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A Place Called Perfect

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A Place Called Perfect Reviews | Toppsta

Book Rating: 5 based on 19
19 Reviews
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They've got their eyes on you: a quirky, creepy and unforgettable adventure, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton. Violet hates living in Perfect. Why does everyone have to wear special glasses to stop them going blind? What are the strange noises in the night and why is Mum acting so weird? Then Dad disappears and Violet is determined to uncover the truth with the help of the mysterious Boy. But returning normality to Perfect is a battle they never imagined... Illustrations:Black and white text throughout

A Place Called Perfect Reviews | Toppsta

9781474924160

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9th October '18
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
The town of Perfect is a place where the residence have to wear glasses or risk getting blind. Violet moves to the town due to her dads job and soon realises there is something very weird going on in the town of Perfect and the adults are too blind to see it. Will Violet and the Invisible Boy be duped by the villainous brothers who rule over Perfect or will they be able to successfully save the town folk as well as her family? For me, this book had a very strong Tim Burton/Neil Gaiman-esque feel to it. It is quirky, creepy, adventurous and unforgettable in equal measures. Full of twists and turns, action and mystery, it is a must read. Highly recommended 5⭐️ read
26th April '18
MiaT read it themselves aged 10 aged 10
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
I was give back this book for my birthday. I loved it and found it hard to put down. My favourite character is Violet because she’s adventurous. She started off quite scared and timid but as the story developed she became brave and ready for most challenges. 
I can’t wait for the next book in the series. 
23rd August '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
Wow! Wow! Wow! This book is so good! I was very pleased when I won a copy to review as I had seen it in many bookshops and wanted to know whether it would be good for my year 6 class, and having read it in 3 days, ( I just couldn't put it down), I can safely say it's perfect for any boys or girls aged 9+.  The main character, Violet, moves to a town called Perfect, but it's certainly not all as it seems.  A boy called Boy tries to befriend her, but why can she only hear him? Why can her mother and father not see him? Why are the glasses and special tea so important at home and school? Where has her father disappeared to? Why is her mother baking she never has before? Why is everything changing so quickly....but most importantly why has she gone blind after one day of living in Perfect? 
This is a very well written story,  lots of plots twists, and it kept my interest all the way through.  The ending hints at a sequel, and I've got my fingers firmly crossed that there will be one! Highly recommend! 
29th November '17
I read it myself aged 10 aged 10
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
This creepy but compelling story tells of a girl called Violet who moves to a town called Perfect. But this perfect town is not quite as it seems:Violet starts turning blind, her mother stars acting strangly and the Archer brothers have seemingly kidnapped her dad! Then she is suddenly catapulted into a creepy mystery, discovers curios plants and finally realises what's going on...

I ploughed through this book, it kept me on my toes and was a definite page-turner. There was adventure, mystery and excitement all in one:my favourite type of book! It is highly recommended by me to children aged 9+
27th February '18
Blacklion read it themselves aged 11 aged 11
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
This book is amazing! It is the most unique book I’ve ever read, and it seems to always leave you on a cliffhanger. The plot was incredibly inventive and I would not hesitate to read it again and recommend it to others of my age. 
4th October '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
When Violet is made to move to a new town called Perfect, is everything really as perfect as people say? Everyone sees life through rose-tinted glasses and lacks any individuality, but why? A mystery to be solved by 2 children, which is nice, and a true good versus bad story.
 
I like that the plot runs throughout, constantly added new snippets of information right til the end.

There's a hint of another Violet and Boy story, which I look forward to reading.
17th July '18
I read it myself (an adult) & to Year 6 readers aged 10 to 11
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
This is such a fantastic book! It has a quirky premise; a family move to a seemingly perfect town that has a problem in that the residents become blind if they live there. The story immediately adds intrigue and is so thought provoking; the 'perfect' values contrasted with 'No-man's Land' really cry out for discussion! Read it!
23rd October '18
bookworm2007 read it themselves aged 11 aged 11
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
I read this book at it was flabbergasting. It is about a girl named Violet who lives in this perfect town called perfect. Ever since she moved Boiler hasn't liked perfect. She is about to find out why. Do you want to. Well come on in
20th August '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
Violet Brown's father is offered an attractive new job and the family moves to a town called Perfect. The girl doesn't like the idea of abandoning her old town and friends and living in the new place but she has no choice as children should be seen and not heard.
Once she gets there she notices that there is something wrong about the town - everything seems to be perfect: people, houses and streets. Soon Violet is getting into trouble at school, her dad has mysteriously disappeared and her mum behaves perfectly strange.
Violet meets a new friend called Boy who seems to understand Violet and they both decide to find out whats really happening in Perfect town!

My favourite character is Violet. She doesn't feel the world need that many rules to be perfect. The thoughtlessness in following orders is inconceivable as much as heart-breaking. Locking up for being different is terrifying! Children seems to undestand the problem better than adults.

I highly reccomend this book! It's written with passion and beautiful imagination. I need to admin I haven't read such a captivating story for a while!
9th August '18
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
Really enjoyed this eerie story - perfect ingredients of adventure, mystery, friendship and a setting that put me in mind of Series of Unfortunate Events (one of my all time favourites). Would highly recommend to fans of Lemony Snicket and J K Rowling. I was very excited to discover that there is a sequel coming out this year - date is on the calendar!!
6th September '18
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
It is a n enchanting mystery novel with a 10 year old heroine.
This story is 'perfect' for those who like a mystery, especially those who like things to be 'not as they seem'.
A bit of craziness thrown in will suit anyone who loves a fantasy novel with challenging vocabulary!
28th August '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
I won this book for a friend's daughter but decided to read it myself first as I thought it might be too old for her and wanted to check the level it was pitched at. What an excellent read! A really engaging mystery adventure story that keeps you hooked! The only fault I have with it is that the cover of it makes it look a little 'girly'. My friend has both a son and a daughter and I am sure that both would enjoy the story but certain that the boy would be put off reading it by the 'flowers', teapots and the large picture of a doe-eyed little girl on the front. 

It does have some mild 'horror' aspects to it and has some violence in it, so be warned if this is not what you want your child to be reading.
19th July '18
Molls(:books read it themselves aged 10 aged 10
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
This breath taking teeth gritting story will get your attention ! Violet brown meets boy from no Mans land.can they join back the two towns to reunite the place <3. Violet has paired up with boy to give back the imaginations to all the no mans landers so read the book
5th November '18
Westy10 read it themselves aged 13 aged 13
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
I loved this book! 
It was a captivating read , and everything links together so well ! The characters are finely crafted and together with the story telling , which is fast-paced and interesting , it bonds for a great read . It's fantasy story , but not as you've read before ! The mystery , the intrigue even at the start , whets your appetite persistently . I just wanted to know more ,and the ideas are genius ! There are no illustrations , but a handy map of perfect is featured in the front , which helped me keep track of violet and her comrades . 

This book struck a chord with me , being different is Such a part of life for me , being locked away because of my imagination would be terrifying ! Terrifying also was the eye plants , the horror ! I really hope that idea is explored in another book ! Yes , maybe because of this it's not for younger readers , but it's still a great book regardless
21st August '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
5 stars
Violet Brown's father is offered an attractive new job and the family moves to a town called Perfect. The girl doesn't like the idea of abandoning her old town and friends and living in the new place but she has no choice as children should be seen and not heard.
Once she gets there she notices that there is something wrong about the town - everything seems to be perfect: people, houses and streets. Soon Violet is getting into trouble at school, her dad has mysteriously disappeared and her mum behaves perfectly strange.
Violet meets a new friend called Boy who seems to understand Violet and they both decide to find out whats really happening in Perfect town!

My favourite character is Violet. She doesn't feel the world need that many rules to be perfect. The thoughtlessness in following orders is inconceivable as much as heart-breaking. Locking up for being different is terrifying! Children seems to undestand the problem better than adults.

I highly reccomend this book! It's written with passion and beautiful imagination. I need to admin I haven't read such a captivating story for a while!
21st September '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
4 stars
Kind of a cross between The Stepford Wives and a Gaiman-esque fantasy, A Place Called Perfect is a quirky and imaginative tale aimed at readers aged 9+. The story is creepy but compelling and follows the exploits of Violet who moves to Perfect and soon discovers that all is not what it seems. Short, snappy chapters help to keep the pace moving and although aimed at younger readers, this would also appeal to older children/adults who enjoy fairy tale/fantasy based stories. Highly recommended.
17th March '18
AmyB read it themselves aged 9 aged 9
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
4 stars
It started off slow but then got really exciting. There is a mystery to solve and there are some really gross bits!
8th September '17
THorner read it themselves aged 10 aged 10
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
4 stars
The concept of this book was really interesting and I really enjoyed reading it until about half way through but this was let down a little by the ending which felt quite quite rushed and formulaic. The characterisation of Boy was also really good and I felt I would like to see him again in another book. Violet's character however was less engaging, a little bit flat and I felt her story was told completely within this book.
26th August '17
I read it myself (an adult)
A Place Called Perfect 9781474924160
4 stars
This was a very good book. After Violet moves to a seemingly perfect town called Perfect she instantly feels as if the town is not all as it seems. The Archers are instantly up to no good; her eyes start to go blind, there is a mysterious boy who keeps popping up out of nowhere, and not to mentions the sudden change in her parents. From her mother's sudden uptake in baking and household chores to her father's stressful position at work and later disappearance, Violet does not trust Perfect. Her school seems backwards, her supposed condition and the mysterious name William Archer keeps cropping up everywhere. Violet has to solve the mystery of Perfect, but at what cost? 
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About Helena Duggan

Helena Duggan is from Kilkenny, a medieval, haunted city in the south of Ireland, which was the inspiration for Perfect. She writes stories full of adventure because she gets bored really easily. She's also a graphic designer and illustrator. A Place Called Perfect was her first book....

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