Perfect Days by Raphael Montes

Perfect Days
By Raphael Montes
Published by Harvill Secker (18 February 2016)
ISBN: 978-1846559525

Publisher's description

Teo, a medical student, meets Clarice at a party. Teo doesn’t really like people, they’re too messy, but he immediately realises that he and Clarice are meant to be together. And if Clarice doesn’t accept that? Well, they just need to spend some time together, and she’ll come to realise that too.

And yes, he has bought handcuffs and yes, he has taken her prisoner and yes, he is lying to her mother and to his mother and to the people at the hotel he’s keeping her at, but it’s all for her own good.

She’ll understand. She’ll fall in love. She’ll settle down and be his loving wife.

Won’t she?

My verdict
Perfect Days is a dark and twisted psychological thriller - just as I like them. It's a very strange novel - written with warped sense of humour - but is also completely addictive. If you loved Normal by Graeme Cameron as much as I did, then you'll probably like Perfect Days too.

This is a tale of obsessive behaviour that leads to disturbing and alarming consequences. When Teo meets Clarice, he wants her one way or another. And he's determined that she's going to want him too - eventually.

I read the whole book in two sittings, as I found it difficult to put down. Admittedly the plot isn't what you would call believable and the characters are rather insane and unstable. But it's a fun read, with a totally unexpected ending (although I felt it was slightly rushed).

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.