Finding Perfect – An Unexpected Suprise

When I look for a book, I’ll be perfectly honest: I do look for a catchy cover. Sure, it may not be the most practical way of choosing a book, but it’s what intrigues me. So at first glance, this book did catch my eye. On the white background, there are numbers that show a list of numbers adding up to fours. It was like it was meant to be hidden, but the author wanted to hide it. After reading the summary of the book, it caught my eye even more. Little did I know, this book had a deeper meaning that related to the cover.

The book is about Molly Nathans, a talented 12-year-old who has the struggle fitting in her family after her mom leaves. She claims to have left because she got a job opportunity, but her sister thinks otherwise. Along with troubles at home, she has trouble balancing her friends, as both have troubles with each other. Molly wants everything to be perfect but wants to find a way to bring her Mom back early. In order to bring her home, Molly wants to win the poetry contest so her Mom will undoubtedly come back.

In the middle of the book, Molly starts to develop a habit of counting by fours, as well as having a habit of cleaning the glass figures frequently. It finally gets to a point that her friends are starting to feel betrayed, as well as her family wondering what’s going on. When Molly herself feels different, she makes a fake alias on Facebook to figure out if other people have what she has. Sure enough, she figures out that others have the same problem, which is OCD.

This finally takes over her, and when she talks about her poem in the final, she just starts counting and breaking down. Molly, her family, and friends finally figure out the mystery and try to help cope with her. Her mom comes back to help her and promises to stick together. Over the next months, she goes to a doctor to try to stop her habits and finally works. She now lives with the peace of mind that her condition can be solved.

The story unveils a different tone rather than a normal teen drama, and I think that’s what makes the book memorable. The author presents a growing epidemic and introduces it in a new way to readers. While some people think OCD is a joke, the author shows it’s a real disorder that can be solved. She shows the disorder in a clever way to inform more people about the topic. It’s clever, yet informative.

This book for me was a pleasant surprise. Instead of being a normal teen girl story, it gave a meaningful story that gives the reader something to think about. It is a perfect book for all ages, and I recommend reading the book.