The art of pillow talk
What happens in the minds and hearts of two people when they join hands to look for a way to tiptoe through the mating minefield?
It turns out that physical interaction, great as it almost is, is not enough for her. Worse, his reluctant verbal forays prove inadequate at locking in the moments of emotional connection she wants and needs.
Language, her preferred means of communication, is at odds with his preference for a creative, largely unspoken approach to romance. Will their differing personalities be the death of the overpowering attraction that brought them together?
For an answer to this question, she leans on literature to open him up (“she’s a book girl, top to bottom”). He counters with art. The novel provides a record of the way these two people talk when they’re alone together and striving to work through appearances to the promise of a reality they both hope will work for them–provided they won’t have to compromise.
A Perfect Woman may be unique in form. The story is driven by she-said/he-said dialog and each of the eighteen chapters is punctuated by alternating interior monologues: she thought/he thought. The narrative is packed with what each finds useful in the culture.
The story takes place on a Saturday in December between noon and midnight.
Lastly, there’s a fair amount of humor (and attempts at it that often miss the mark.