User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I couldn’t agree more about the title of the book. The characters are definitely far from the perfect. They’re truly dislikable, insecure and problematic ones! You may not easily connect with any of them. And let’s not forget those inglorious bastards (at some parts they were even worse than Tarantino’s vicious Nazis!) call themselves husbands.
I wanted to start a slapping contest between Robert and Howard the candidates of the worst husband characters in the literature world. I think Howard was the most despicable and disgusting one. (impregnating with one of the woman, marrying with the other, cheating the woman you’re married, iyk! I don’t know if I should hate him more than the women who accepted his unfaithfulness or I scream at the women’s face to advise them have some self-respect.)
So we’re introduced to three main heroines: Eleanor: in love with her friend’s husband, seems like strong and smart but she isn’t!! She gets jealous of her friend Nancy because she got married Robert who she’s in love for a long time even though he didn’t remember the first time they’ve met and she accepted his absentmindedness. ( Oh girl, grow the hell up, wear better big girl pants and move on!)
Nancy is the most freaking one, batshit crazy and more dislikable character between three women. So I never cared about her situation.
And Mary was the most pathetic one, married with Howard who seems like soul mate of Harvey Weinstein, suffering from her own insecurities. I wanted to hold her from her shoulders and shake her till she gathers her wits and learn to show some respect to herself! R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ! ( When I read her parts, I keep on listening Aretha Franklin to cool my nerves down!)
As a result, after brutal death of one of the characters, all those layered, hidden secrets start to emerge and the intercepted lives of those women and two scumbag husbands turn into a whirlwind complex misery. Especially I liked the bomb the author threw on our laps in the middle of the book but you expect more after a big revelation and better, moving, surprising, twisting ending but unfortunately we never get that one because the story’s ending was so predictable.
Overall: I didn’t have problem about the progression or the pacing of the story. Even though I hate the guts of the story, it still picked my interest and I wanted to know its conclusion. But a better and mot so predictable ending would fit better for my needs. So I’m giving 2.5 stars and round them up to 3 and I’m getting out of here to find more gripping story with better characterization.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for sharing this ARC in exchange my honest review.
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Rating: really liked it
We can’t all be perfect...alas we are indeed Imperfect Women.Women are under so much pressure. To be the perfect mother, the perfect wife and have a perfectly successful career. With all these expectations one may lose themselves along the way.
This is another book that presents itself as a thriller but with profound messages hidden between the lines. It’s really all about life and expectations. The pressure that others put upon us as well as what we heap upon ourselves. Oh yes, we want it all. But is that truly an achievable goal? Is it even what we really want from our lives? Can we be joyful, content and satisfied without possessing the golden ticket?
Nancy Eleanor and Mary have been friends since University. When Nancy is killed her two best friends are left to discover the truth in what was happening in Nancy’s life, while also looking in the mirror and taking stock of their own.
I toggled back and forth between the written and audio versions of this book. Though the pace seems to crawl somewhat near the middle, it ended with a rock-solid message.
This is the second book I’ve read by Araminta Hall. And though
Our Kind Of Cruelty remains a favorite, I very much enjoyed this latest. I will definitely be watching for more from this author.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley Farrar Straus and Giroux for an ARC to read and review.
Rating: really liked it
Araminta Hall's latest novel is a dark and intense exploration of women's lives, marriage, love, loss and long term friendships that evolve over the years. Nancy Hennessy, Eleanor Robert, and Mary Smithson first met at university, meeting in fresher's week and instantly forging a friendship and love with each other that, despite their personality differences and different paths in the future, survives. That said, that doesn't mean that that their friendship is straightforward or that they are perfect, they are flawed and imperfect women, there is resentment, jealousies, rivalries, and betrayal. They lose their way, their ambitions and their identities, hampered by poor self esteem issues, and struggle with bringing up children, they love their children, no question, but being a mother and parent is not always what its cracked up to be.
There is debilitating post-natal depression, along with the tedium and stress of being a full time housewife and mother, exacerbated by men who leave a lot to be desired when it comes to being fathers and husbands. Narrated by each of the women, Eleanor is a single woman whose career in the charity sector has flourished, she has had a particularly close and involving relationship with the beautiful Nancy and her human rights lawyer husband, Robert. After meeting Nancy the night before, Eleanor rushes to Robert in the early hours of the morning, Nancy has not returned home and he is worried. Eleanor tells him Nancy had left her to meet David, her lover, someone she had been having an affair with for more than a year. Events take a darker turn when DS Daniel arrives to inform them that Nancy is dead, discovered murdered by a path next to the river in Hammersmith. The narrative shifts from the past and present, following the fallout of Nancy's death on all of them, revealing their interior lives, their thoughts, decisions and secrets as Eleanor and Mary find solace and support in each other.
Hall looks at marriage and the difficulties it can have evolving through time and the humdrum nature of everyday life where you can so easily stop seeing each other, sometimes never seeing each other until it is too late. Robert is devoted to and loves Nancy, but she struggles to live his version of their lives together, with him playing an insignificant role at home and in childcare. Howard, an academic, is married when he gets involved with Mary, and continues to have affairs throughout their marriage, contemptuous, controlling and disdainful of Mary as she brings up their 3 children without any help from him whatsoever. In a twisted story, we observe the evolution of friendship and love between the 3 women, recalibrated as they come to understand and accommodate their imperfections, particularly as it finally becomes clear what happened to Nancy.
I listened to the audio of this book as well, and the first thing I must say is that I wasn't bored by this at all. In fact, the complexity of the storytelling and the in depth characterisation made my appreciation for the book increase. Sometimes when you only listen to the audio you can miss stuff, but because I was familiar the book, I believe it enhanced my audio experience. The narrator, Helen Keeley was great, her characterisation was good with each character feeling distinct. The tone kept me hooked, despite knowing where it was all heading. Many thanks to Orion and Hachette Audio UK for an ARC.
Rating: really liked it
EXCERPT: 'Eleanor.'
She sat up because she hadn't even been aware of answering the phone and the night was still black and nothing made sense. Her head spun, and she dropped it forward to make it stop, which allowed other things to fall into place.
'Robert?'
'I'm sorry to wake you.'
'What time is it?'
'Just after four.'
'My God, has something happened?'
'No. well, I don't know. Nancy's not here. I must have fallen asleep when I was reading, because I've just woken up and she's not back. And her phone's going straight to voicemail.'
The streetlights were seeping in through the cracks in Eleanor's curtains, and she tried to focus on the strip of artificial light, as if it meant something.
'You don't know where she is, do you? I mean, she didn't by any chance come back to your place after dinner, did she?' His voice sounded like overstretched elastic.
'No - no, she didn't.' She swung her legs out of the bed, and all the irritation she'd felt for Nancy the night before, for ages really, sloshed about in her body. 'Look, I can be there in fifteen minutes.'
Oh, God, you don't have to...'
'It's fine, Robert. I'll throw on some clothes and get into the car.'
The elastic in his voice snapped. 'Oh, God, do you think, then ... I mean, should I call the police?'
'No, wait for me.' Eleanor pulled on her jeans as she spoke, and her irritation mutated to anger. She wanted to pick up something and hurl it against the wall. She wanted to scream into Nancy's perfect face. She wouldn't let her get away with this. She would recount everything, every last painful second, she would spare her nothing.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind two best friends, an adoring husband and daughter, and a secret lover whose identity she took to the grave. Nancy was gorgeous, wealthy, and cherished by those who knew her—from the outside, her life was perfect. But as the investigation into her death flounders and her friends Eleanor and Mary wrestle with their grief, dark details surface that reveal how little they knew their friend, each other, and maybe even themselves.
A gripping, immersive novel about impossible expectations and secrets that fester and become lethal, Imperfect Women unfolds through the perspectives of three fascinating women. Their enduring, complex friendship is the knot the reader must untangle to answer the question Who killed Nancy?
MY THOUGHTS: I finished Imperfect Women with a definite sense of despondency. I felt weighted down by it. It was not the book I needed right at this moment. It has taken a long walk in the sunshine and a couple of hours of my favorite music to brighten my mood.
Imperfect Women is a brutally honest book about the bonds of friendship and marriage, human stupidity, love (or what passes for it), family, and the destructive powers of guilt and deception (in its many forms). It deals deeply with the expectations women place upon themselves, and those that the men in their lives impose upon them. It is a well written and well plotted book. But it is not a book to be read lightly; it is full of despair and introspection. I think that this is a book that will haunt me for some time.
The murder of Nancy is the catalyst for a chain reaction, but it is not the focus of the story. That remains firmly on the after effects of Nancy's death.
The story is told in three parts: the first by Eleanor, best friend of both Nancy and Mary, philanthropist career woman, unmarried, childless and with no 'significant other' in her life; the second part is told from Nancy's point of view and, believe me, there is not a lot to like about this woman, who has a brilliant brain which she has never put to use, and who is married to wealthy Robert with one daughter, and is careless with her affections; the third part is told from Mary's point of view, married to University lecturer and narcissist Howard, with three children and no life outside the home. It is incredible to me that these three women have continued to be friends through all the years since their university days as they have absolutely nothing but their past in common.
At no time did I ever consider abandoning this read, yet neither did I rush to pick it up again after putting it down. I think I need a bit of time and distance from this one to gain a better perspective. I plan, in a week or so, to return and edit this review and possibly even my rating. Would I read another book by this author? Definitely.
🤔🤔🤔.3
#ImperfectWomen #NetGalley
'We live in a world now where there has to be an answer to everything. We wonder about something and Google tells us the answer, but death isn't always like that. And nor is love.'
'What seems like great catastrophes to you are really just small sorrows in the big scheme of things.'
'We have a responsibility to those who love us. ... being loved makes us precious, and that means we have to take care of ourselves. You know, I think you and I, and Nancy as well, we're good at loving, but not good at being loved. But that means we're missing something important. We're taking on too much of the bad responsibility and not enough of the good...'
'There is always the possibility of new chapters in everyone's stories.'
THE AUTHOR: Araminta Hall began her career in journalism as a staff writer on teen magazine Bliss, becoming Health and Beauty editor of New Woman. On her way, she wrote regular features for the Mirror's Saturday supplement and ghost-wrote the super-model Caprice's column.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Rating: really liked it
Mary, Eleanor and Nancy have been friends since university days nearly thirty years ago. Nancy appears to be happily married to Robert and Mary is unhappily married to Howard. One night at dinner, Nancy confesses to Eleanor that she has had an affair, later that night she is murdered. This terrible incident sets off a chain reaction of events which causes these ‘imperfect women’ to reflect on themselves, on relationships and what is actually important. This story is told from the point of view of the three friends.
This is a well written story of grief and guilt of those left behind, of secrets and lies and illusion and delusion. Most of it is enjoyable but I think that Eleanor’s and Mary’s perspectives are the most interesting. Eleanor’s shock and grief come across really well and it’s interesting to see how she gets drawn into Roberts life after Nancy’s death. The way all characters reflect on the impact of Nancy in their lives in varying ways is also good. Mary’s belief that they are all participants in a Greek tragedy is illuminating and it’s partly true but as the story unfolds you see that it’s a fantastical mythology. In my opinion Mary is the most interesting character and how she puts up with the insufferable Howard all those years is beyond me. The male characters are not likeable but in differing ways. Nancy’s story is the least appealing because she is made to feel like a goddess in her life story and she patently isn’t. Nothing seems enough for her, she’s constantly seeking more so she comes across as self absorbed and not very interesting. The pace picks up with Mary’s story and that contains some intriguing surprises. I like the end and it fits well with their examination of themselves and acceptance they are imperfect.
Overall, it’s a bit of an uneven read but there is more that I enjoy than dislike.
3.5 rounded up.
With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC.
Rating: really liked it
Imperfect women, indeed. And let's not forget their imperfect husbands, who were just as vile as the wives.
It took me a full week to read this book. In 'Bridgett World,' do you know what that means? Imma tell you.
It means this book was B.O.R.I.N.G. I had zero desire to get back to it once I'd stopped...it just wasn't that interesting. Told from three points of view, Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary, it's actually divided into three sections...one for each woman. I typically enjoy that technique, but for whatever reason, it simply didn't work here.
Stories like this one usually make me happy--women in their forties dealing with all of life's ups and downs. In this instance, the women were so yucky...with so few redeeming qualities...I simply didn't feel compelled to learn more.
There is a small twist at the end...but it's not
really a twist, as it was pretty obvious from the start.
Bottom line, I probably wouldn't suggest this book to my friends.
Available now!
My sincere appreciation to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for my review copy.
Rating: really liked it
An engaging and suspenseful look into the power of secrets Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary have been best friends since they met at Oxford. But then Nancy is murdered, leaving behind an adoring husband and a daughter. Her life, from the outside, was seemingly perfect. But Eleanor knows that the night Nancy died, she was going to meet her lover, hoping to break it off. And as the investigation into Nancy's death continues, both Eleanor and Mary struggle with their grief, the memories they have of their friend, and what her death means for those left behind.
"Eleanor felt a jolt of terror pass through her as she realized that everything about Nancy's death was worse than any other death anywhere. They would all suffer, and nothing would ever be the same again." This was a truly fascinating book: it's part character-driven mystery and part insightful look at the role of women in society. It's told from the point of view of the three friends, but not the usual quick back and forth: we get large chunks of the story told from one woman at a time. Truths unfold slowly, as we learn bits and pieces about Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary--from themselves and each other.
The focal point of the story is Nancy's rather gruesome murder, but Hall fills her tale with thoughts and ruminations on women and how they are seen in society--and how they feel they are perceived. In some ways, it felt like a bunch broad generalizations applied to women, yet as I read, I found that most of them really rang true. I was furiously highlighting passages, nodding my head yes!
At times, it was hard to see where this book was going. Murder? Deep thoughts? It certainly straddled the line on both. In terms of Nancy's murder, I had a good chunk figured out early on, but the story certainly kept me engaged, reading and wondering if I was right. All three flawed (imperfect, indeed) women were interesting in their own way, and I liked each woman's section. I found this to be a very well-written book, but it's not a snappy thriller.
If you want a fast whodunit, this isn't for you. But if you want a well-done and thoughtful read, I recommend Hall's latest. It's a suspenseful and insightful look at love, marriage, and friendship. 4 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux in return for an unbiased review.
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Rating: really liked it
What to say? It’s a story about 3 women, life long friends, and their partners and the chaos that is caused when 1 of them dies and the other 2 ( plus hubbies ) find out secrets and things that have been ‘going on’ without the others knowing
There is a story here, and parts of it where told well but it was all so, well, long and drawn out and so so many character flushes, dizzy spells, loss of ability to walk’s, feverish sweats and the like in the end it just felt like a lot if it was descriptive padding
The 3 plus husbands are not just unlikeable but repugnant and loathsome, not not likeable in a ‘love to hate you way’ but really unlikeable 100% full stop and brought a new meaning to the words self obsessed
I loved the authors ‘Our Kind Of Cruelty’ and look forward to her next book but this sadly was not for me
And that’s where I will leave it 🤗
4/10 as there is a story there
2 Stars
Rating: really liked it
Since this would be only the second review on this book’s Goodreads page, I didn’t want to be too harsh but then I got to page 242 and now all bets are off.
I read this book so you don’t have to.
The concept of this story is great and the execution wasn’t too bad but the writing…oh, the writing!!! The writing is just a “NO!” for me and I have to blame some of that on whoever edited this. I realize I’m reading an ARC and maybe changes will be made but let’s talk about a couple of things that really irk me in books when it comes to poor editing. 1. Grammar--such as words missing from sentences and words on the page twice. 2. The same adjective used over and over again. (I mean, how many times do I have to read the word “maudlin?”) 3. The same metaphor used more than once (in this case at least four times) just worded differently when describing different things. 4. Over ambitious words—this is not literary fiction. This is a mystery. Use words that the average mystery reader will understand. Get over yourself. 5. Melodramatic –not only was this particular word used over and over but many of the descriptions and sentences had a bit a melodrama themselves.
The book:
Let me preface this by saying that this is a contemporary book. This takes place in modern times. Do women still have the disadvantage? Sure. But this book paints all men in a horrid light and women as stupid and naïve to the wiles of men. If you read this book be prepared for the message the all men are detestable, selfish beings who only care about themselves and all women are destined to be miserable and unhappy because they can’t be who they truly want and there is nothing that can be done about it.
Now let’s hit some characters and spoilers:
Our main characters-Eleanor, Nancy (her husband Robert), Mary (her husband Howard)
The only bright point in this whole book is Irena (Eleanor’s Neighbor). In fact, I added a star to this review just because of Irena’s meaning behind the phrase “You are Loved.” Page 111 “She said they meant more than I love you, she said they gave you ownership of what it means to be loved, it reminds you of the responsibility that comes with loving and being loved. She used to say if anyone loves you, then you have to be kind to yourself so as not to damage their investment.” Best thing in the whole book.
Eleanor is supposed to be a smart woman but this portrays her as stupid and just plain naïve. It’s clear she’s been in love with Robert since she first met him and is jealous of Nancy’s life with him. When he doesn’t even remember the first night they met, she just lets it slide even though it hurts her deeply.
Robert is trash. He cares about no one but himself and his own desires. Only his dreams matter and he’s literally shocked when someone doesn’t think like him. One of his worst qualities, wait for it….he sleeps with the wife he loves the morning before she dies and then five months later he’s sleeping with her “best friend” because he misses her so much. What. A. Crock.
Nancy. Part of me wants to just break out and call her delusional but really, I think this woman is severely mentally ill. It should be obvious to everyone. There is one mention of her having a therapist, but what good was that therapist? It didn’t seem like she had been put on any medication and whatever they were doing wasn’t working. She also received no mercy or understanding from Robert even after she had to be committed for two weeks after her daughter was born for post partem depression.
Howard is a predator. I just can’t think of enough nasty things to say about this character so I shall move on.
Mary. Oh, Mary. Howard was married to another woman when you got pregnant by him and it still took a while for him to leave her and marry you. After you were married, he continued to cheat on you. It seemed to be ok until you found out the identity of the last woman. Why did you put up with this?
The straw the broke the camels back for me was page 242. It implies that Mary was so desperate for affection and attention that she was willing to allow herself to be raped without putting up any fight until another person came along and scared off her would be rapist. At this, I repeated something I’d said earlier in this book, “I can’t believe a woman wrote this.”
This book had so much potential with its concept and the actual twists and such would have hit the nail on the head (even though they were pretty easy to guess), but all in all, this book is just awful. The language used and metaphors and the unlikeable characters were just too much for me. I will never recommend this book.
One more thing, these characters were supposed to have been three best friends for over twenty years yet they didn’t really seem to know each other very well at all. It just didn’t work.
2 out of 5 stars for Irena’s sake alone.
Rating: really liked it
OUT NOW!!!
Video review: https://youtu.be/eMtyOPRlU3k
IMPERFECT WOMEN feels like the love child of Herman Koch and Lisa Jewell, yet is wholly Araminta Hall's own voice. The characters shine in this one. I was engaged throughout, eagerly following the lives of Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary. Each woman has her own history and struggles, their own ethics and hypocrisies. Such a well balanced cast of characters.
This is one of those books I wanted to reread as soon as I finished, for two reasons:
1. I loved it that much.
and 2. I want to go back through and see if I missed any breadcrumbs along the way, because the ending had me shook. So damn good.
Araminta Hall is one of my favorite character writers. She's bold and brave, and does not play favorites. She sets up these characters' trials and tribulations with unique skill, and deftly showcases a talent for sleight of hand, leading the reader down one path, only to find a dead end. You went the wrong way, and I can only imagine Hall is back at the fork in the road gleefully chuckling while as you retrace your steps shaking a finger at her. "You tricked me," you'll say, but you'll also feel satisfied, as one will after having seen a truly mind-bending magic trick.
In summation: What I love most about Hall's work is that sleight of hand. I never know what to expect page by page, and that's so rare for me. She's one of the most unpredictable authors currently working, and the only harsh criticism I have for her is that she doesn't write fast enough.
Final Judgment: Perfectly imperfect characters.
Rating: really liked it
Nope.
Yes, it’s that bad. What a horrifically bad novel, especially after Our Kind of Cruelty.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
When Nancy Hennessey is murdered, she leaves behind her two best friends, an adoring husband, a daughter and a secret lover. Nancy was gorgeous, wealthy and cherished by those who knew her. But the investigation into her death founders and her best friends, Eleanor and Mary wrestle with. Dark details come to the surface reveal how little they knew their friend.
Eleanor, Mary and Nancy all met at university. They all cane from different backgrounds but they form a strong bond. They are now in their late forties. But Nancy has just unexpectedly died. Eleanor knew that Nancy was having an affair before she died. The story is told in three parts, each part told by one of the friends perspectives. The first part is told by Eleanor, then Nancy and then Mary. I liked the authors writing style. The story did seem to drag out a bit in the middle. This is not a murder mystery. It's more about the friendship the three women had. None of the women were perfect which which made it more realistic. This is an enjoyable read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Araminta Hall for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I absolutely loved Our Kind of Cruelty and was excited to see a new book from Araminta Hall. I really liked the sound of Imperfect Women but it fell short for me. I am not really sure what it was, a combination of the story dragging out and the attitudes of the 3 main characters. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It was a good story but not quite as good as I was hoping.
Imperfect Women, these 3 are definitely that. It is thestory of 3 women, friends since university. When one of them is murdered their secrets start to come out. Eleanor, Mary and Nancy all led very different lives. They all envied each other and wanted what the others had. But when they really find out about each other they may find that they don’t really.
Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for my advanced copy of this book book is to read.
Rating: really liked it
I was totally obsessed with this author’s previous work, Our Kind of Cruelty. It was one of the best books I read in 2019. So I was positive I was going to love this one too. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
The good news is that Araminta Hall remains a beautiful writer. She has a way with language and description, making her books much more literary than so many others in the genre.
Unfortunately though, as “thrillers” go, I did not find this one at all thrilling. It moved really slowly and was more of a soap opera/Neighbours type drama than a murder mystery. I also did not like any of the characters. In contrast to “Our Kind of Cruelty, in which you hated the characters but were fascinated by them, I found little to interest me in any of these imperfect women and men. Hall’s great writing was not enough to get me through the slow plot and less-than-compelling characters.
I gotta say, I take it really personally that I didn’t love this book, because her previous one made such an impression on me. I will surely read more by Hall. This one just didn’t capture my attention. Though murder happens in it, I also think it might have been better classified as women’s fiction than mystery/thriller in order to set expectations for a slower pace and more melodrama.
Thanks to NetGalley, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Araminta Hall for the advance copy. Here’s hoping Hall’s next book packs the thrills and intrigue once again.
Rating: really liked it
Nancy, Eleanor and Mary are best friends. Nancy is killed, so Eleanor and Mary try to find out what happened. I thought this book would be about Eleanor and Mary figuring out what happened to Nancy. The book is more about what is going on in the three women's lives and the secrets they are keeping. All three women really are imperfect. The mystery aspect of the book is in the background. I did enjoy the book but it wasn't what I was expecting.
Helen Keeley did a good job narrating.
I recommend this book for fans of Big Little Lies and books where there is a mystery in the background by the main focus is on the characters' lives.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio UK for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
