✦ BLURB ✦
“I’m Flawed. But I’m a survivor. And I’m not about to give up.”
Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed, her life has fractured completely.
Since Judge Crevan declared Celestine the number-one threat to the public, she has been on the run with the complicated Carrick, the only person she can trust.
But Celestine has a secret—one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. Now she must make a choice: save only herself, or risk her life to save all the Flawed…
✶ PRE-READING ✶
This is the second book in the duology. I read Flawed when it first came out but never got around to Perfect, so I was curious to see how it all wrapped up. Flawed and Perfect came out during that post-Hunger Games wave of dystopian YA where teen girls take down corrupt systems while often being torn between two love interests. I’ll be watching for those familiar tropes. Since Cecelia Ahern is better known for her adult romance novels, I was also curious to see how her style translated into this genre.
✶ POST-READING ✶
As I thought, I enjoyed the story and Celestine’s arc, but the worldbuilding still didn’t go as deep as it could have. That said, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment - it’s more a case of “don’t think too hard” and let the pacing carry you.
It surprised me by how many little throwaway moments from Flawed turned out to be important in Perfect. Either Ahern had an excellent long game planned from the start, or she found clever ways to weave earlier details back into the ending. Either way, it was very satisfying to read.
The love triangle resolution didn’t shock me, but this time around the characters actually had conversations, which helped make the choice feel more earned. Overall, it’s a solid read and a strong example of that very specific era of teen dystopian fiction - quick, earnest, and high-stakes.
✦ RECOMMENDATIONS ✦
Book Recommendation: If you liked Perfect, try Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Tally and Celestine share that push-pull between conformity and rebellion, and both stories ask what it really means to be flawed.
TV or Movie Recommendation: Check out The 100 (early seasons). It's another YA-adapted dystopia where a teenage girl has to lead under pressure, often with imperfect information and impossible choices.
✧ VIBE CHECK ✧
Mood: Fierce, frayed, but fuelled by conviction. Like sprinting through fog with your heart in your throat.
Soundtrack: Pulsing synths with emotional build - think "Leave a Trace" by CHVRCHES or "Warrior" by Aurora.
★ TAROT CARD PULLED ★
Strength (Transient Light Tarot). Celestine has fierce inner resolve, but her power comes just as much from gentleness - her ability to connect with people, build alliances, and stay true to her sense of right and wrong even when everything is against her.
Perfect publishes on the 8th of May, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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