In The Price of Perfection by Michael G. Barash, Erika lives in Groundtown while her daughter Veronica has spent her entire life inside Prism, a simulation run by Paragon. Veronica becomes a user and metaprogrammer who explores hidden architecture and unreleased zones while studying predictive code. Paragon expels her for unauthorized access and returns Veronica to Erika, now in an unfamiliar body, with no knowledge of the physical world, and with a mother she has to learn to trust. They reach out for help from a fixer, a recluse, and a holo aide, finding competing plans around Prism’s future and questions about responsibility. A failed memory-projection procedure creates system corruption and a second Veronica, while criminal attention and corporate pursuit push Erika and Veronica to extreme new strategies.

The Price of Perfection by Michael G Barash offers a bracing mix of keen character attention and gradual onward movement that kept me invested in Erika and Veronica as their choices crash against dangerous forces and equally pressing questions. The scenes in Wolf’s clinic show how two people with very different temperaments can push each other toward honest self-assessment while never losing sight of the hazards around them. Erika’s quick thinking during the cyborg encounter sets up later moments in which Veronica presses her to consider what she wants for her own life, giving their conversations a quiet power that stands beside the action. Barash blends hazardous face-offs, measured reasoning, and small moments of connection into a story that comes across as smart and closely considered, making the book a rewarding read overall.

The Price of Perfection by Michael G. Barash follows a mother named Erika, trying to protect her daughter Veronica after she's expelled from the sophisticated, near-perfect digital world of Prism. Veronica grew up in Prism, but developed incredible capabilities that made her dangerous to the wrong groups. Back in physical life, Veronica is overwhelmed by real-world sensations and unintentionally causes system failures wherever she goes. As word spreads that she can access hidden technology worth big money, different factions begin trying to capture her, study her, or kill her before she can return to the digital world. Erika’s goal becomes simple and constant: keep Veronica alive while escaping attacks, hiding in temporary refuges, dealing with malfunctioning equipment, and facing off against anyone who tries to exploit her daughter.

The Price of Perfection by Michael G. Barash has a lot of moving pieces, but Barash does exceptionally well in making sure they click into place neatly, and that readers aren't overwhelmed by the vast tech. I love the blurring between reality and memory-based imagery, like when Veronica sees a reflection of herself as she appeared in Prism, but is interacting with a memory construct rather than the actual simulation. Erika is the most intriguing character, but the people who surround her, like Jennifer, a woman genetically altered as a child who lives in isolation, and Wolf, a medical specialist who works with biological modification and illegal cybernetics, are spectacular. Barash fleshes the worlds out with incredible visuals and social structures, from the Scrapboyz to the Parahuman Alliance, and overall, this is a novel that is absolutely worth the time commitment.

The Price of Perfection by Michael G. Barash follows a mother who will do everything she can to protect her daughter. Set in the future where the elite thrive while others barely survive, Erika Verne is desperate to save her daughter, Veronica. Living in a polluted underclass that has to breathe in smog every day, Erika decides to take some drastic measures. Running out of options, she decides to accept help from an eccentric CEO and his strange VR creation. Veronica is placed inside a utopian virtual reality simulation. While she thrives, Erika is left wondering if she made the right decision. As the mother and daughter grow apart, they must confirm whether love is enough for their relationship to survive. Can their relationship survive different realities? Or will Erika’s decision haunt her forever?

Author Michael G. Barash created a scarily realistic future where we will inhale smog and lose focus from our actual reality. I found the concept of virtual reality fascinating. The execution of it is good, and makes it seem more real. It was uncanny and exceptionally well done. I loved how Erika wants the best for her daughter, even if it means putting some distance (and differences) between them. While Veronica thrives, Erika has a hard time living with the consequences of her decisions. I loved how the author invites readers to find answers to the uncomfortable situations Erika and Veronica are going through. The narrative is simple, easy to understand, and that makes the story more impactful. The character development is perfect and matches the intensity of the story. The emotions run high throughout the plot; some moments crushed me (especially towards the end), and the fast pace never slows down. The Price of Perfection is an impressive story that makes you wonder what is really waiting for us in the future, and whether we will even survive. I enjoyed the story, I loved the characters, and I highly recommend this book!

In The Price of Perfection by Michael G. Barash, the story focuses on Erika Verne, who lives in the thick pollution of Groundtown and turns to Paragon’s virtual haven, Prism, hoping to give her unborn daughter Veronica a life without the hardship she knows too well. Veronica grows up inside Prism’s calm beauty and steady sense of order, since that is the only life she understands. Everything changes once she is pushed out and dropped onto an Earth she has never seen, full of rough edges and new pressures. Her path takes her through clashing virtual spaces and exposes the tricks behind corporate power plays, all while straining the fragile connection between her and her mother. As she discovers the reality behind her origins and confronts perfection’s high price tag, Veronica grapples with questions of identity and belonging—the perilous extent of picotechnology linking them looming overhead. The story builds toward a painful and powerful shift that changes Veronica, forces Erika to face her own history, and makes both confront what a “perfect” world really asks of its people.

In The Price of Perfection by Michael G. Barash, the setting is sharp and easy to picture. Groundtown feels rough and heavy, Prism feels soft and warm, and Phantasia feels loud and empty at the same time. The characters grow in steady, believable ways. Veronica’s shifts feel earned, and Erika’s fear, guilt, and hope come through without forcing anything. Veronica’s scenes in Phantasia, like the dance hall humiliation or the looping forest, show how well the book ties emotion to place. The writing is clear, direct, and full of feeling. The title fits perfectly because the whole book circles around the cost of chasing a flawless life. This book is for readers who enjoy sci-fi built on character growth, virtual spaces, moral questions, and emotional weight. It earns five stars for rich settings, clear emotion, and an ending that stays with the reader after the last page.