtually everything. Having said that, at times I also felt frustrated, primarily with Christopher. His choices and actions were questionable, even during the best of times. But the character who had my jaw dropping at virtually every turn of the page was Janie. HOLY COW! I don't want to say much for fear of giving anything away, but Janie may be the best "villain" I've read in years. Little girl was beyond vile!
Is the story a bit predictable? I'd say yes, which is why I didn't give it a full 5 stars. One of the main threads was incredibly obvious to me, but that took nothing away from the story-line. And there were a couple twists which shocked me...not necessarily because they were unexpected, but because of how they actually occurred. There is also some animal torture/death, which is another deduction for me. I HATE animal torture in any book. Fair warning.
I can't end this review without making the obvious comparisons to Baby Teeth. Clearly, Lucinda Berry was somewhat inspired by the Zoje Stage novel. There are many similar threads throughout...but the stories diverge enough to make them each incredibly readable in their own ways.
I'm a fan, fellow readers. I haven't checked to see if this is Ms. Berry's first novel or not, but she has definitely become a must read author in my eyes. I'll be thinking about this novel for a long, long time.
July 8, 2023
LITERAL CHILLS
PLOT Hannah and Christian have been married for years. When Hannah turned 40, they decided to stop trying for a child. Just when they gave up on their dream of parenthood, Christian, through work as an orthopedic surgeon, meets Janie, a child found in a trailer park. Janie is starved, with multiple cuts and broken bones, underdeveloped. Christian feels bad for the girl and spends all his free time in the hospital with her. He convinces Hannah, a nurse, to apply for the adoption of Janie. Is this their dream come true or the beginning of hell?
THOUGHTS This book made me reconsider everything I knew about parenthood. And a lot I knew about life. I’ve never read a piece of literature so disturbing and gruesome beyond redemption. But at the same time, I can say it was very educational. The author is a psychiatrist who specializes in child abuse and she used her clinical practice to create this deeply chilling thriller/mystery and you can look at this book from that perspective, but at the same time, as a medical student, I’m very thankful for the knowledge she provided. Even though this is a work of fiction, I could so easily see some elements we covered in my psychiatry class, Freud’s theory of development, defense mechanisms, regression to primal forms of behavior, etc. So, if you’re looking for a thriller with many twists and turns, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one. HOWEVER, if you want to be DISTURBED AND MOVED AND TRAUMATIZED TO YOUR CORE, lol, this is your pick. Even though it took me some time to recollect myself after reading this (as in pick up a romcom to calm myself down), it was definitely worth reading and I’ll be going through more work from Lucinda Berry FOR SURE!🫣❤️
PLOT Hannah and Christian have been married for years. When Hannah turned 40, they decided to stop trying for a child. Just when they gave up on their dream of parenthood, Christian, through work as an orthopedic surgeon, meets Janie, a child found in a trailer park. Janie is starved, with multiple cuts and broken bones, underdeveloped. Christian feels bad for the girl and spends all his free time in the hospital with her. He convinces Hannah, a nurse, to apply for the adoption of Janie. Is this their dream come true or the beginning of hell?
THOUGHTS This book made me reconsider everything I knew about parenthood. And a lot I knew about life. I’ve never read a piece of literature so disturbing and gruesome beyond redemption. But at the same time, I can say it was very educational. The author is a psychiatrist who specializes in child abuse and she used her clinical practice to create this deeply chilling thriller/mystery and you can look at this book from that perspective, but at the same time, as a medical student, I’m very thankful for the knowledge she provided. Even though this is a work of fiction, I could so easily see some elements we covered in my psychiatry class, Freud’s theory of development, defense mechanisms, regression to primal forms of behavior, etc. So, if you’re looking for a thriller with many twists and turns, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one. HOWEVER, if you want to be DISTURBED AND MOVED AND TRAUMATIZED TO YOUR CORE, lol, this is your pick. Even though it took me some time to recollect myself after reading this (as in pick up a romcom to calm myself down), it was definitely worth reading and I’ll be going through more work from Lucinda Berry FOR SURE!🫣❤️
August 21, 2019
BEWARE OF SPOILERS! A dead meth addict's child being wild proves to be a pretty good read, even though placed far out in the field of unbelievable. I'm not sure where the ending is, though.
Do regular 6-year old undernourished kids the size of a newborn (even crazy ones) have the necessary strength to kill a grown up meth addict?
Is it really all right to ignore that the kid's mentally ill? And she's not just blandly 'ill', but bonkers and plenty dangerous to other people, not just herself.
All the manipulation they were letting Janie do, it wasn't improving even her own state. Kids are more clever than we realize and had they actually communicated to Janie that she can't do things she does, she would've been quick to improve. Obviously, she knew well how to behave with the people she wanted to look good.
Where do they get those irrationally patient women, like Hannah? They were raking her over the coals for virtually nothing (I don't really thing her psychotic scribblings or hallucinations were real). No wonder she got psychotic, a double whammy of gaslihting and lying and raising hand on her husband & kid? She should've given a good walloping to her husband (maybe knocking some sense into him would have helped?). And the kid, Janie - one really needs to be more straightforward with discipline for all kids. They just weren't clear enough in communicating to her which things are not ever to be done. Of course, to have such talks, they first would have to acknowledge that Janie's doing weird shit. But no, they go full on with blinders still on. Anyway, discipline is good, there are some miraculous kids that won't go and push people off the stairs to their death but, BUT it's ok if sometimes they get up to things that they would need to be stopped from. Like, 'no killing any animals rule'.
Locking the refrigerators? I don't think that's the best practice considering her eating history. I don't see anything being done other than drastic controlling her food intake. Psychological help, anyone?
Psychology sucks in here, all right. Hannah gets on heavy medication while what she needed was some family therapy and respite from the kid that was driven by something. And a more caring husband, of course.
I'm not sure why the author skipped considering how the mother taking meth could've affected the daughter, since Janie obviously was abnormal from the start of her career of resident 'l'enfant terrible'. Especially considering her supposedly professional insight on the social sciences issues.
Q:
I knew what was expected of me with their questions. Talking freely and open-endedly could result in me saying something I wasn’t supposed to. Nerves twisted my stomach.(c)
Q:
It never crossed anyone’s mind that someone else might be in trouble. I wished it would’ve. Maybe then things would’ve ended differently. (c)
Q:
There’s something really amazing about watching someone transform before your eyes. It’s like witnessing a small miracle. I don’t want you to miss it. (c)
Q:
It seemed torturous not to feed her, but the doctors had assured us that keeping her on her schedule was the best thing for her. (c)
Q:
“I don’t even know why she freaked out. I mean, one second we were coloring, and the next minute, she just freaked out for no reason. I didn’t even tell her no or anything.” (c)
Q:
She was too young to be that manipulative. And besides, Hannah was an adult. She could handle it. (c) Damn stupid.
Q:
“...It drives me crazy that he doesn’t see how disturbing it is. I understand that she’s got mom issues, but she’s so hostile toward me now.”...
“Not to mention that it’s manipulative and controlling.” (c) Damn unhelpful.
Q:
“This is the daddy.” She pointed to the little girl in the chair next to him. “And this is the girl.”
“Is there a mommy?”
Janie curled her lips in disgust. “No. There’s no mommy.” (c) Uh-huh.
Q:
“She’s had a traumatic disconnect from love and attachment with a maternal figure. In her mind, the world isn’t a safe place, and mothers can’t be trusted. Think about it—usually when babies cry, they’re picked up or fed when they’re hungry. But Janie’s never had this. She doesn’t trust you, so she rejects you even though you’re exactly what she needs the most.” (c)
Q:
“Children of trauma are experts at triangulation.”
“Triangulation?” I asked.
“The child will act a certain way with one parent and a different way with the other parent. They try all kinds of things to drive a wedge in the parents’ relationship.”
“Janie doesn’t do that.” (c) Denial.
Q:
I hadn’t paid attention to the last ten minutes of our session because I’d been trying to wrap my head around purposefully manipulating a six-year-old child, especially one who’d been traumatized, into doing something you wanted them to. (c) Denial and lack of understanding about parenting a kid. Any kid much less a problematic one.
Q:
She was communicating her feelings in the only way she knew how, and everything I’d researched stressed the importance of letting abused children make their own choices. (c) Which just goes that bad books shouldn't be taken at face value. And a perfect illustration that reading a bunch of books doesn't necessarily make everyone an expert without critical thinking. Or even with it.
Q:
We practice fairness in our family.” It all sounded right but felt wrong in my gut.
She narrowed her eyes to slits. “No.” ...
“No! You have to say good night to me! Say good night to me!” Janie screamed. (c) A regular ill-behaved kid.
Q:
“Did they keep going back to Dr. Chandler?”
“They did.”
“Even after she’d suggested a therapy practice that ended up hurting Janie?”
“Yes, they continued seeing Dr. Chandler. Because you want to know the craziest thing about that entire incident?” I didn’t wait for either of them to answer. “It worked. Janie started talking to Hannah again.” (c) Well, sometimes a kid does need to went it, even chewing themselves or whatever.
Q:
I’d trained myself a long time ago not to get excited. That was when you got hurt. (c)
Q:
I tried to pretend I was happy and excited about the baby, but all I could think about was Janie and how it would affect her. (c) Horrible attitude.
Q:
She jumped up and kicked Cole’s carrier. “He’s stupid. And ugly. Ugly, stupid baby!” She kicked the carrier again, and it fell on its side. Cole rolled onto the floor. (c) Nice.
Q:
He’d still trade his life for hers. (c) Well, he about did. And his wife's (a chunk) and her sister's (wholesale) and his newborn son's (a large chunk).
Some inconsistencies:
Q:
“Not an inch, but technically, their bones grow nine millimeters per day, so they are taller.” (c)
Seriously, had kids grown 0.9 cm per day, by 10 years they would get to be 32.85 mt (=10 years * 365 days * 0.9 cm / 100 (cm per mt))
Do regular 6-year old undernourished kids the size of a newborn (even crazy ones) have the necessary strength to kill a grown up meth addict?
Is it really all right to ignore that the kid's mentally ill? And she's not just blandly 'ill', but bonkers and plenty dangerous to other people, not just herself.
All the manipulation they were letting Janie do, it wasn't improving even her own state. Kids are more clever than we realize and had they actually communicated to Janie that she can't do things she does, she would've been quick to improve. Obviously, she knew well how to behave with the people she wanted to look good.
Where do they get those irrationally patient women, like Hannah? They were raking her over the coals for virtually nothing (I don't really thing her psychotic scribblings or hallucinations were real). No wonder she got psychotic, a double whammy of gaslihting and lying and raising hand on her husband & kid? She should've given a good walloping to her husband (maybe knocking some sense into him would have helped?). And the kid, Janie - one really needs to be more straightforward with discipline for all kids. They just weren't clear enough in communicating to her which things are not ever to be done. Of course, to have such talks, they first would have to acknowledge that Janie's doing weird shit. But no, they go full on with blinders still on. Anyway, discipline is good, there are some miraculous kids that won't go and push people off the stairs to their death but, BUT it's ok if sometimes they get up to things that they would need to be stopped from. Like, 'no killing any animals rule'.
Locking the refrigerators? I don't think that's the best practice considering her eating history. I don't see anything being done other than drastic controlling her food intake. Psychological help, anyone?
Psychology sucks in here, all right. Hannah gets on heavy medication while what she needed was some family therapy and respite from the kid that was driven by something. And a more caring husband, of course.
I'm not sure why the author skipped considering how the mother taking meth could've affected the daughter, since Janie obviously was abnormal from the start of her career of resident 'l'enfant terrible'. Especially considering her supposedly professional insight on the social sciences issues.
Q:
I knew what was expected of me with their questions. Talking freely and open-endedly could result in me saying something I wasn’t supposed to. Nerves twisted my stomach.(c)
Q:
It never crossed anyone’s mind that someone else might be in trouble. I wished it would’ve. Maybe then things would’ve ended differently. (c)
Q:
There’s something really amazing about watching someone transform before your eyes. It’s like witnessing a small miracle. I don’t want you to miss it. (c)
Q:
It seemed torturous not to feed her, but the doctors had assured us that keeping her on her schedule was the best thing for her. (c)
Q:
“I don’t even know why she freaked out. I mean, one second we were coloring, and the next minute, she just freaked out for no reason. I didn’t even tell her no or anything.” (c)
Q:
She was too young to be that manipulative. And besides, Hannah was an adult. She could handle it. (c) Damn stupid.
Q:
“...It drives me crazy that he doesn’t see how disturbing it is. I understand that she’s got mom issues, but she’s so hostile toward me now.”...
“Not to mention that it’s manipulative and controlling.” (c) Damn unhelpful.
Q:
“This is the daddy.” She pointed to the little girl in the chair next to him. “And this is the girl.”
“Is there a mommy?”
Janie curled her lips in disgust. “No. There’s no mommy.” (c) Uh-huh.
Q:
“She’s had a traumatic disconnect from love and attachment with a maternal figure. In her mind, the world isn’t a safe place, and mothers can’t be trusted. Think about it—usually when babies cry, they’re picked up or fed when they’re hungry. But Janie’s never had this. She doesn’t trust you, so she rejects you even though you’re exactly what she needs the most.” (c)
Q:
“Children of trauma are experts at triangulation.”
“Triangulation?” I asked.
“The child will act a certain way with one parent and a different way with the other parent. They try all kinds of things to drive a wedge in the parents’ relationship.”
“Janie doesn’t do that.” (c) Denial.
Q:
I hadn’t paid attention to the last ten minutes of our session because I’d been trying to wrap my head around purposefully manipulating a six-year-old child, especially one who’d been traumatized, into doing something you wanted them to. (c) Denial and lack of understanding about parenting a kid. Any kid much less a problematic one.
Q:
She was communicating her feelings in the only way she knew how, and everything I’d researched stressed the importance of letting abused children make their own choices. (c) Which just goes that bad books shouldn't be taken at face value. And a perfect illustration that reading a bunch of books doesn't necessarily make everyone an expert without critical thinking. Or even with it.
Q:
We practice fairness in our family.” It all sounded right but felt wrong in my gut.
She narrowed her eyes to slits. “No.” ...
“No! You have to say good night to me! Say good night to me!” Janie screamed. (c) A regular ill-behaved kid.
Q:
“Did they keep going back to Dr. Chandler?”
“They did.”
“Even after she’d suggested a therapy practice that ended up hurting Janie?”
“Yes, they continued seeing Dr. Chandler. Because you want to know the craziest thing about that entire incident?” I didn’t wait for either of them to answer. “It worked. Janie started talking to Hannah again.” (c) Well, sometimes a kid does need to went it, even chewing themselves or whatever.
Q:
I’d trained myself a long time ago not to get excited. That was when you got hurt. (c)
Q:
I tried to pretend I was happy and excited about the baby, but all I could think about was Janie and how it would affect her. (c) Horrible attitude.
Q:
She jumped up and kicked Cole’s carrier. “He’s stupid. And ugly. Ugly, stupid baby!” She kicked the carrier again, and it fell on its side. Cole rolled onto the floor. (c) Nice.
Q:
He’d still trade his life for hers. (c) Well, he about did. And his wife's (a chunk) and her sister's (wholesale) and his newborn son's (a large chunk).
Some inconsistencies:
Q:
“Not an inch, but technically, their bones grow nine millimeters per day, so they are taller.” (c)
Seriously, had kids grown 0.9 cm per day, by 10 years they would get to be 32.85 mt (=10 years * 365 days * 0.9 cm / 100 (cm per mt))
February 26, 2019
Too long, too boring, too unbelievable!
And worse, NO ending! Perfect flop. BTW, having worked in CPS, There's NO WAY a mother called SEVEN TIMES begging for help and NO ONE responded. Not even in Seattle, Chicago or Houston! Balderdash. Also, too many other errors on how on system doesn't work AND how it does! Bad info, knowingly long and absolutely ZERO common sense, but for sure: psychobabble galore!
And worse, NO ending! Perfect flop. BTW, having worked in CPS, There's NO WAY a mother called SEVEN TIMES begging for help and NO ONE responded. Not even in Seattle, Chicago or Houston! Balderdash. Also, too many other errors on how on system doesn't work AND how it does! Bad info, knowingly long and absolutely ZERO common sense, but for sure: psychobabble galore!
February 19, 2019
I’m dizzy from rolling my eyes over this one. An orthopedic surgeon who is so dim witted as to miss every red flag thrown in his face was hard to believe. The incidents with the classmate and the death of the cat would have caused any thinking person to realize Janie needed a lot more than he could give. Hannah’s trip to the ER being too embarrassing to even mention to her sister was also ridiculously unbelievable. I felt for Hannah, but was annoyed that she didn’t flee the train wreck before it hit her. I might be in the minority, but I think Janie’s grandmother was correct. Finally, I can’t think of an ending I’ve ever hated more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2019
Christopher, the husband, has to be one of the dumbest persons on the planet.
A typical evil child wrecking havoc in a home. Although Janie was bad, it's Christopher I wanted to slap. Enough said.
A typical evil child wrecking havoc in a home. Although Janie was bad, it's Christopher I wanted to slap. Enough said.
May 31, 2019
Okay I have been thinking about this book for the past 24 hours as what I am going to write well here it goes it was one disturbing read which I am not sure if I liked it or not. I had a few issues with it, first of Christopher got under my skin how could a Orthopaedic surgeon be so gullible, knowing true well what Janie was like even though he thought she was the apple of his eye could not do anything wrong... yeah right.... Piper Goldstein was Janie's social worker she did all that she could to help Hannah & Christopher through Janie's adoption but even she fell short, I did Feel for Hannah she was with her all the time & in the end she had a complete meltdown coping with a new baby & Janie she was a complete mess.
You thought Damian from The Omen was Bad but Janie makes him look like an angel There is a lot of descriptive child abuse in this was very dark & disturbing I could not stop turning those pages .
TRIGGER WARNING
There is animal abuse written in this novel which horrified me as I am an animal lover & spousal abuse as well am not going to read the follow up to this as its just to dark & in your face. Now to the ending it left me with nothing hence the 4 stars it just left me empty after all I had read it just wasn't fulfilling for me I wanted a definite ending not just one that left you hanging. Oh yeah there are so vulgar, dirty dialogue to do with Janie made me quite ill.
You thought Damian from The Omen was Bad but Janie makes him look like an angel There is a lot of descriptive child abuse in this was very dark & disturbing I could not stop turning those pages .
TRIGGER WARNING
There is animal abuse written in this novel which horrified me as I am an animal lover & spousal abuse as well am not going to read the follow up to this as its just to dark & in your face. Now to the ending it left me with nothing hence the 4 stars it just left me empty after all I had read it just wasn't fulfilling for me I wanted a definite ending not just one that left you hanging. Oh yeah there are so vulgar, dirty dialogue to do with Janie made me quite ill.
March 16, 2019
Jesus, What I’ve just read?!?! This book is very disturbing but I couldn’t put it down. My emotions where all over the place because I didn’t know who should I feel sorry for more. I guess all of them :(
It is a story of the couple Dr Christopher Bauer and his wife Hannah, who adopted an abused by her real mom child, Jenie. I think they underestimated how hard it is to foster traumatized child.
Lucinda Berry is a trauma psychologist and she uses her clinical experience to create psychological thrillers. I have to read more of her books in the future.
It is a story of the couple Dr Christopher Bauer and his wife Hannah, who adopted an abused by her real mom child, Jenie. I think they underestimated how hard it is to foster traumatized child.
Lucinda Berry is a trauma psychologist and she uses her clinical experience to create psychological thrillers. I have to read more of her books in the future.
May 10, 2024
i could feel my uterus and ovaries shrinking while reading this book
February 25, 2020
What a mess. This is the direct to video version of Baby Teeth
We may have a new winner for my least favorite character ever! Which is sadly the only superlative I can award this pile of manure.
This was bad. Like, shockingly bad. And I had seen exactly ZERO negative reviews for this before I started it. And with an average of 4.1, of course I thought I was heading into something good.
I have no idea where to even start.
*The clunky characterization.
*Zero differentiation no matter which character POV we had.
*Completely implausible and illegal behavior from grown professionals, which is treated by everyone around them as if it's completely normal.
*Literally some of the dumbest choices I've ever seen characters make.
*A frankly harmful and played out stereotype forefront in the story and handled carelessly.
*Some of the most predictable shit I've ever read.
*Characters who are constantly saying and doing things that no human being would reasonably do.
*The ending is like the author got bored writing, set it down to take a break, then never finished.
I could go into detail about each and every one of these points, and may do so at some point in the future, but honestly my brain can't handle reprocessing the stupidity right now.
We may have a new winner for my least favorite character ever! Which is sadly the only superlative I can award this pile of manure.
This was bad. Like, shockingly bad. And I had seen exactly ZERO negative reviews for this before I started it. And with an average of 4.1, of course I thought I was heading into something good.
I have no idea where to even start.
*The clunky characterization.
*Zero differentiation no matter which character POV we had.
*Completely implausible and illegal behavior from grown professionals, which is treated by everyone around them as if it's completely normal.
*Literally some of the dumbest choices I've ever seen characters make.
*A frankly harmful and played out stereotype forefront in the story and handled carelessly.
*Some of the most predictable shit I've ever read.
*Characters who are constantly saying and doing things that no human being would reasonably do.
*The ending is like the author got bored writing, set it down to take a break, then never finished.
I could go into detail about each and every one of these points, and may do so at some point in the future, but honestly my brain can't handle reprocessing the stupidity right now.
February 4, 2025
★4 stars
H
O
L
Y
💩
!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is BY FAR one of the more disturbing thrillers I’ve read (there are probs worse ones out there but I tend to avoid those like the plague). I don’t remember the last time I full-out gasped to the extent that the next state over likely heard me, but Lucinda knows how to get a reaction! I find it difficult to give words to my emotions towards “the perfect child” in the story, but Christopher??? 🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️
It took me a while to feel fully grasped in the story, but once things hit the fan they didn’t stop, and neither did my new Kindle page-clicker ✨ The slower start + THAT ENDING (????) brought this down a star in my rating. This gave elements of The Push and v mildly like the movie Orphan (lol @ me trying to make this reference even though I’ve never seen the movie and refuse to do so), so if that interests you at all, I HIGHLY recommend this thriller.
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
The way Laura just told me to read this and I was already diving in 🤣 Thrillers centered around little children will never not be creepy to me *shivers* 😵💫
H
O
L
Y
💩
!!!!!!!!!!!!
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ (She’s a two-parter: one for my response after finishing, and two for the overwhelming amount of fecal matter in the book 😅)
This is BY FAR one of the more disturbing thrillers I’ve read (there are probs worse ones out there but I tend to avoid those like the plague). I don’t remember the last time I full-out gasped to the extent that the next state over likely heard me, but Lucinda knows how to get a reaction! I find it difficult to give words to my emotions towards “the perfect child” in the story, but Christopher??? 🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️
It took me a while to feel fully grasped in the story, but once things hit the fan they didn’t stop, and neither did my new Kindle page-clicker ✨ The slower start + THAT ENDING (????) brought this down a star in my rating. This gave elements of The Push and v mildly like the movie Orphan (lol @ me trying to make this reference even though I’ve never seen the movie and refuse to do so), so if that interests you at all, I HIGHLY recommend this thriller.
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
The way Laura just told me to read this and I was already diving in 🤣 Thrillers centered around little children will never not be creepy to me *shivers* 😵💫
March 26, 2019
Audiobook.....
.....narrated by Christine Williams Erin Bennett, Dan John Miller
The three voice narrators kept me interested - really hooked!!!
One reviewer compared this to ‘Baby Teeth’. Both books deal with a mentally troubled child....
But where ‘Baby Teeth’ was fiction nonsense — in which several of my friends who are child therapists agree.... ( Baby Teeth being way out in left field - one which few therapists vouch it’s realistic qualities-in which a young child expresses she wants daddy to kill mommy while watching them have sex)....
“The Perfect Child” ‘was’ written by a child-trauma- therapist. I thought it was very plausible- from beginning to end. The child’s behavior ‘was’ disturbing but more realistic ( she had been severely abused by her birth mother), making us have tons of empathy as to just how hard every single day is for everyone: The child, and new adoptive parents.
“The Perfect Child”, is more than a disturbing story… its an ongoing chronic nightmare of a story.....
but also FASCINATING!!!!
The ending was weak -
but the rest of it had me curious as to what’s the solution? How does a couple raise - help- and support a severely emotionally disturbed child? How does a child who has been soooo traumatize, heal? How much can you expect from
loving responsible adults?
The child in this story - Janie- had unpredictable and unbearable tantrums. She finger painted with her own poop, broke toys, killed an animal, was manipulative, controlling, hurt other children, and had extreme attachment displacement disorder.
Her new adoptive parents were willing to do everything possible to rehabilitate the child...
With every type of therapy imaginable and their undivided loving attention.
But Janie made it extremely difficult to succeed.
Anyone who has worked with children.... social workers, teachers, pediatric medical doctors, nurses, parents, foster care parents, or have adopted a child..... might consider reading this book.
(I suggest the Audiobook)...
Much respect for author Lucinda Berry...
She knows what she’s doing!!!
Terrific psychological character study... of all the main characters.
.....narrated by Christine Williams Erin Bennett, Dan John Miller
The three voice narrators kept me interested - really hooked!!!
One reviewer compared this to ‘Baby Teeth’. Both books deal with a mentally troubled child....
But where ‘Baby Teeth’ was fiction nonsense — in which several of my friends who are child therapists agree.... ( Baby Teeth being way out in left field - one which few therapists vouch it’s realistic qualities-in which a young child expresses she wants daddy to kill mommy while watching them have sex)....
“The Perfect Child” ‘was’ written by a child-trauma- therapist. I thought it was very plausible- from beginning to end. The child’s behavior ‘was’ disturbing but more realistic ( she had been severely abused by her birth mother), making us have tons of empathy as to just how hard every single day is for everyone: The child, and new adoptive parents.
“The Perfect Child”, is more than a disturbing story… its an ongoing chronic nightmare of a story.....
but also FASCINATING!!!!
The ending was weak -
but the rest of it had me curious as to what’s the solution? How does a couple raise - help- and support a severely emotionally disturbed child? How does a child who has been soooo traumatize, heal? How much can you expect from
loving responsible adults?
The child in this story - Janie- had unpredictable and unbearable tantrums. She finger painted with her own poop, broke toys, killed an animal, was manipulative, controlling, hurt other children, and had extreme attachment displacement disorder.
Her new adoptive parents were willing to do everything possible to rehabilitate the child...
With every type of therapy imaginable and their undivided loving attention.
But Janie made it extremely difficult to succeed.
Anyone who has worked with children.... social workers, teachers, pediatric medical doctors, nurses, parents, foster care parents, or have adopted a child..... might consider reading this book.
(I suggest the Audiobook)...
Much respect for author Lucinda Berry...
She knows what she’s doing!!!
Terrific psychological character study... of all the main characters.
October 2, 2025
Hannah Bauer is a nurse, and her husband, Christopher, is an orthopaedic surgeon. They both work at the same hospital. Hannah has struggled to fall pregnant, and so she and Chris are hoping to adopt.
Whilst on a night shift, a young child gets brought in who has been found in a parking lot badly abused and starving. The child turns out to be called Janie, and despite initially being thought to be a toddler, she is 6 years old.
Christopher performs surgery on Janie, and he becomes fond of her whilst she is in his care. This leads to him wanting to foster her. Hannah, however, has reservations due to some of Janie's behavioural problems.
Hannah and Christopher think they are doing a good deed giving a home to a problem child, but it pretty much ruins their lives. Janie's years of abuse manifest into a creepy, manipulative, sociopathic child. Or, as hinted, it could be that she was just born evil. When Hannah gets pregnant out of the blue, their lives start to spiral out of control.
Christopher was so deep in denial his actions bordered on the absurd; he was constantly enabling Janie's horrific behaviour, sometimes at the expense of Hannah. Eventually this leads to disastrous consequences for others too. When you look at the story in its entirety, you realise he was the architect of everything that eventually went wrong. He was the one that could have put a stop to the situation at any time, but he didn't until it was too late.
This is told in a multi-person point of view, switching from Hannah, Christopher and Janie's social worker Piper Goldstein. Also be warned there are references to child abuse and animal cruelty/death. There is also an incident of domestic abuse.
The writing was ok but did get repetitive. The plot was all over the place in parts, and the way some of the characters dealt with situations didn't make much sense, which led to it all feeling a bit contrived. It had elements that were good, but it was just badly executed. There wasn't really any ending; the story just, well... stopped.
Whilst on a night shift, a young child gets brought in who has been found in a parking lot badly abused and starving. The child turns out to be called Janie, and despite initially being thought to be a toddler, she is 6 years old.
Christopher performs surgery on Janie, and he becomes fond of her whilst she is in his care. This leads to him wanting to foster her. Hannah, however, has reservations due to some of Janie's behavioural problems.
Hannah and Christopher think they are doing a good deed giving a home to a problem child, but it pretty much ruins their lives. Janie's years of abuse manifest into a creepy, manipulative, sociopathic child. Or, as hinted, it could be that she was just born evil. When Hannah gets pregnant out of the blue, their lives start to spiral out of control.
Christopher was so deep in denial his actions bordered on the absurd; he was constantly enabling Janie's horrific behaviour, sometimes at the expense of Hannah. Eventually this leads to disastrous consequences for others too. When you look at the story in its entirety, you realise he was the architect of everything that eventually went wrong. He was the one that could have put a stop to the situation at any time, but he didn't until it was too late.
This is told in a multi-person point of view, switching from Hannah, Christopher and Janie's social worker Piper Goldstein. Also be warned there are references to child abuse and animal cruelty/death. There is also an incident of domestic abuse.
The writing was ok but did get repetitive. The plot was all over the place in parts, and the way some of the characters dealt with situations didn't make much sense, which led to it all feeling a bit contrived. It had elements that were good, but it was just badly executed. There wasn't really any ending; the story just, well... stopped.
May 12, 2019
5 Disturbing Stars!!
This book will stay with me for a very long time. It was a disturbing and horrifying read but also it was so painfully real that it made my hair stand up on my arms at times. It is definitely not an easy read but oh so captivating and so hard to put down.
I admire any parent that decides to adopt or even foster a child, especially a child that has special needs, mental or physical. Christopher and Hanna lived through a spine-chilling nightmare, when they adopted Janie, an abused and mentally disturbed child. I felt for Hanna and I wanted her to do well because all she wanted in life was a child, but what she got was a lot of pain and suffering instead. And Christopher...well...I just wanted to smack him over the head!! Even though he was trying to do the right thing by Janie and he loved her unconditionally, like every parent should love his/her child, he was just not making the right decisions for Janie and for his family. I was really frustrated and angry when reading this book but I was also rooting for all of the characters, and I felt sorry for all of them. It was just a bad situation for everyone involved.
This book is a truly captivating, heart-wrenching, and spine-chilling read. It also has some triggers, like child abuse, animal abuse, psychological abuse, so anyone that has a problem with these topics should probably stay clear from this book.
This book will stay with me for a very long time. It was a disturbing and horrifying read but also it was so painfully real that it made my hair stand up on my arms at times. It is definitely not an easy read but oh so captivating and so hard to put down.
I admire any parent that decides to adopt or even foster a child, especially a child that has special needs, mental or physical. Christopher and Hanna lived through a spine-chilling nightmare, when they adopted Janie, an abused and mentally disturbed child. I felt for Hanna and I wanted her to do well because all she wanted in life was a child, but what she got was a lot of pain and suffering instead. And Christopher...well...I just wanted to smack him over the head!! Even though he was trying to do the right thing by Janie and he loved her unconditionally, like every parent should love his/her child, he was just not making the right decisions for Janie and for his family. I was really frustrated and angry when reading this book but I was also rooting for all of the characters, and I felt sorry for all of them. It was just a bad situation for everyone involved.
This book is a truly captivating, heart-wrenching, and spine-chilling read. It also has some triggers, like child abuse, animal abuse, psychological abuse, so anyone that has a problem with these topics should probably stay clear from this book.
July 7, 2022
This was such a tough one. So unsettling, disturbing, and just plain sad. I wouldn’t call this a thriller at all. It’s fiction obviously but the fact that this could happen IRL just makes my skin crawl to even think about. Not for the faint of heart, and definitely nowhere near a happy ending, but for sure one I’ll be thinking about for a bit.
November 6, 2024
Well - that was intensely unnerving 😂
I had the utmost fun eating these pages at lightning speed.
A dysfunctional family thriller of - well, everyone losing their marbles more and more, chapter by chapter.
The doctor/husband isn’t so smart, the nurse/wife isn’t so stable, and the daughter isn’t so child like 🤦♂️☠️
Ah yes, they all suffer miserably ever after.
A stupidly entertaining thriller of nothing but chaos.
Need more thrillers that have this type of effect 🤯
I had the utmost fun eating these pages at lightning speed.
A dysfunctional family thriller of - well, everyone losing their marbles more and more, chapter by chapter.
The doctor/husband isn’t so smart, the nurse/wife isn’t so stable, and the daughter isn’t so child like 🤦♂️☠️
Ah yes, they all suffer miserably ever after.
A stupidly entertaining thriller of nothing but chaos.
Need more thrillers that have this type of effect 🤯
July 7, 2023
4.5* What a disturbing book! I have seen this in all the bookstores and online without reading what it is about..plus, it is free from Amazon Unlimited... so why not? The book is emotionally disturbing and not easy to read, but the spine tingling suspense kept me glued to the audio in hopes it would end well. I'm not going to give that away, but foster care is not for everyone. Animal and child abuse are trigger warnings and not lightly mentioned. The author's writing is impeccable.
January 26, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️
- This book felt SO REAL!! I feel like it almost felt like it could have been a true story because so many it was written in a way that made you feel like it has already happened before. I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next!
- The main characters in this book were so silly!! I kept thinking “are you both actually married?!” because they didn’t trust each other AT ALL. Maybe the situation they were in would make you act that way, but it felt a bit of a stretch.
- This author will forever be an auto buy author for me because her storylines are so unique! I loved this one and would definitely recommend!
- This book felt SO REAL!! I feel like it almost felt like it could have been a true story because so many it was written in a way that made you feel like it has already happened before. I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next!
- The main characters in this book were so silly!! I kept thinking “are you both actually married?!” because they didn’t trust each other AT ALL. Maybe the situation they were in would make you act that way, but it felt a bit of a stretch.
- This author will forever be an auto buy author for me because her storylines are so unique! I loved this one and would definitely recommend!
August 6, 2019
1.5 stars. Alright here we go, time for another unpopular opinion (given this book's average rating).
Never in my life have I been more conflicted about a book and it's rating - and I'm not normally a person that sits on the fence about anything.
My 1 or 1.5 star reviews are reserved for a very small number of books. I give these sort of rating to books that provoked a strong negative reaction or have actively offended me in some way. This book falls under the "utterly enraging" category; but the reason for my conflict is because for most of the book I thought the fact that the extreme reactions it provoked were a sign of excellent characterization and storytelling. While I do still believe that this is the point - that the actions and thought processes or certain persons were meant to instigate frustration from the reader - I do believe that it was taken too far.
Now, obviously it would be much easier for me to go on a rant if I pointed out specific things that caused me to become so enraged. I won't go into major spoilers (at least not in my opinion), but if you'd prefer not to know anything about the plot of this book then I suggest that you leave now.
Right. Here we go.
The story starts off with a disturbing case of severe child abuse and neglect when a young child (Janie) is found abandoned in a parking lot. We follow the perspectives of Christopher, her orthopaedic surgeon, his wife Hannah and a social worker who is being interviewed by the police some time in the future. Christopher is immediately enamoured with Janie, and she with him, and insists that he and his wife become her emergency foster parents. Later, after some half-hearted attempts to find another permanent family, he decides that he wants to adopt Janie - despite her having already exhibited some disturbing behaviours.
Firstly, the very idea of parents that have never fostered a child and have absolutely no experience with any children (let alone severely traumatized and abused ones) taking on a case so extreme is completely ridiculous to me. I honestly believe that the mother, Hannah, never wanted such responsibility and only went along with it because Christopher manipulated her, and she felt guilty for never giving him a child of his own. He literally went behind her back to ask the social worker if they could adopt the child without even having a serious conversation with his wife. Christopher is the main source of my unbridled fury, but we'll get to that in just a moment.
They are of course given a chance to back out of the adoption, as once the papers have gone through the adoption is permanent and they are legally responsible for Janie as if she is their own child. They both happily go through with the adoption and actually celebrate when they have. What I could never ever understand is why.
I am not exaggerating when I say Janie is the child from hell. She is the spawn of Satan. But not to Christopher. Oh no. She is an angel; the apple of his eye and he puts her before anything and anyone else in the world.
Oh Christopher. Where do I even begin.
He continuously makes excuses for Janie and her malicious behaviour and frequently tells Hannah that she’s overreacting. According to Christopher, a 6 year old is not capable of manipulation and deliberately hostile behaviour. Christopher sees that his wife is struggling to cope with Janie and does absolutely nothing about it. He has no sympathy for the way that Janie treats Hannah and always seems to take Janie’s side over that of his wife. His wife that thought that adopting Janie would be giving up her chances of ever having her own child, but she does it anyway to make him happy.
Christopher puts EVERYONE in danger by allowing the demon child to stay with them and members of their family. He sees these giant red flags and think “oh well never mind she’s just a child that’s acting out, she’s a sweet and loving child really”.
Let me give you some examples of the depth of his denial and stupidity. After Hannah finds out that she’s pregnant, (which by the way Christopher thinks is just a huge inconvenience), Janie starts acting out yet again. Her “friend” has been coming home with mysterious bruises on her arm, to which Janie admits that she pinches her just to see her cry. What happens then? She pushes her “friend” off the slide and breaks her arm. What do these geniuses decide to do for her then? THEY GET HER A KITTEN. You can probably guess what happens to this kitten.
The thing that makes me so angry, is when people make distinctions between hurting or killing animals and hurting and killing people. Let me give you some quotes from Christopher after the incidents with the kitten:
“Killing an animal was one thing. Killing people was another – sociopathic.”
If you kill or hurt an animal you are JUST AS MUCH OF A SOCIOPATH.
Christopher: “We knew she would have problems. We signed up for this.”
Hannah: “Problems, you call these problem? She’s a killer!”
Christopher: “She hurt and animal because she was mad at you. There’s a big difference.
DOES THE FACT THAT SHE MURDERED IT BECAUSE SHE WAS MAD AT HANNAH MAKE IT SOMEHOW BETTER?!
Anyone with a shred of empathy or conscious wouldn’t dream of hurting an animal. I hate it when people make excuses for someone that’s literally hurt and killed another living creature. Absolutely unacceptable.
I believe Janie tells Christopher why she hurts things. Because she likes hurting things. How Christopher can ignore this is completely BEYOND ME. It is unbelievable, unrealistic and utterly infuriating. He puts the needs and feelings of this demon child above his own biological child, the sanity of his wife and the safety of his other immediate family members. WHY?!?!
Oh and (major spoiler ahead) I know. Shocking right?! BUT CHILDREN ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING SOCIOPATHS RIGHT?!?!
I've been ranting for quite a while, I think my energy is now spent. I can't remember the last time a book filled me with this much rage. That "child" is the living embodiment of evil but I almost hated Christopher more. .
Now let's talk about the ending, because what ending?? It almost seemed like the last few chapters were just cut off or the author just got bored and decided to stop. It doesn't even feel like a deliberate cliffhanger, it just feels lazy. Such a slap in the face. When I was sitting on the fence about my rating for this book, I think the "ending" has now sealed its fate.
Do I have any final thoughts? I don't know. I won't waste my time with wrapping up this review properly, the author didn't bother so why should I?
Never in my life have I been more conflicted about a book and it's rating - and I'm not normally a person that sits on the fence about anything.
My 1 or 1.5 star reviews are reserved for a very small number of books. I give these sort of rating to books that provoked a strong negative reaction or have actively offended me in some way. This book falls under the "utterly enraging" category; but the reason for my conflict is because for most of the book I thought the fact that the extreme reactions it provoked were a sign of excellent characterization and storytelling. While I do still believe that this is the point - that the actions and thought processes or certain persons were meant to instigate frustration from the reader - I do believe that it was taken too far.
Now, obviously it would be much easier for me to go on a rant if I pointed out specific things that caused me to become so enraged. I won't go into major spoilers (at least not in my opinion), but if you'd prefer not to know anything about the plot of this book then I suggest that you leave now.
Right. Here we go.
The story starts off with a disturbing case of severe child abuse and neglect when a young child (Janie) is found abandoned in a parking lot. We follow the perspectives of Christopher, her orthopaedic surgeon, his wife Hannah and a social worker who is being interviewed by the police some time in the future. Christopher is immediately enamoured with Janie, and she with him, and insists that he and his wife become her emergency foster parents. Later, after some half-hearted attempts to find another permanent family, he decides that he wants to adopt Janie - despite her having already exhibited some disturbing behaviours.
Firstly, the very idea of parents that have never fostered a child and have absolutely no experience with any children (let alone severely traumatized and abused ones) taking on a case so extreme is completely ridiculous to me. I honestly believe that the mother, Hannah, never wanted such responsibility and only went along with it because Christopher manipulated her, and she felt guilty for never giving him a child of his own. He literally went behind her back to ask the social worker if they could adopt the child without even having a serious conversation with his wife. Christopher is the main source of my unbridled fury, but we'll get to that in just a moment.
They are of course given a chance to back out of the adoption, as once the papers have gone through the adoption is permanent and they are legally responsible for Janie as if she is their own child. They both happily go through with the adoption and actually celebrate when they have. What I could never ever understand is why.
I am not exaggerating when I say Janie is the child from hell. She is the spawn of Satan. But not to Christopher. Oh no. She is an angel; the apple of his eye and he puts her before anything and anyone else in the world.
Oh Christopher. Where do I even begin.
He continuously makes excuses for Janie and her malicious behaviour and frequently tells Hannah that she’s overreacting. According to Christopher, a 6 year old is not capable of manipulation and deliberately hostile behaviour. Christopher sees that his wife is struggling to cope with Janie and does absolutely nothing about it. He has no sympathy for the way that Janie treats Hannah and always seems to take Janie’s side over that of his wife. His wife that thought that adopting Janie would be giving up her chances of ever having her own child, but she does it anyway to make him happy.
Christopher puts EVERYONE in danger by allowing the demon child to stay with them and members of their family. He sees these giant red flags and think “oh well never mind she’s just a child that’s acting out, she’s a sweet and loving child really”.
Let me give you some examples of the depth of his denial and stupidity. After Hannah finds out that she’s pregnant, (which by the way Christopher thinks is just a huge inconvenience), Janie starts acting out yet again. Her “friend” has been coming home with mysterious bruises on her arm, to which Janie admits that she pinches her just to see her cry. What happens then? She pushes her “friend” off the slide and breaks her arm. What do these geniuses decide to do for her then? THEY GET HER A KITTEN. You can probably guess what happens to this kitten.
The thing that makes me so angry, is when people make distinctions between hurting or killing animals and hurting and killing people. Let me give you some quotes from Christopher after the incidents with the kitten:
“Killing an animal was one thing. Killing people was another – sociopathic.”
If you kill or hurt an animal you are JUST AS MUCH OF A SOCIOPATH.
Christopher: “We knew she would have problems. We signed up for this.”
Hannah: “Problems, you call these problem? She’s a killer!”
Christopher: “She hurt and animal because she was mad at you. There’s a big difference.
DOES THE FACT THAT SHE MURDERED IT BECAUSE SHE WAS MAD AT HANNAH MAKE IT SOMEHOW BETTER?!
Anyone with a shred of empathy or conscious wouldn’t dream of hurting an animal. I hate it when people make excuses for someone that’s literally hurt and killed another living creature. Absolutely unacceptable.
I believe Janie tells Christopher why she hurts things. Because she likes hurting things. How Christopher can ignore this is completely BEYOND ME. It is unbelievable, unrealistic and utterly infuriating. He puts the needs and feelings of this demon child above his own biological child, the sanity of his wife and the safety of his other immediate family members. WHY?!?!
Oh and (major spoiler ahead) I know. Shocking right?! BUT CHILDREN ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING SOCIOPATHS RIGHT?!?!
I've been ranting for quite a while, I think my energy is now spent. I can't remember the last time a book filled me with this much rage. That "child" is the living embodiment of evil but I almost hated Christopher more. .
Now let's talk about the ending, because what ending?? It almost seemed like the last few chapters were just cut off or the author just got bored and decided to stop. It doesn't even feel like a deliberate cliffhanger, it just feels lazy. Such a slap in the face. When I was sitting on the fence about my rating for this book, I think the "ending" has now sealed its fate.
Do I have any final thoughts? I don't know. I won't waste my time with wrapping up this review properly, the author didn't bother so why should I?
February 20, 2019
Man, this book really had an impact. On the plus side, it was gripping in a kind of "can't-turn-your-head-away-from-the-scene-of-an-accident" kind of way. I mean, I was really caught up...couldn't wait to find time to read and find out what's going to happen next, how's this going to turn out. The characters, although bordering on too stupid to live, engaged me and I cared about them. The demon child was the most evil kid I've ever seen, worse than THE BAD SEED. But then....that ending. Seriously? You're gonna engage me deeply and then leave me a la coitus interruptus? NOTHING resolved. Abrupt, like you just decided to quit. And then I read there's a sequel so maybe your cliffhanger is manipulative, trying to get me to buy the sequel. Not happening. It's a shame because this was my first read from this author and I liked her well enough to read all her other stuff. Now I don't know. The ending was so awful that it's completely put me off.... Sorry, Ms. Perry.
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