“In this historical moment we are afflicted from the feeling of appearance, that’s enough to observe the social networks. There is a desperate need to appear celebrating beauty, success, well-being, not necessarily cheap. The message is: look how happy I am, how brilliant, how intelligent. It’s a recurring theme in Federica De Paolis’ books. “Le imperfette” is related to this concept: imperfect women, imperfect people. But where does the concept of perfection come from? And why are we chasing it?” — Giornale di Brescia

“The new Madame Bovary end up in therapy”! – la Repubblica

“Le imperfette” is a novel of absolute effectiveness, in the tradition of the first Susanna Tamaro and Margaret Mazzantini.” – La Stampa

The new Madame Bovary — La Repubblica

An ode to love and rediscovered maternity — Teresa Ciabatti

A worthy and virtuous heir of great Italian women writers, such as Susanna Tamaro and Margaret Mazzantini — Elena Stancanelli, La Stampa

There are no betrayals, but only spaces. And it’s through those spaces that people pass and sneak in.

Anna is playing a part, but she doesn’t know it. Or maybe she doesn’t want to know,because then she would have to ask herself who she really is, and what she wants outof life. She has two wonderful children and Guido, her plastic surgeon husband has just been appointed head of Villa Sant’Orsola, the family-run private clinic, by Attilio, Anna’s father, who would do anything for his beloved daughter. So, what’s wrong? The truth comes out when the family is embroiled in a scandal: the two surgeons are accused of having implanted damaged prosthetics and an investigation begins. Anna and Guido’s seemingly perfect marriage hits the rocks, and everything starts to come down around them like a relentless avalanche.

Lies, betrayal, cheating: all the characters in this bourgeois drama are keeping a secret. No one is as they seem.

Le Imperfette tells the story of a woman who is always dedicated and present, even though she wishes she could be somewhere else, to escape her role as wife, mother and daughter.

With extraordinary clarity and writing that leaves no room for rhetoric, Le Imperfette takes a peek into the mess we all carry inside, where the lies other people tell mingle with the tricks our own senses play on us.