All the Ugly and Wonderful Things: A Novel

- A New York Times and USA Today bestseller
- Book of the Month Club 2016 Book of the Year
- Second Place Goodreads Best Fiction of 2016

A beautiful and provocative love story between two unlikely people and the hard-won relationship that elevates them above the Midwestern meth lab backdrop of their lives.

As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight. Struggling to raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around. Obsessed with the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house, until one night her star gazing causes an accident. After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold.

By the time Wavy is a teenager, her relationship with Kellen is the only tender thing in a brutal world of addicts and debauchery. When tragedy rips Wavy's family apart, a well-meaning aunt steps in, and what is beautiful to Wavy looks ugly under the scrutiny of the outside world. A powerful novel you won’t soon forget, Bryn Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things challenges all we know and believe about love.

31 Books Bringing the Heat this Summer —Bustle

Top Ten Hottest Reads of 2016 —New York Daily News

Best Books of 2016 —St. Louis Post Dispatch

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432 pages

Average rating: 7.49

506 RATINGS

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Christene1225

Apr 25, 2025

10/10 stars

This book is not for the faint of heart and was not always easy to read. It was my pick for book club and I thought I might get kicked out. The book is really well written and evokes a lot of feeling. I could barely put it down. Open your mind and pick it up. Hopefully you can see beyond the ugly, apply some critical thinking and perspective, and find some beauty in the experience. Highly recommended!

Hotmessbooklover

Apr 21, 2025

9/10 stars

I have never felt so conflicted while reading a story. "All The Ugly and Wonderful Things" is a gripping narrative that pulls you in and challenges your emotions at every turn. Greenwood's writing is immersive, capturing the turmoil and dysfunction that define the characters’ lives. As I delved deeper into the story, I found myself empathizing with the characters, understanding their need for stability and structure amidst chaos. The latter half of the book, while fraught with tension, reveals the complex nature of love and the choices people make in desperate circumstances. It's a raw portrayal that acknowledges the imperfections of life, making you question what’s right and wrong. This book doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable, and that’s what makes it so powerful. It will tear at your heart, yet in some ways, it feels undeniably right. Greenwood’s exploration of human emotions and relationships is both haunting and beautiful, making it a must-read for anyone willing to confront the complexities of love and morality.

Heather_G

Feb 07, 2025

2/10 stars

This was a DNF. The relationship between the two is disturbing and hard to read. This was uncomfortable and not enjoying to read about for me.

Felinelo

Jan 24, 2025

2/10 stars

A 26 yr old adult sexually fantasize about an 8 yr old minor the first time he met her is wrong. And that same adult sexually involved with that same 8 yr old five years later is a PEDOPHILE. No excuses. Full stop. So why is everybody too shy to use this word? Why do I see so many 5 star ratings? Why do people think this is romantic? How can anyone in their right mind approve of this?
Yes, this book is beautifully written and utterly compelling. But not the most amazing book in the world would set pedophilia right. Not one. So open your eyes. And call it what it is. Fuck this book for its sympathetic portrayal of what is legally defined as STATUTORY RAPE in modern America.

Anonymous

Jan 22, 2025

8/10 stars

This was a great book but I could not get past the ick factor of the romance between the two main characters.