Reviews

One Year of Ugly by Caroline Mackenzie

githaigahope's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

yeehaw_agenda's review against another edition

2.0

Just a bunch of too-frequent too-long mixed metaphors strung together by stilted dialogue and one-dimensional characters.

daniellekat's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This was ok. I thought the dark humour was well executed and the plot was decent, but I didn't really care about any of the characters. The ending certainly helped to bump my rating up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Violence, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content

enigma_squeaks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

michyyy's review

3.0

3.5/5⭐️ Not bad but not good either. So okay. A refreshing way to tackle serious topics.

kylamunoz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

readwithmia23's review against another edition

4.0

This book is so refreshing and relatable to read and I absolutely enjoyed it! The story revolves around the Palacio family, who migrated from Venezuela to Trinidad to escaped the economic crisis triggered by Maduro regime.⁣
⁣
Following the death of one the family members, a horrible guy named Ugly is suddenly after them and making them pay for their family’s debt by involving them in all kinds of illegal activities. To make matters worse, the daughter (Yola) finds herself in this romantic relationship with Ugly’s right hand. AyAyAy!

pennsnape's review against another edition

1.0

This is a DNF for me. I thought it was slightly racist and misogynist (despite being written by a woman) and then I stumbled across this line "tried not to keep replaying the harshness of what I’d said to him, cursing my inability to thwart all those genetically wired impulses that allow pop culture to accurately peg Latin women as “feisty,” “fiery,” and “mothafuckin’ crazy as shit.”"

That did it for me. Not worth finishing. Shame though, it was an interesting premise.

beachbookedd's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

b00kh0arder's review

5.0

You wouldn't have thought that a story about the perils of illegal immigration, criminal exploitation and blackmail would make for a very funny book, but One Year of Ugly is WICKEDLY funny, often genuinely laugh-out-loud. Not to mention often as steamy as the carribean surroundings. Yola is a brilliant narrator but all of the characters are really well drawn (I kept envisioning Roman as looking very similar to Carlos from the new Resident Evil 3 remake for some reason XD), even the ones you wouldn't to spend any time with. It also made me aware of the refugee situation in Venezula and Trinidad (which I must shamefully admit, I didn't know much about). Author Caroline Mackenzie explains in her author's note that she chose to make this book a comedy because not only does comedy make a heavy subject more approachable but it engenders hope. And, even though it ends in a place of uncertainty, this is also a very hopeful book.