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There are currently 21 member reviews
for A Nearly Perfect Copy
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Vicki R. (York, PA)
"A Nearly Perfect Copy"
"A Nearly Perfect Copy" by Allison Amend is a fairly quick, easy read. The way the author goes back and forth between the characters, Elm and Gabriel, keeps the reader interested and engaged. I felt that the characters were well developed and the reader could understand why certain decisions were made. However, the way that Elm goes about having another child really lowered the believability of the book. The ending was somewhat of a disappointment which is why I gave it a 3. I realize there was a lesson to be learned; however I would have liked to have seen the two characters have more interaction in the end. Even with the disheartening ending, there could have been more closure for the reader.
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Mary Ellen (Canfield, OH)
A Nearly Perfect Copy
The title of this book is significant as it relates to forgery in the art world and the subject of cloning. It was, however, misclassified as a mystery. It is rather an in-depth character study of its two main characters with an insight into the art world. The characters are rather unlikeable and the subplot somewhat unbelievable. Although not my favorite read, it might be of interest to art enthusiasts.
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Bookworm (Oshkosh, WI)
A not quite perfect story
Overall I enjoyed this book, but I was disappointed with the last quarter of it. My attention was immediately captured and drawn into the stories of Elm and Gabriel and I enjoyed the "insider's" look at the world of fine art. However, I expected there to be a better intertwining of the two main characters' lives and actions and felt that the ending was very dissatisfying. The author's level of detail and the complexity of the characters' emotions and motivations noticeably dwindled as the story came to a close - it almost seemed that she ran out of ideas and was in a hurry to finish the book. The moral and ethical questions raised in the plot would make this a good book for a group to discuss.
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Bess W. (Marlton, NJ)
A Nearly Pefect Copy
Elm and Gabriel, the two main characters, are far from perfect, not even nearly perfect. They are both interested only in themselves and never consider who they will harm as they pursue their goals. Lives are destroyed because of their selfishness
My favorite aspects of the book are how much I learned about the art world and how auction houses work. This is the part I enjoyed. Although the characters are well developed, I was not fond of the theme of the book.
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Amy F. (West Roxbury, MA)
A Nearly Perfect Copy by Allison Amend
Though I really did not like either Elm, who works at Tinsley's auction house, or Gabriel, the long struggling artist, I did like how the book switched back and forth between their stories. I must say that I found Elm's story fairly unbelivable. I can imagine the unbearable pain and grief of losing a child, but cloning that child just feels too far out as an acceptable answer. Gabrial's story felt more "true" to me. I did like the insights into the art world. While overall I felt like this was a mixed bag, it did keep me reading.
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Joan N. (Evanston, IL)
A not-so-perfect novel
The novel has two protagonists: a mother living on the Upper East Side of New York and a down-and-out artist living in Paris. The settings are rendered especially well. Where I had problems was with the protagonists. Although the author tries to make them sympathetic due to the circumstances of their lives—the mother has lost a child, the artist deals with poverty—I never found them sympathetic enough to root for them as they make significant life choices. The novel is well written but ultimately I disliked the characters too much to like the book.
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Beverly D. (Palm Harbor, FL)
Not even Nearly Perfect.
Art world, cloning, perfect copies....of art works and humans???? I couldn't relate at all to the plot, nor the characters. The writing was less than enticing,"Gabriel had a quick flash of reverie being in Lise's all-white apartment, children hanging off him like rats in some horror movie." "we don't get to decide what children we have or what children get taken from us. I wanted a baby not a science experiment".... Definitely not for me.
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