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Perfect Peace
As seen on TikTok, Daniel Black’s Perfect Peace is the heartbreaking portrait of a large, rural southern family’s attempt to grapple with their mother’s desperate decision to make her newborn son into the daughter she will never have—“a complex, imaginative story of one unforgettable black family in mid-twentieth century Arkansas� (Atlanta Magazine).
When the seventh child of the Peace family, named Perfect, turns eight, her mother Emma Jean tells her bewildered daughter, “You was born a boy. I made you a girl. But that ain’t what you was supposed to be. So, from now on, you gon� be a boy. It’ll be a little strange at first, but you’ll get used to it, and this’ll be over after while.�
From this point forward, Perfect’s life becomes a bizarre kaleidoscope of events—while the rest of his family is forced to question everything they thought they knew about gender, sexuality, unconditional love, and fulfillment.
When the seventh child of the Peace family, named Perfect, turns eight, her mother Emma Jean tells her bewildered daughter, “You was born a boy. I made you a girl. But that ain’t what you was supposed to be. So, from now on, you gon� be a boy. It’ll be a little strange at first, but you’ll get used to it, and this’ll be over after while.�
From this point forward, Perfect’s life becomes a bizarre kaleidoscope of events—while the rest of his family is forced to question everything they thought they knew about gender, sexuality, unconditional love, and fulfillment.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published March 11, 2010
1,091 people are currently reading
15.1k people want to read
About the author
Daniel Black
12books1,234followersDaniel Black is a native of Kansas City, Kansas, yet spent the majority of his childhood years in Blackwell, Arkansas. He is an associate professor at his alma mater, Clark Atlanta University, where he now aims to provide an example to young Americans of the importance of self-knowledge and communal commitment. He is the author of "They Tell Me of a Home" and "The Sacred Place".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,410 reviews
September 15, 2018
is this the best book i have ever read?
no.
is this the best book i have ever read about a child raised as the gender their parents wanted them to be instead of what their genitals wanted them to be?
no.
but it is still very very good.
this is another book where he is not a fantastic writer, but he is a good storyteller. there were moments when i kind of wanted to compress scenes or cross out redundancies but it never prevented me from getting caught up in the story.
i was first drawn to this book because of the cover. in real life, it is so glossy and eerily airbrushed, and that creepy doll... i thought it was going to be a novel with a horror twist to it. but it's not - it is just a deeply sad novel about a woman whose childhood was so troubled and whose relationship with her own mother so emotionally and physically abusive, that all she wants out of her adult life is a baby girl, to treat the way she wishes she had been treated - special, cherished, loved, pampered. but son after son keeps coming out of her body. when the seventh one is born, she decides to just raise it as a girl and be done with it.
it works for 8 years, and "perfect" is given privileges and special treatment within the family on account of her being a girl, and constantly told how beautiful and special she is, and "she" helps emma jean put her own past unhappiness to rest. when it becomes clear that this secret cannot be kept indefinitely, emma jean has to come out and tell the truth to perfect, her husband, her sons, and the town at large.
many lives are destroyed by this revelation. perfect (now paul), is regarded as a freak by his peers and whispered about by adults wherever he goes, his brothers and father try to "make a man" of him, despite their jealousy of his preferential treatment to this point, and paul himself has to endure it all - eight years old and utterly confused.
in a black community in 1940's-era arkansas, there really isn't a lot of tolerance for a "sissy" boy who walks like a girl and cries and does not take well to farm work. having been told how special and beautiful he was his whole life, now he is just another boy in a house full of boys and his self-worth is utterly destroyed. and then it gets much worse for him.
this is a book about the expectations of masculinity, love and vengeance, family and sacrifice, and respect.
i thought the family story was beautiful. i can't say enough about these characters. paul is really the least interesting character. his brothers - especially king solomon, bartimaeus, and mister - are so heartbreaking, each in their own way. and emma jean. well, you can imagine what a complex character she must be. you kind of want to hate her for what she so selfishly did, but you also can't help sympathizing a little.
eva mae and sugar baby win award for excellence in supporting cast.
i feel like this is a scattered book report, but this is what came out of me today. i could dress it up in yellow ribbons and call it beautiful and special, but i have learned my lesson from this book. this is all i have today. the book is much better than my review of it, and you should read it.
ta-daaaaa!!
no.
is this the best book i have ever read about a child raised as the gender their parents wanted them to be instead of what their genitals wanted them to be?
no.
but it is still very very good.
this is another book where he is not a fantastic writer, but he is a good storyteller. there were moments when i kind of wanted to compress scenes or cross out redundancies but it never prevented me from getting caught up in the story.
i was first drawn to this book because of the cover. in real life, it is so glossy and eerily airbrushed, and that creepy doll... i thought it was going to be a novel with a horror twist to it. but it's not - it is just a deeply sad novel about a woman whose childhood was so troubled and whose relationship with her own mother so emotionally and physically abusive, that all she wants out of her adult life is a baby girl, to treat the way she wishes she had been treated - special, cherished, loved, pampered. but son after son keeps coming out of her body. when the seventh one is born, she decides to just raise it as a girl and be done with it.
it works for 8 years, and "perfect" is given privileges and special treatment within the family on account of her being a girl, and constantly told how beautiful and special she is, and "she" helps emma jean put her own past unhappiness to rest. when it becomes clear that this secret cannot be kept indefinitely, emma jean has to come out and tell the truth to perfect, her husband, her sons, and the town at large.
many lives are destroyed by this revelation. perfect (now paul), is regarded as a freak by his peers and whispered about by adults wherever he goes, his brothers and father try to "make a man" of him, despite their jealousy of his preferential treatment to this point, and paul himself has to endure it all - eight years old and utterly confused.
in a black community in 1940's-era arkansas, there really isn't a lot of tolerance for a "sissy" boy who walks like a girl and cries and does not take well to farm work. having been told how special and beautiful he was his whole life, now he is just another boy in a house full of boys and his self-worth is utterly destroyed. and then it gets much worse for him.
this is a book about the expectations of masculinity, love and vengeance, family and sacrifice, and respect.
i thought the family story was beautiful. i can't say enough about these characters. paul is really the least interesting character. his brothers - especially king solomon, bartimaeus, and mister - are so heartbreaking, each in their own way. and emma jean. well, you can imagine what a complex character she must be. you kind of want to hate her for what she so selfishly did, but you also can't help sympathizing a little.
eva mae and sugar baby win award for excellence in supporting cast.
i feel like this is a scattered book report, but this is what came out of me today. i could dress it up in yellow ribbons and call it beautiful and special, but i have learned my lesson from this book. this is all i have today. the book is much better than my review of it, and you should read it.
ta-daaaaa!!
April 2, 2017
This is a very unusual and original story. A woman, in the deepest and poorest Black south, has had enough of having sons and raises one of them as a girl until she is forced to tell him and everyone else that her eight year old daughter is in fact her son. What else is good is that this is finely-drawn portrait of the woman seen directly and through others' eyes. There is a really interesting cast of characters, and when I say 'cast' I am thinking not just of the book, but also a potential film, this story would look fantastic on the big screen.
What is not so good about the book is that the author cannot make up his mind which character to concentrate on so you never get a full picture of anyone and there is always more you want to know. Since the intention of the book is to stand alone and not to be a series (which would be quite possible), it's a 4.5 star book, rounded up.
The author writes really well. It's quite a joy to read descriptive writing that never becomes 'lyrical' or 'poetic' but remains the vehicle of the story but yet describes a world and a place just recently gone by.
Notes on reading the book.
What is not so good about the book is that the author cannot make up his mind which character to concentrate on so you never get a full picture of anyone and there is always more you want to know. Since the intention of the book is to stand alone and not to be a series (which would be quite possible), it's a 4.5 star book, rounded up.
The author writes really well. It's quite a joy to read descriptive writing that never becomes 'lyrical' or 'poetic' but remains the vehicle of the story but yet describes a world and a place just recently gone by.
Notes on reading the book.
July 18, 2010
Recently my favorite cousin pulled my ear about a novel she was thinking about reading. Because I trust her opinion about these types of things, I was immediately interested and when she gave me a synopsis of the story, I was sold. The novel was 'Perfect Peace' by Daniel Black. I googled the author and guess what? It and turns out, I'd read one of his previous books(They Tell Me of a Home) and I hated it. I decided not to let that discourage me though. I mean, I was very enthusiastic about the subject matter so I figured it had to be good. Boy was I wrong.
So, If you are interested in actually reading this book, you should probably stop reading now because I fear that in my detail about why this novel just doesn't work, I may inadvertently give away some of the story. I would hate to spoil anything for you.
Let's start by discussing what this story is about! 'Perfect Peace' is a set in the 1940's in a rural black community and explores what happens when a boy is raised as a girl, then abruptly told the truth. When the novel opens, we find the matriarch in the middle of giving birth to her seventh child that she is sure will finally be a girl. Of course she is wrong and she has another boy. All of a sudden, this woman has the bright idea of making her boy a girl and this is where things start to fall apart. This should have been a terribly interesting story due to the subject matter and in more capable hands, it could have been. Unfortunately Mr. Black was ill equipped to do this story justice.
There were a few problems I had with this novel but one of the biggest problems is the hypothesis that Mr. Black sets up as you read. When I finally finished, one thing I took from this book is that if you allow a child to 'act like a girl' they will become gay and I don't feel comfortable with this idea at all. I want to first of all say that I do not believe that there is any kind of formula that can be put together(or avoided) that will make a child attracted to the same sex. For every person in the world that is same sex attracted, there is also a life full of experiences that has brought them to that point. I believe everyone is different so there is no one way that people get anywhere. I feel Mr. Black's idea that a person's sexuality can be socialized does not take into account the biology of a person. We are supposed to believe that just because his mother told him that he was a girl, his biology followed suite. If this were true, then I would argue that I should not be gay. I was socialized as a boy but I never had any sexual feelings toward girls! Again, I am not saying that my life experience is the way it is for everyone but I do believe that Mr. Black has failed to recognize the biology of sex in his telling of this story.
Another issue I have with this novel is that Mr. Black is just not a very good story teller. His writing is all over the place and I really feel like he tried to stuff a few different stories in this one novel. The story of Perfect was enough to carry this whole book and all the other fluff just made the story too convoluted and difficult to follow. I think the biggest violation of this for me would be the story of Mister. I assume that Mr. Black introduced the romance between Mister and Johnny Ray in order to show another point of view in regards to sexuality but again, it was just not handled appropriately. After all is said and done, I just felt like the story was never fully fleshed out and ultimately just another distraction from the real story. This continues to happen throughout this novel which left me very frustrated.
All in all, I have to say this book was awful. And I mean no disrespect to Mr. Black! The fact that he's actually published in an accomplishment in itself and something he should be proud of but I cannot look past the issues I find with this work. If anything, I blame his editor, or or those of us who read this and did not call him on these issues. I think it's our duty to continue to push artist to raise the bar and call them to task when they don't. So here is my push to Mr. Daniel Black.
So, If you are interested in actually reading this book, you should probably stop reading now because I fear that in my detail about why this novel just doesn't work, I may inadvertently give away some of the story. I would hate to spoil anything for you.
Let's start by discussing what this story is about! 'Perfect Peace' is a set in the 1940's in a rural black community and explores what happens when a boy is raised as a girl, then abruptly told the truth. When the novel opens, we find the matriarch in the middle of giving birth to her seventh child that she is sure will finally be a girl. Of course she is wrong and she has another boy. All of a sudden, this woman has the bright idea of making her boy a girl and this is where things start to fall apart. This should have been a terribly interesting story due to the subject matter and in more capable hands, it could have been. Unfortunately Mr. Black was ill equipped to do this story justice.
There were a few problems I had with this novel but one of the biggest problems is the hypothesis that Mr. Black sets up as you read. When I finally finished, one thing I took from this book is that if you allow a child to 'act like a girl' they will become gay and I don't feel comfortable with this idea at all. I want to first of all say that I do not believe that there is any kind of formula that can be put together(or avoided) that will make a child attracted to the same sex. For every person in the world that is same sex attracted, there is also a life full of experiences that has brought them to that point. I believe everyone is different so there is no one way that people get anywhere. I feel Mr. Black's idea that a person's sexuality can be socialized does not take into account the biology of a person. We are supposed to believe that just because his mother told him that he was a girl, his biology followed suite. If this were true, then I would argue that I should not be gay. I was socialized as a boy but I never had any sexual feelings toward girls! Again, I am not saying that my life experience is the way it is for everyone but I do believe that Mr. Black has failed to recognize the biology of sex in his telling of this story.
Another issue I have with this novel is that Mr. Black is just not a very good story teller. His writing is all over the place and I really feel like he tried to stuff a few different stories in this one novel. The story of Perfect was enough to carry this whole book and all the other fluff just made the story too convoluted and difficult to follow. I think the biggest violation of this for me would be the story of Mister. I assume that Mr. Black introduced the romance between Mister and Johnny Ray in order to show another point of view in regards to sexuality but again, it was just not handled appropriately. After all is said and done, I just felt like the story was never fully fleshed out and ultimately just another distraction from the real story. This continues to happen throughout this novel which left me very frustrated.
All in all, I have to say this book was awful. And I mean no disrespect to Mr. Black! The fact that he's actually published in an accomplishment in itself and something he should be proud of but I cannot look past the issues I find with this work. If anything, I blame his editor, or or those of us who read this and did not call him on these issues. I think it's our duty to continue to push artist to raise the bar and call them to task when they don't. So here is my push to Mr. Daniel Black.
January 20, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️
- This would be the perfect book for a book club or a university discuss! There are so many things to analyze and I found the entire story so unique & heartbreaking. Will definitely read more books from this author!
- The story towards the end was a much slower pace that the beginning and was really just a character study since there wasn’t much happening in the story. I enjoyed how we were able to follow the lives of the other brothers as well.
- It was so powerful to read how trauma can build and build if we don’t work through it or break generational habits & traditions. This book was also such a great study of how our gender is so heavily influenced by societal norms that are placed upon us. Such a great read!
- This would be the perfect book for a book club or a university discuss! There are so many things to analyze and I found the entire story so unique & heartbreaking. Will definitely read more books from this author!
- The story towards the end was a much slower pace that the beginning and was really just a character study since there wasn’t much happening in the story. I enjoyed how we were able to follow the lives of the other brothers as well.
- It was so powerful to read how trauma can build and build if we don’t work through it or break generational habits & traditions. This book was also such a great study of how our gender is so heavily influenced by societal norms that are placed upon us. Such a great read!
February 5, 2011
I GIVE THIS NOVEL TEN STARS!
Imagine being a mother of six boys when all you have ever hoped for in life was to give birth to a daughter? When you were young, you played with your dolls pretending that you were caring for that daughter you hoped would grow up to love you. You prayed that your little girl would grow to adore you in a way your own mother and sisters never did simply because your skin was too dark. That is the heart-breaking story of Emma Jean Peace, the young matriarch of this rapidly-growing, African-American family living in a rural Arkansas town during the mid-twentieth century. Emma Jean Peace had been abused, neglected, and reviled by her mother and sisters because of her ebony-hued skin and African features. She was the youngest of three girls but never received the pretty dresses, the dolls, or her mother's love because her mother believed that all of that would be wasted on a such a "dark and ugly thang." So Emma survived that abuse only living for the possibility that one day she would have a beautiful little girl that would provide her with the bond she could never experience with the women in her life.
But after six sons, Emma is sure that her latest pregnancy will yield the daughter she had waited so long and so patiently for. She longed for her daughter so much, that she tricks her husband into getting her pregnant a final time even when he adamantly opposes bringing another child into their struggling family. So when Emma discovers that her precious daughter turns out to be a beautiful little boy, she decides that since God had not sent her a daughter, she would create one. "God heps dose who hep demselves!" Emma declares to the midwife, whom she blackmails into keeping her secret. As a result, little Perfect Peace in born into the Peace family.
For eight years, the little "girl" is doted upon not only by Emma, but by her daddy and her six, hulking older brothers who are so thrilled to have a little sister to fawn over. The men learn to go without food so that little Perfect could have pretty ribbons and dresses and dolls. And they don't mind the stings of jealousy so much because they adore their little sister.
But as that Biblical saying goes, "what is kept in the dark will come into the light." A series of events take place, such as Perfect's blind older brother Bartameus accidently feeling something perculiar about his sister's anatomy one day as they are playing in the field. Then Emma realizes that Perfect begins to show the beginning stages of physically developing into a boy, all the while asking questions about when she will begin her menses and get married to have babies. Emma begins to see the flaws in her plans. Fearful of hurting her precious baby any further, she sits her down and explains that at eight, Perfect must no longer act like a girl, but must become the boy she was supposed to be. After confessing the truth to her family of men, who are appalled, Perfect, who is rechristened as "Paul" is suddenly thrust into the role of being the family's youngest son and he will become that son if it is the last thing the father does! Suddenly Paul must face his father's, brother's and the town's judgement upon his every action. He is heckled even by those who are supposed to be adults. He is ostracized because the town believes he is going to grow up to be a sissy. His father and brother don't know how to treat their son/brother, so they don't treat Paul as anything at all. Now Paul, once the princess of the family, becomes nothing more than an outcast.
Hot potato! Can you imagine? That's all I am going to share about the plot because who is going to read it if I share it all?
The author Daniel Black does a stu-pen-dous job depicting the racial and gender-based psychological issues that are prevalent specifically with African-Americans in the south. This novel challenges what the rural African-American community believes about religion, sexuality, gender identity, child abuse, racial pride, and self-love. We experience the sorrow, the passions, and the healing of each character as we read the story that spans across each of their lifetimes. It was a heart-wrenching, beautifully written novel that left me crying and wishing that someone would turn this beautiful novel into a movie.
I have stopped writing reviews for a while because it was so time consuming but I could not neglect to speak on such as satisfying work. I only wish ŷ allows us to give 10 stars to a novel.
Imagine being a mother of six boys when all you have ever hoped for in life was to give birth to a daughter? When you were young, you played with your dolls pretending that you were caring for that daughter you hoped would grow up to love you. You prayed that your little girl would grow to adore you in a way your own mother and sisters never did simply because your skin was too dark. That is the heart-breaking story of Emma Jean Peace, the young matriarch of this rapidly-growing, African-American family living in a rural Arkansas town during the mid-twentieth century. Emma Jean Peace had been abused, neglected, and reviled by her mother and sisters because of her ebony-hued skin and African features. She was the youngest of three girls but never received the pretty dresses, the dolls, or her mother's love because her mother believed that all of that would be wasted on a such a "dark and ugly thang." So Emma survived that abuse only living for the possibility that one day she would have a beautiful little girl that would provide her with the bond she could never experience with the women in her life.
But after six sons, Emma is sure that her latest pregnancy will yield the daughter she had waited so long and so patiently for. She longed for her daughter so much, that she tricks her husband into getting her pregnant a final time even when he adamantly opposes bringing another child into their struggling family. So when Emma discovers that her precious daughter turns out to be a beautiful little boy, she decides that since God had not sent her a daughter, she would create one. "God heps dose who hep demselves!" Emma declares to the midwife, whom she blackmails into keeping her secret. As a result, little Perfect Peace in born into the Peace family.
For eight years, the little "girl" is doted upon not only by Emma, but by her daddy and her six, hulking older brothers who are so thrilled to have a little sister to fawn over. The men learn to go without food so that little Perfect could have pretty ribbons and dresses and dolls. And they don't mind the stings of jealousy so much because they adore their little sister.
But as that Biblical saying goes, "what is kept in the dark will come into the light." A series of events take place, such as Perfect's blind older brother Bartameus accidently feeling something perculiar about his sister's anatomy one day as they are playing in the field. Then Emma realizes that Perfect begins to show the beginning stages of physically developing into a boy, all the while asking questions about when she will begin her menses and get married to have babies. Emma begins to see the flaws in her plans. Fearful of hurting her precious baby any further, she sits her down and explains that at eight, Perfect must no longer act like a girl, but must become the boy she was supposed to be. After confessing the truth to her family of men, who are appalled, Perfect, who is rechristened as "Paul" is suddenly thrust into the role of being the family's youngest son and he will become that son if it is the last thing the father does! Suddenly Paul must face his father's, brother's and the town's judgement upon his every action. He is heckled even by those who are supposed to be adults. He is ostracized because the town believes he is going to grow up to be a sissy. His father and brother don't know how to treat their son/brother, so they don't treat Paul as anything at all. Now Paul, once the princess of the family, becomes nothing more than an outcast.
Hot potato! Can you imagine? That's all I am going to share about the plot because who is going to read it if I share it all?
The author Daniel Black does a stu-pen-dous job depicting the racial and gender-based psychological issues that are prevalent specifically with African-Americans in the south. This novel challenges what the rural African-American community believes about religion, sexuality, gender identity, child abuse, racial pride, and self-love. We experience the sorrow, the passions, and the healing of each character as we read the story that spans across each of their lifetimes. It was a heart-wrenching, beautifully written novel that left me crying and wishing that someone would turn this beautiful novel into a movie.
I have stopped writing reviews for a while because it was so time consuming but I could not neglect to speak on such as satisfying work. I only wish ŷ allows us to give 10 stars to a novel.
November 17, 2023
This book was on my TBR for so long kicking myself for not reading sooner. Thanks to my Book Sis Shay for the buddy read. This book is Absolutely amazing. The way Daniel Black wrote this book was just perfect no pun intended. What I loved most about this book is the way Mr. Black told the stories of all the characters in a way that didn’t keep you waiting until the next chapter or the end of the book to see how things turned out. The future & present all at the same time!!!
😒Emma Jean !!!!! I had to remember this book took place during Jim Crow south. She was so consumed with hurt from her mother that she birthed her 7th son & turned him into the girl she never had. When Paul (Perfect) Peace turned 8 is when the lie finally comes to a head.
This book has so many topics that are relevant still to this day !!! Gender roles, Homophobia, colorism, anti blackniss toward hair, body shaming, & so much more.
My heart hurt so much for Paul. Some chapters really gripped at my heart. With that being said some parts of this book was hella funny I can’t lie. The southern dialogue had me screaming laughing.
Paul was the main character but being able to see how all the other brothers grow into themselves I LOVED!! Bartimaeus & Sol were my absolute favorites. 🤞🏽Absolutely nothing was left unsaid in this book besides Gus. I wonder what happened to him in the end.
That plot twist in chapter 30 I was not expecting!! Iykyk.
Everybody needs a friend like Eva Mae!!!! She was messy AF but she stood on business baby. & last but not least I need to see Johnny Raye because he had these ppl in shambles!! 😂
😒Emma Jean !!!!! I had to remember this book took place during Jim Crow south. She was so consumed with hurt from her mother that she birthed her 7th son & turned him into the girl she never had. When Paul (Perfect) Peace turned 8 is when the lie finally comes to a head.
This book has so many topics that are relevant still to this day !!! Gender roles, Homophobia, colorism, anti blackniss toward hair, body shaming, & so much more.
My heart hurt so much for Paul. Some chapters really gripped at my heart. With that being said some parts of this book was hella funny I can’t lie. The southern dialogue had me screaming laughing.
Paul was the main character but being able to see how all the other brothers grow into themselves I LOVED!! Bartimaeus & Sol were my absolute favorites. 🤞🏽Absolutely nothing was left unsaid in this book besides Gus. I wonder what happened to him in the end.
That plot twist in chapter 30 I was not expecting!! Iykyk.
Everybody needs a friend like Eva Mae!!!! She was messy AF but she stood on business baby. & last but not least I need to see Johnny Raye because he had these ppl in shambles!! 😂
September 9, 2013
It was not simply that Emma Jean Peace desperately wanted a daughter after giving her husband six sons. She wanted to shower on a daughter all the love, pampering, consideration and care she did not receive as the dark-skinned child of a woman who heaped unimaginable pain and suffering upon a child whose only sin was to be born black, literally.
Adolescent Emma Jean suffered indignities not dissimilar from those suffered by Celie in “The Color Purple,� only her Mister was her mother, a title cruelly unearned. So when grown Emma Jean cuts off all ties with her mother, marries a not so bad poor country laborer named Gus, who cries when the heavens do, and gives him six sons, she is sure that seven is the charm.
But alas, with the help of midwife Henrietta, Emma Jean gives birth to another son. Undaunted, she decides right then and there, to pass her new son off as her daughter, and uses blackmail to bind the midwife’s complicity.
Emma Jean names her faux daughter Perfect.
Set in the rural, cruel, but hauntingly evocative American south of the early 1940’s, this remarkable and totally credible tale of gender identity, dogged determination, family, sexuality, and unconditional love envelopes one into the complicated world of the Peace family
The six young Peace boys—James Earl, Woody, Bartmaeus, Sol, Mister and Authorly—are awed by their beautiful new sister, and are both respectful and protective of her. “I’ll be glad when she’s old enough to play with us,� Sol muses with wonder. “She ain’t gon� play with us, fool!� the bright and knowledge-seeking Authorly says. “She’s a girl, and girls is real delicate. They not tough like boys, so they have to play with other girls.�
For eight years the lie lives flawlessly. The modesty of the times never allowed Gus and his six sons to ever see Perfect naked. Diapers were changed, and the child was bathed and dressed by mother Emma Jean only. Even Perfect, with no knowledge of anatomy, grows up completely unaware that the little appendage dangling between her/his legs is male genitalia.
And in every other sense and sensibility, Perfect lives up to her name. She is quite simply a beautiful child, and Emma Jean sacrifices much of the family resources to make sure she is dressed in the finest the family’s little money can buy, parading the child before church and community with a pride that borders on haughtiness.
It is when the truth is discovered that all hell breaks loose. And though Emma Jean is rightly blamed for the deceit, it is heartbreaking to witness the community condemnation heaped upon the innocent child, renamed Paul, who must now suddenly be a boy in the fish bowl of an unforgiving society. Even Paul’s father Gus, normally a decent guy, resorts to horrendous cruelties when trying to make his former daughter, now growing young son, be something he has no clue of being.
The great saving grace of this very moving story is the combined humanity of Paul’s six brothers. Each brother is so distinctively defined with delicate brush strokes of caring, emotion, heart and compassion that much of Paul’s survival and emotional growth is dependent upon them, who, in some ways, still protect their little brother with the same fierceness applied when he was their little sister.
The full story of Perfect Peace is so rich and complicated, that there is little space here to chronicle its remarkable trajectory. Suffice it to say that this is one helluva read, and one of epic proportion. Mr. Black’s story-telling skills and prose are nearly as good as Toni Morrison’s. I am one of his newest fans. And this great and powerful book will haunt me for many years to come.
Adolescent Emma Jean suffered indignities not dissimilar from those suffered by Celie in “The Color Purple,� only her Mister was her mother, a title cruelly unearned. So when grown Emma Jean cuts off all ties with her mother, marries a not so bad poor country laborer named Gus, who cries when the heavens do, and gives him six sons, she is sure that seven is the charm.
But alas, with the help of midwife Henrietta, Emma Jean gives birth to another son. Undaunted, she decides right then and there, to pass her new son off as her daughter, and uses blackmail to bind the midwife’s complicity.
Emma Jean names her faux daughter Perfect.
Set in the rural, cruel, but hauntingly evocative American south of the early 1940’s, this remarkable and totally credible tale of gender identity, dogged determination, family, sexuality, and unconditional love envelopes one into the complicated world of the Peace family
The six young Peace boys—James Earl, Woody, Bartmaeus, Sol, Mister and Authorly—are awed by their beautiful new sister, and are both respectful and protective of her. “I’ll be glad when she’s old enough to play with us,� Sol muses with wonder. “She ain’t gon� play with us, fool!� the bright and knowledge-seeking Authorly says. “She’s a girl, and girls is real delicate. They not tough like boys, so they have to play with other girls.�
For eight years the lie lives flawlessly. The modesty of the times never allowed Gus and his six sons to ever see Perfect naked. Diapers were changed, and the child was bathed and dressed by mother Emma Jean only. Even Perfect, with no knowledge of anatomy, grows up completely unaware that the little appendage dangling between her/his legs is male genitalia.
And in every other sense and sensibility, Perfect lives up to her name. She is quite simply a beautiful child, and Emma Jean sacrifices much of the family resources to make sure she is dressed in the finest the family’s little money can buy, parading the child before church and community with a pride that borders on haughtiness.
It is when the truth is discovered that all hell breaks loose. And though Emma Jean is rightly blamed for the deceit, it is heartbreaking to witness the community condemnation heaped upon the innocent child, renamed Paul, who must now suddenly be a boy in the fish bowl of an unforgiving society. Even Paul’s father Gus, normally a decent guy, resorts to horrendous cruelties when trying to make his former daughter, now growing young son, be something he has no clue of being.
The great saving grace of this very moving story is the combined humanity of Paul’s six brothers. Each brother is so distinctively defined with delicate brush strokes of caring, emotion, heart and compassion that much of Paul’s survival and emotional growth is dependent upon them, who, in some ways, still protect their little brother with the same fierceness applied when he was their little sister.
The full story of Perfect Peace is so rich and complicated, that there is little space here to chronicle its remarkable trajectory. Suffice it to say that this is one helluva read, and one of epic proportion. Mr. Black’s story-telling skills and prose are nearly as good as Toni Morrison’s. I am one of his newest fans. And this great and powerful book will haunt me for many years to come.
March 29, 2016
This is moving. A story of a heartbreaking cycle of abuse and the destruction left in its wake. I am truly floored and humbled by this story. Everyone has their burden to bare but what happens when you put it on an innocent child? This story chronicles the lives of the Peace family and all they overcome or accept in order to live. That's it, nothing extraordinary, just to live. This was a fantastic read, this should be required reading for high school students and college alike. There are lessons to be learned and forgiveness to find.
February 13, 2019
Audio 5 stars
Story - 2 stars
Story - 2 stars
December 27, 2024
Not sure I've ever read a book like this. Toni Morrison's work comes close, but this one feels more accessible to me, even though there isn't a single character that I can relate to personally. However, I was able to feel a great deal of sorrowful empathy for all of them, even the minor characters and the despicable ones (well, except for the ones who Eva Mae took care of - she's my kind of "justice," though admittedly, only in my fantasies).
Sol made me weep with swollen pride. Emma Jean's sisters made me both angry and sad. Henrietta made me shake my head. Woody needs to reread the Bible. Caroline made me hurt for her. Bartimeus made feel love for everyone. Eva Mae made want her to be my friend. Gus made me glad he found his way. Mister made me have hope. Paul made me wonder.
A profound book on many levels. Needs a master class all on its own. A book like this can change a person.
Sol made me weep with swollen pride. Emma Jean's sisters made me both angry and sad. Henrietta made me shake my head. Woody needs to reread the Bible. Caroline made me hurt for her. Bartimeus made feel love for everyone. Eva Mae made want her to be my friend. Gus made me glad he found his way. Mister made me have hope. Paul made me wonder.
A profound book on many levels. Needs a master class all on its own. A book like this can change a person.
January 20, 2015
Wow my first five-star book of the year and so well deserved, I only wished this book would have been longer to tell in the entirety the rich saga of the Peace family--mom and dad, Emma Jean and Gus and thier six unique and interesting sons..The book begins with an impatient Emma Jean and a regretful Gus awaiting the birth of their seventh child which despite the mouths to feed is desperately wanted by Emma Jean as a way to provide the love and attention she never got from her heartless colorstruck mother in her traumatic and emotionally abusive childhood...After a hard labor where she births a healthy and beautiful son Emma Jean is heartbroken and desperately schemes to get the daughter she always wanted by raising her beautiful son as a girl..I found this premise so interesting and horrifying I literally read with my mouth open however the book was far from over as the baby "girl" is named of all things Perfect Peace and raised as a little lady with ribbons, bows and all that until her eighth birthday when Emma Jean cant live her own lie anymore and breaks it to Perfect that she is a boy and will now live like one. In one day Perfect becomes Paul and his world is rocked, your heart breaks for him and the family as a whole as they deal with this betrayal from their matriach...I loved everything from the character description, the scenery, the pscychological and social issues and my only complaint is that it could have been longer..Loved this though it was uncomfortable and sad..Highly recommended.
February 24, 2022
An absolutely amazing book, filled with exceptionally vivid characters and heartbreaking and inspirational events.
The eighth child of Emma Jean and Gus Peace has a lot of expectations placed on its unborn head. Emma Jean is desperate for a girl, after having seven boys and never feeling loved by her own mother. She wanted a daughter upon whom she could give all the love that she never got from her own mother. When her last baby turned out to be a boy, Emma Jean decided that she would lie and tell everyone that it was a girl, even under the protests of the midwife. She named the girl Perfect, and continued the lie until Perfect’s eighth birthday, when she was forced to tell the child and her family the truth about her. The child was renamed Paul and he spent the rest of his life trying to overcome those first eight years of his life. Emma Jean’s decision had a profound impact on her whole family and the town she lived in. No one could seem to accept Paul for who he now was and even seem to blame him for it. There were repercussions for what Emma Jean did to Paul that reached every member of her family, in ways that no one could have predicted.
This book is beautifully written and you become absorbed in the culture of mid-century rural Arkansas. The Jordan River, which flows near the town of Swamp Creek, becomes another character in the story,as it is the focus of many events that take place. There are a lot of issues that are explored in this book including but not limited to gender identity, sexuality, unconditional love and personal fulfillment.
A beautiful quote that sums up Paul’s life:
“Paul sighed and opened his eyes. What he like most about the Jordan was that no one could hinder its flow. It had a mind all its own. Others� opinions of its size or depth didn’t matter. Only G-d possessed the power to subvert its course. Whether viewers loved it or not was inconsequential. It was a river, and it was created to flow, and that’s exactly what it did. And that’s all it did. That was its purpose, and no one could alter that identity, regardless of what they thought. The Jordan enjoyed a life free from external criticism and that’s what Paul wanted. Isn’t that what everyone wanted?�
An absolute recommend.
The eighth child of Emma Jean and Gus Peace has a lot of expectations placed on its unborn head. Emma Jean is desperate for a girl, after having seven boys and never feeling loved by her own mother. She wanted a daughter upon whom she could give all the love that she never got from her own mother. When her last baby turned out to be a boy, Emma Jean decided that she would lie and tell everyone that it was a girl, even under the protests of the midwife. She named the girl Perfect, and continued the lie until Perfect’s eighth birthday, when she was forced to tell the child and her family the truth about her. The child was renamed Paul and he spent the rest of his life trying to overcome those first eight years of his life. Emma Jean’s decision had a profound impact on her whole family and the town she lived in. No one could seem to accept Paul for who he now was and even seem to blame him for it. There were repercussions for what Emma Jean did to Paul that reached every member of her family, in ways that no one could have predicted.
This book is beautifully written and you become absorbed in the culture of mid-century rural Arkansas. The Jordan River, which flows near the town of Swamp Creek, becomes another character in the story,as it is the focus of many events that take place. There are a lot of issues that are explored in this book including but not limited to gender identity, sexuality, unconditional love and personal fulfillment.
A beautiful quote that sums up Paul’s life:
“Paul sighed and opened his eyes. What he like most about the Jordan was that no one could hinder its flow. It had a mind all its own. Others� opinions of its size or depth didn’t matter. Only G-d possessed the power to subvert its course. Whether viewers loved it or not was inconsequential. It was a river, and it was created to flow, and that’s exactly what it did. And that’s all it did. That was its purpose, and no one could alter that identity, regardless of what they thought. The Jordan enjoyed a life free from external criticism and that’s what Paul wanted. Isn’t that what everyone wanted?�
An absolute recommend.
March 17, 2016
Unusual concept, skillfully executed.
April 20, 2011
I was slightly disappointed in this book. The first few chapters were complete page turners, but toward the middle, the author attempted to sew in several different stories which were actually boring, pointless, incomplete, & unnecessary. Perfect's story alone would have been enough!
January 4, 2011
This book broke my heart. From the moment the first sentence began until the last sentence ended, my heart felt as if it were folding in on itself. Bouncing back and forth between a call~and~response type pattern with flashes forward into the future and tumbles into the past, this is an emotionally charged narrative that will leave you wondering why?
Emma Jean’s desire for a daughter was born of her own need to feel loved, wanted and needed (an overall theme in this book, which is why I think the characters in this book are so relatable). But it’s not just the emotional, physical and psychological damage that is done to Perfect that begs to be examined, it’s the damage that was been done to Emma Jean in her past that made me pity her. No member of the Peace family remains unscathed by this tragedy and Black does a wonderful job of exploring the hurt and rage that the revelation of the truth provokes.
This novel made me question everything that I associate with gender and sexuality ~ what does it mean to be a girl or to be a boy? Can one’s gender be changed by nature or nurture?
What I liked most was that Black didn’t wrap the book up with a pretty little bow at the end, the characters are given some measure of healing but deep down you know that they’ll continue to pay the price for Emma Jean’s deceptions for the rest of their lives.
Emma Jean’s desire for a daughter was born of her own need to feel loved, wanted and needed (an overall theme in this book, which is why I think the characters in this book are so relatable). But it’s not just the emotional, physical and psychological damage that is done to Perfect that begs to be examined, it’s the damage that was been done to Emma Jean in her past that made me pity her. No member of the Peace family remains unscathed by this tragedy and Black does a wonderful job of exploring the hurt and rage that the revelation of the truth provokes.
This novel made me question everything that I associate with gender and sexuality ~ what does it mean to be a girl or to be a boy? Can one’s gender be changed by nature or nurture?
What I liked most was that Black didn’t wrap the book up with a pretty little bow at the end, the characters are given some measure of healing but deep down you know that they’ll continue to pay the price for Emma Jean’s deceptions for the rest of their lives.
November 13, 2011
This book has been the most excruciating reading experience ever, like watching a train wreck or car crash in slow motion. Just when you think it can't get any worse it manages to reveal yet another ugly side of human behavior. And I can't understand why the book jacket chose to include a spoiler that further makes for a sense of underlyiing dread for the first hundred pages. Not that it matters much, the whole novel is so heavy with repetition and foreshadowing which only adds to the tedium. I confess I am 50 or so pages from the end but I will finish just to alleviate the torture.
So now that I've finished my position hasn't changed other than to say, as another reader mentioned, this book would have benefitted from more careful editing. It is preachy, heavyhanded and the few really compelling and well written passages, such as the cleansings by the river and the responses to Solomon's singing aren't enough to save it.
So now that I've finished my position hasn't changed other than to say, as another reader mentioned, this book would have benefitted from more careful editing. It is preachy, heavyhanded and the few really compelling and well written passages, such as the cleansings by the river and the responses to Solomon's singing aren't enough to save it.
October 26, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It did not disappoint. It had a slow start but that didn't last long and I quickly was engrossed in the story. This book made me mad, happy, sad and sympathetic. I felt deeply for Perfect/Paul and the confusion he was forced to endure and figure out. I felt like Eva Mae was a critical person in his life and without her he Paul wouldn't have had more insight into male/female relationships. It warmed my heart that Caroline found love despite her size and hurt that caused her to eat so. Each brother was unique in their own way and had their special purpose in life and was determined to fulfill it. I'm glad Paul had so many male figures in his life to help him on his journey as best they could. It was sad that Emma Jean was such a sad and determined person that she felt the need to get what she wanted even though it wasn't intended for her and as a result she caused so much hurt and pain to someone she loved so much and really couldn't do anything to protect or help after it was all said and done aside from offering her genuine apologies. The fact that she knew it couldn't last forever should have been enough for her to not go through with it at all but she wanted what she wanted and paid the price in the end. I am glad I finally got a chance to read this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to read a heartfelt story about gender, family, growing into oneself and learning to forgive and live out your purpose despite the obstacles that are bound to get in the way.
November 23, 2023
Not sure why it took me so long to pick this book up. But I wish I had done it sooner cause I was left speechless!!! Daniel Black is such an amazing storyteller I could barely put it down. I still can’t believe the way things unfolded.
Emma Jean experienced a lot of verbal and physical abuse during her childhood which could explain why she wanted a daughter so bad. All she wanted was for her mother to love her so maybe she felt she needed a daughter to rewrite her mothers wrongdoings. Either way nothing can truly explain Emma Jean’s choice for lying about Perfect’s gender. Not only was that selfish but it was bizarre asf. Her confession and apology to Perfect(Paul) on his eighth birthday was blunt, unacceptable, and in my opinion unforgivable.
I knew it was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed. Gus was on her ass when he found out. Made Emma sleep on the floor as he should have for what she did.
I like how the author continued to capture the personal stories of the Peace family. While the book was solely based on Paul we get a glimpse of the challenges his family faced.
I thought it was crazy Authorly and James Earl were both basically married to the same woman lol like how that work?
When Mister spoke his truth to Paul I was like wooooow who knew lol.
Eva Mae was one of my favorite characters that girl was just to grown for her own good. When she was playing house with Perfect and said “Don’t yo� daddy slap yo� momma when she get smart at the mouth?� Like brrruh what, where are the parents why does she think this is normal or even okay.
Overall, the author crafted a very engaging novel exploring themes surrounding gender, sexuality, hidden secrets, self-hate, settling, forgiveness, and identity. He also highlights the impact parental abuse and neglect can have on a child. There’s so much more I can say about this book but I’ll leave it at this one is a must read!!!
Emma Jean experienced a lot of verbal and physical abuse during her childhood which could explain why she wanted a daughter so bad. All she wanted was for her mother to love her so maybe she felt she needed a daughter to rewrite her mothers wrongdoings. Either way nothing can truly explain Emma Jean’s choice for lying about Perfect’s gender. Not only was that selfish but it was bizarre asf. Her confession and apology to Perfect(Paul) on his eighth birthday was blunt, unacceptable, and in my opinion unforgivable.
I knew it was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed. Gus was on her ass when he found out. Made Emma sleep on the floor as he should have for what she did.
I like how the author continued to capture the personal stories of the Peace family. While the book was solely based on Paul we get a glimpse of the challenges his family faced.
I thought it was crazy Authorly and James Earl were both basically married to the same woman lol like how that work?
When Mister spoke his truth to Paul I was like wooooow who knew lol.
Eva Mae was one of my favorite characters that girl was just to grown for her own good. When she was playing house with Perfect and said “Don’t yo� daddy slap yo� momma when she get smart at the mouth?� Like brrruh what, where are the parents why does she think this is normal or even okay.
Overall, the author crafted a very engaging novel exploring themes surrounding gender, sexuality, hidden secrets, self-hate, settling, forgiveness, and identity. He also highlights the impact parental abuse and neglect can have on a child. There’s so much more I can say about this book but I’ll leave it at this one is a must read!!!
January 14, 2014
Gasps!! Daniel Black left me speechless after reading this book. I mean from the beginning to the end I just kept shaking my head. He discussed things the some just graze over as if it didn't exist. This book was highly recommended to me and I have no clue why it took me so long to read it. I certainly wasn't disappointed. The characters were humanly flawed and in real life situations that will sometimes cause you to laugh and others will cause you to question, "But why?" This is a literary piece of work that I am sure I could read over and over again and see something that I didn't see before. I highly recommend all book lovers to pick this book up and if you've read it before, buy a copy for a friend. It would surely make you fall in love with reading all over again.
July 21, 2012
Wow. An exquisitely written story of a heart-breaking web of lies, relationships, and growth. I didn't want to read it initially, but it held my attention...too bad I missed my bookclub's discussion. There are many lessons in this book to meditate on.
November 25, 2012
I started out with 5 stars for this book, for originality alone. Once I started reading, I admit I was disappointed by the time frame. I would prefer to read books that have more contemporary settings because most books and movies have Blacks stuck in slavery or Jim Crow and I get tired of it especially since it doesn't speak to where I am now (hopefully that makes sense. I have a degree in History so I'm definitely not downgrading or disrespecting our history.)
Anyway, after my initial disappointment, I settled in with the book and I did end up enjoying it. I thought Daniel did a good job making 3 dimensional characters with real and distinct personalities. Even if I didn't appreciate everyone's behavior, I could empathize with the characters and understand the catalysts behind their behaviors.
I enjoyed the allusions in this book. For example, like Jacob from the Bible, Gus "wrestles" with God and walks away with a limp. (This is sometimes a metaphor for some people's relationships with God, but Gus literally tried to fight the Lord.) I loved the images this conjured in my mind.
The whole book had a lot of religious imagery, for example, the icy Jordan, where Gus and Blind Bartimaeus (named for the man in the Bible) went for their annual cleansing. We also had wise King Solomon who was determined to continue learning and whose theme song was "All of My Help Comes from the Lord". I liked the religious aspect, but most of it was super obvious. I wondered if Daniel meant for his writing to be that superficial when it came to the religious aspect of it.
Some things that I didn't like were the attempts at discussing colorism, hair differences, fake christians, and relationships between women. Colorism is a huge problem in the Black community, even today. If you're going to discuss it, give it some background and context because there is a valid reason for it and a lot of hurt feelings behind it. Same with the hair.
Also, if you're going to have a bunch of fake Christians, they need to be offset with real ones. They do exist. And lastly, there was not one positive relationship in that whole book between two women. I thought that was a serious shortcoming-almost worth a star. I love reading books by Black authors but when you make a whole community hateful and dysfunctional, I find it hard to support that. That's why I'd never support Paul Beatty again (man, he's the worse.)
Overall, I found the book entertaining, the concept original, and the resolution satisfactory-so I'm giving it 3.75 stars.
So onto the plot...
Anyway, after my initial disappointment, I settled in with the book and I did end up enjoying it. I thought Daniel did a good job making 3 dimensional characters with real and distinct personalities. Even if I didn't appreciate everyone's behavior, I could empathize with the characters and understand the catalysts behind their behaviors.
I enjoyed the allusions in this book. For example, like Jacob from the Bible, Gus "wrestles" with God and walks away with a limp. (This is sometimes a metaphor for some people's relationships with God, but Gus literally tried to fight the Lord.) I loved the images this conjured in my mind.
The whole book had a lot of religious imagery, for example, the icy Jordan, where Gus and Blind Bartimaeus (named for the man in the Bible) went for their annual cleansing. We also had wise King Solomon who was determined to continue learning and whose theme song was "All of My Help Comes from the Lord". I liked the religious aspect, but most of it was super obvious. I wondered if Daniel meant for his writing to be that superficial when it came to the religious aspect of it.
Some things that I didn't like were the attempts at discussing colorism, hair differences, fake christians, and relationships between women. Colorism is a huge problem in the Black community, even today. If you're going to discuss it, give it some background and context because there is a valid reason for it and a lot of hurt feelings behind it. Same with the hair.
Also, if you're going to have a bunch of fake Christians, they need to be offset with real ones. They do exist. And lastly, there was not one positive relationship in that whole book between two women. I thought that was a serious shortcoming-almost worth a star. I love reading books by Black authors but when you make a whole community hateful and dysfunctional, I find it hard to support that. That's why I'd never support Paul Beatty again (man, he's the worse.)
Overall, I found the book entertaining, the concept original, and the resolution satisfactory-so I'm giving it 3.75 stars.
So onto the plot...
February 12, 2011
Perfect Peace certainly can embrace the saying “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.� Perfect was born male and his mother Emma Jean out of her desperation and need for a female child convinced her son he was a she. He was dressed in ribbons and dresses and often told how beautiful she was. He was not allowed to play with his/her brothers. When she would ask she was told “girls don’t play with boys, her younger brothers wanted to play with her but they were told shes supposed to do girl stuff.
At the age of eight Emma Jean takes Perfect into the woods and abruptly change Perfect from female to male(Perfect to Paul). She hacks her beautiful hair into a short cut, forces her to believe he’s a boy and must learn to act like one. She also tells Paul that he will be ok. Paul’s dad Gus is having trouble with this new information and in dealing with Paul. His mind is plagued with memories of Perfect his little girl, how does he transition his mind? How can he love a son who was once his little girl? Gus decides to let his son Authorly teach Perfect how to be a man. All six of her brothers try to help each one using their own talent and experience coupled with love of family. But its one brother that teaches Paul a lesson Jesus would be proud of.
As the family tries to heal after learning what Emma Jean has done the deception proves to be pretty strong for this family and no one can understand Emma Jeans reasoning. It’s not until the face of tragedy hits that moves this family towards healing and survival. Perfect Peace forces the reader to re-think what you feel you know about personal desires, identity, gender, and sexual orientation. Mr. Black did an excellent job of appropriating the language of our people during this time. Also if imagined how a child would handle an identity crisis that borders homosexuality amongst people who were not educated enough to have grace or mercy.
It is the opinion of this reviewer that Perfect Peace is a work of literary genius. No matter who you are we are all “perfect� in His eyes and should be allowed to live in “peace�. Next up “The Sacred Place� by the same author my library would be incomplete without The Sacred Place and “They tell me of a Home�.
Missy
Readers Paradise
5 book marks
At the age of eight Emma Jean takes Perfect into the woods and abruptly change Perfect from female to male(Perfect to Paul). She hacks her beautiful hair into a short cut, forces her to believe he’s a boy and must learn to act like one. She also tells Paul that he will be ok. Paul’s dad Gus is having trouble with this new information and in dealing with Paul. His mind is plagued with memories of Perfect his little girl, how does he transition his mind? How can he love a son who was once his little girl? Gus decides to let his son Authorly teach Perfect how to be a man. All six of her brothers try to help each one using their own talent and experience coupled with love of family. But its one brother that teaches Paul a lesson Jesus would be proud of.
As the family tries to heal after learning what Emma Jean has done the deception proves to be pretty strong for this family and no one can understand Emma Jeans reasoning. It’s not until the face of tragedy hits that moves this family towards healing and survival. Perfect Peace forces the reader to re-think what you feel you know about personal desires, identity, gender, and sexual orientation. Mr. Black did an excellent job of appropriating the language of our people during this time. Also if imagined how a child would handle an identity crisis that borders homosexuality amongst people who were not educated enough to have grace or mercy.
It is the opinion of this reviewer that Perfect Peace is a work of literary genius. No matter who you are we are all “perfect� in His eyes and should be allowed to live in “peace�. Next up “The Sacred Place� by the same author my library would be incomplete without The Sacred Place and “They tell me of a Home�.
Missy
Readers Paradise
5 book marks
October 7, 2017
Wow! Wow! Wow~!
This is perhaps one of the more unique story lines I have read about this year. Side note: I have been reading some fascinating books this year.
Perfect Peace is the story of the Peace family. Emma Jean Peace had a terrible childhood, because she wasn't as fair skinned as her sisters. She vows to herself when she is older, she will have a daughter and treat her as well as she wished her mother treated her. Since we always get what we want in life, Emma Jean gives birth to 7 boys!
Emma Jean fools her family and the whole town by making them believe her seventh son, is a girl. Scandalous ain't she?
This book had me cracking up, cringing, smiling, and getting angry. I don't believe I have read anything like this before.The story was told in third person and it worked well. The character development was fantastic! Every main character had a full story that was fully developed and properly explained. This book had such a diverse cast of characters and none of the characters were victims of their circumstances, which made me love the book even more! There were several moments in this book that had me clutching my pearls, simply because I am not used to reading about such things but Daniel Black made it work!
Originally, I was intimidated by the size of the words in the books. Now, I am unsure of why because it really wasn't that bad. I am so happy I didn't let me fear stop me from reading this book though because I would have missed out on an amazing story. I can not wait for my book club to discuss the nuances of this book.
This is perhaps one of the more unique story lines I have read about this year. Side note: I have been reading some fascinating books this year.
Perfect Peace is the story of the Peace family. Emma Jean Peace had a terrible childhood, because she wasn't as fair skinned as her sisters. She vows to herself when she is older, she will have a daughter and treat her as well as she wished her mother treated her. Since we always get what we want in life, Emma Jean gives birth to 7 boys!
Emma Jean fools her family and the whole town by making them believe her seventh son, is a girl. Scandalous ain't she?
This book had me cracking up, cringing, smiling, and getting angry. I don't believe I have read anything like this before.The story was told in third person and it worked well. The character development was fantastic! Every main character had a full story that was fully developed and properly explained. This book had such a diverse cast of characters and none of the characters were victims of their circumstances, which made me love the book even more! There were several moments in this book that had me clutching my pearls, simply because I am not used to reading about such things but Daniel Black made it work!
Originally, I was intimidated by the size of the words in the books. Now, I am unsure of why because it really wasn't that bad. I am so happy I didn't let me fear stop me from reading this book though because I would have missed out on an amazing story. I can not wait for my book club to discuss the nuances of this book.
November 18, 2023
Crying & Laughing all at the same time 10/10 ! Daniel Black is a Genius for this Book. I definitely recommend reading this book with a friend. I’m so happy my Book Club Sis Bree read it along with me.
Okay so Emma Jean , dun had like 6 Sons. She gets pregnant yet again w|a 7th SON. & decides within seconds that she is going to tell everybody he’s a girl.
She tells the midwife Henrietta who delivered the baby, not to say anything to anyone ever about it being a boy.
then Emma Jean goes on to be very much
L O U D about her 1st daughter. She named her Perfect, which is already a Big Bright Red Flag in the community because it’s the 1940s/50s & no one has heard of a name like that before. She dresses Perfect in pretty dresses w| ribbons, to match. Perfect gets new Toys , & even a big birthday party. Which none of her other children have had.
Life is literally Perfect for Emma Jean � until she makes the decision to tell Perfect she’s actually a boy.
This book was so deep , & engaging. You felt for each character in the book. I was so invested in everyone’s individual story.
I learned so much about life during these post slavery years � & how African American families lived & ran their homes & the struggles they unknowingly passed down from generation to generation.
It was the 1st historical fiction book that made me laugh out loud because even though the book is dealing with very serious topics , Daniel Black drops so many realistic gems in the book that make you remember conversations or settings with your own family & friends that are very similar to the characters.
Okay so Emma Jean , dun had like 6 Sons. She gets pregnant yet again w|a 7th SON. & decides within seconds that she is going to tell everybody he’s a girl.
She tells the midwife Henrietta who delivered the baby, not to say anything to anyone ever about it being a boy.
then Emma Jean goes on to be very much
L O U D about her 1st daughter. She named her Perfect, which is already a Big Bright Red Flag in the community because it’s the 1940s/50s & no one has heard of a name like that before. She dresses Perfect in pretty dresses w| ribbons, to match. Perfect gets new Toys , & even a big birthday party. Which none of her other children have had.
Life is literally Perfect for Emma Jean � until she makes the decision to tell Perfect she’s actually a boy.
This book was so deep , & engaging. You felt for each character in the book. I was so invested in everyone’s individual story.
I learned so much about life during these post slavery years � & how African American families lived & ran their homes & the struggles they unknowingly passed down from generation to generation.
It was the 1st historical fiction book that made me laugh out loud because even though the book is dealing with very serious topics , Daniel Black drops so many realistic gems in the book that make you remember conversations or settings with your own family & friends that are very similar to the characters.
April 24, 2011
Excellent, excellent read! Highly recommend it. Many lessons to be learned through this book. Next on my list...Water For Elephants
September 26, 2014
i love this book. it's good storytelling, daring storytelling that mashes up race and gender and the politics of childhood in a really brave and interesting way. think, if you will, octavia butler's . just like Fledgling, this book has caused a bit of an ethical/squeamish stir. i understand Fledgling's stir more than i understand Perfect Peace's stir. Fledgling has some serious squirm-inducing moment. Perfect Peace pushes buttons i apparently don't have. i don't care that daniel black decides to have a mother raise her boy as a girl. to me it's interesting. and even more interesting is seeing the outrage this is causing in some readers. as if fiction gave us outrageous stuff only rarely. are you kidding? just about everything in fiction is outrageous. but this deliberate crossing of gender paradigms seems to many a terrible, terrible literary act.
so let's this clear: the mother is fictional. the kid is fictional. no "boy" got really raised as a "girl" in the making of this book.
it is so fascinating to me that the entirety of perfect's gender identity resides in her penis. does she have it? and later, does he have it? there are two really great movies, and that also present children with ambiguous gender. in both movies The Question is "does she have it?" "does he have it?"
the penis is the center of gender identification.
which is interesting because perfect/paul says quite at the beginning that her/his penis is a small one, and, speaking as an adult, admits that it never got as big at that of his/her brother misterly (which he saw when he became a little boy and was forced to pee outdoors with the other boys, standing up). is a boy with a small penis less of a boy? is a boy with no penis not a boy? is a girl with a penis not a girl?
daniel black never solves the question of perfect/paul's sexual desire, which i thought is an excellent choice. the easy go-to explanation is that she/he's messed up. i prefer to think in terms of opportunity and fluidity. the kid who's a girl until 8-years-old and a boy thereafter gets to experience some pretty intense desires as an object of other people's desire. and then as a subject of her own desires, too. perfect/paul is allowed to like boys and like girls as a girl would. there is no pressure on her/him not to like boys "that way." her/his desires get to roam a bit -- at least to roam as much as girls' desires do. and once he becomes a boy those roamings don't stop, because why should they? they are mighty nice.
i am a tad shocked by the harshness of the punishment meted on emma jean, perfect/paul's mother. the community hates her. her family hates her. the reader hates her. i don't think daniel black hates her. i don't think he hates any of this book's complex, fascinating characters. they are all pretty amazing.
i think the book is worth reading if only for its exploration of the demands placed on a certain kind (black? jim-crow black? rural? christian?) of masculinity. the whole book can, in fact, be seen as just that, an exploration on the demands placed on men (all men?). but then again, it also spends some serious time on the demands placed on women, and both sets of demands are so terribly harsh, one wonders why on earth we came up with them in the first place.
i'm not really qualified to say much about race. daniel black chooses to set this in jim-crow arkansas (in an all-black community, so there are no scenes of cross-race humiliation but only your, you know, run of the mill poverty [ugh]) and to have the characters speak in dialect. i'm sure there's a lot to be said about this choices but nothing comes to mind right now. if people want to contribute, i'd be grateful.
so let's this clear: the mother is fictional. the kid is fictional. no "boy" got really raised as a "girl" in the making of this book.
it is so fascinating to me that the entirety of perfect's gender identity resides in her penis. does she have it? and later, does he have it? there are two really great movies, and that also present children with ambiguous gender. in both movies The Question is "does she have it?" "does he have it?"
the penis is the center of gender identification.
which is interesting because perfect/paul says quite at the beginning that her/his penis is a small one, and, speaking as an adult, admits that it never got as big at that of his/her brother misterly (which he saw when he became a little boy and was forced to pee outdoors with the other boys, standing up). is a boy with a small penis less of a boy? is a boy with no penis not a boy? is a girl with a penis not a girl?
daniel black never solves the question of perfect/paul's sexual desire, which i thought is an excellent choice. the easy go-to explanation is that she/he's messed up. i prefer to think in terms of opportunity and fluidity. the kid who's a girl until 8-years-old and a boy thereafter gets to experience some pretty intense desires as an object of other people's desire. and then as a subject of her own desires, too. perfect/paul is allowed to like boys and like girls as a girl would. there is no pressure on her/him not to like boys "that way." her/his desires get to roam a bit -- at least to roam as much as girls' desires do. and once he becomes a boy those roamings don't stop, because why should they? they are mighty nice.
i am a tad shocked by the harshness of the punishment meted on emma jean, perfect/paul's mother. the community hates her. her family hates her. the reader hates her. i don't think daniel black hates her. i don't think he hates any of this book's complex, fascinating characters. they are all pretty amazing.
i think the book is worth reading if only for its exploration of the demands placed on a certain kind (black? jim-crow black? rural? christian?) of masculinity. the whole book can, in fact, be seen as just that, an exploration on the demands placed on men (all men?). but then again, it also spends some serious time on the demands placed on women, and both sets of demands are so terribly harsh, one wonders why on earth we came up with them in the first place.
i'm not really qualified to say much about race. daniel black chooses to set this in jim-crow arkansas (in an all-black community, so there are no scenes of cross-race humiliation but only your, you know, run of the mill poverty [ugh]) and to have the characters speak in dialect. i'm sure there's a lot to be said about this choices but nothing comes to mind right now. if people want to contribute, i'd be grateful.
January 18, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this. I felt very at home reading it, as well. The setting, the way people talked, the personalities all felt familiar to me. This book tackled a lot of issues like toxic masculinity, colorism, gender identity, sexuality, reconciliation and the immense impact that parents have on their children and how that cycle can perpetuate. I was really impressed by how many characters there were and the great job Black did at making everyone very distinct. I never once mixed up any of the brothers which is a true feat, lol. It wasn't perfect (no pun intended) and some things made me side-eye a little (won't mention because spoilers), but overall I found it to be an engaging read. I wouldn't mind reading more from Daniel Black :)
July 3, 2015
I read this story because it was a recommendation from some book lover friends. I was totally shocked and surprised through out the read. Mr. Black will be another author that I will be on the lookout for.
August 18, 2021
Y'all this book right here!!!! 😲😲 sooo good. A very good read. A page turner Emma Jean was CRAZY 🤪. She really wanted a girl so bad she mentally scarred her son. Sooo many emotions and feelings.
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March 26, 2023Whew, this was a hot mess - in more ways than one! I can't say that I totally disliked this book, because I couldn't stop reading it. The Alice Walker blurb on the front cover - "It is a gift to have so much passion, so much love, so much beautiful writing."- is apt, but totally glosses over the book's weaknesses.
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