Julie Metz had seemingly the perfect life—an adoring husband, a happy, spirited daughter, a lovely old house in a quaint suburban town—but it was all a lie.
Julie Metz's life changed forever on one ordinary January afternoon when her husband, Henry, collapsed on the kitchen floor and died in her arms. Suddenly, this mother of a six-year-old became the young widow in her bucolic small town. But that was only the beginning. Seven months after Henry's death, just when Julie thought she was emerging from the worst of it, came the rest of it: She discovered that what had appeared to be the reality of her marriage was but a half-truth. Henry had hidden another life from her.
Perfection is the story of Metz's journey through chaos and transformation as she creates a different life for herself and for her young daughter. It is the story of rebuilding both a life and an identity after betrayal and widowhood, of rebirth and happiness—if not perfection.
My Thoughts:
Emotional and powerful, Julie Metz's memoir of a heart-wrenching period in her life is a bluntly written story of one woman's devastating realization that her "perfect" life might not have been so perfect after all. Metz holds back nothing as she documents her journey from grief to eventual happiness, but the trip is loaded with potholes and landmines all along the way.
Personally, this was a very difficult book for me to review, as in all honesty, I cringed with each page as I read how Metz dealt with her grief and anger. But then again, when a book provokes such strong feelings, the author has touched the reader in some way that makes them stop and think - and that is an amazing accomplishment in itself.
About The Author:
Julie Metz is a graphic designer, artist, and freelance writer whose essays have appeared in publications including Glamour and Hemispheres magazines and the online story site mrbellersneighborhood.com. The recipient of a MacDowell Fellowship, she lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her daughter and partner.
I received a copy of "Perfection" from the publisher and am participating in this book blog tour through BookSparks PR. I was not compensated for my opinion.
