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
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Community Reviews
Trigger Warning***
Hmm I usually give pretty good reviews because I love or like every book I read. But if I'm being honest I didn't finish this, I read like half of the book and when it started getting weird and heavy with sexual abuse and pedophilia I got severely uncomfortable. I kinda just stopped reading so it was DNF'd and I don't plan to go back to it. I don't know it was just a weird vibe I was really loving the beginning and the writing style, I felt like I could see everything happening but its a trigger for most.
Heart shattering
Slow to start. And the topic scared the heck out of me.
But it is beautifully written and despite the happiness threatened it was filled with hope.
Slow to start. And the topic scared the heck out of me.
But it is beautifully written and despite the happiness threatened it was filled with hope.
Engaging book… but I had to put it down often. Stressful, and the alternate lifestyle along with concern for the children made it difficult for me. But I am so glad I finished it!!
This is totally 4.5 stars and it would have been 5 stars it hadn't been just subjectively too stressful for me.
I have a lot of feelings about this book. I read 30% pretty slowly and then after that, I read the rest of it all in one go because I couldn't stop. This book should make me feel uncomfortable, but I was totally rooting for Wavy and Kellen because of the way he was. It never felt to me like he was grooming her for a relationship or was interested in children. He just loved her and only her, as a person. I actually had a hard time sympathizing with Wavy's aunt because while I know she did what she thought was right and probably what anyone else would have done in that situation, I was so sympathetic to Wavy and Kellen that I was really annoyed that she wouldn't even listen to what Wavy wanted.
The relationship between Wavy growing up in her chaotic home life and how she comes to trust Kellen and feel like she can relax around him is the kind of found family thing that always gets at me, and she did the same for him and his loneliness.
If this review seems scattered, it's because I'm still trying to gather my thoughts about this book. I think it definitely made me think, and it had really original and interesting characters. The different POVs made for a very well-rounded story. Life is a mix of ugly and wonderful things, and this story really reflected that in a beautiful and nuanced way.
I have a lot of feelings about this book. I read 30% pretty slowly and then after that, I read the rest of it all in one go because I couldn't stop. This book should make me feel uncomfortable, but I was totally rooting for Wavy and Kellen because of the way he was. It never felt to me like he was grooming her for a relationship or was interested in children. He just loved her and only her, as a person. I actually had a hard time sympathizing with Wavy's aunt because while I know she did what she thought was right and probably what anyone else would have done in that situation, I was so sympathetic to Wavy and Kellen that I was really annoyed that she wouldn't even listen to what Wavy wanted.
The relationship between Wavy growing up in her chaotic home life and how she comes to trust Kellen and feel like she can relax around him is the kind of found family thing that always gets at me, and she did the same for him and his loneliness.
If this review seems scattered, it's because I'm still trying to gather my thoughts about this book. I think it definitely made me think, and it had really original and interesting characters. The different POVs made for a very well-rounded story. Life is a mix of ugly and wonderful things, and this story really reflected that in a beautiful and nuanced way.
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