Scan barcode
just_one_more_paige's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Ok so after the first couple pages, I won't lie, I was skeptical. The writing has a rhythmic poetry style that kind of felt like it was trying hard too hard to be different/avant garde situation. I actually even noted "we’ll see if it finds a naturalness with the story or if it settles into feeling forced throughout." Very quickly, I decided that it settled quite nicely. I got into the flow and found the narrative voice to be the *perfect* fit for Adina's personality and development.
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
Minor: Bullying
bookishmillennial's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Adina (an alien) goes to Earth to report on humans, and we basically follow her entire faux-human life. She gets a dog, a boyfriend, makes friends, learns about human emotion and universal themes of loneliness, heartache, mistakes, grief, corruption, and more. Adina is longing to go home basically the entire book too, but her return continues to be delayed, as her connections on Earth deepen and become more complex.
Adina’s reports are the most “snackable,” and quotable, like her ruminations on relationships, human behavior, and mortality. I think most people will find some of these reflections to be universally relatable, and while it’s a bittersweet story, it was an accessible read to reflect on what it means to be human. Nothing particularly novel or riveting, but somber, poignant reminders regardless.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Animal death and Death
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation
devynreadsnovels's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Grief
potato_dog's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, and Death
mmccombs's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, and Grief
alayamorning's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, and Death
meemzala's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cancer
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Beautyland is one of those books that will sneak up on you and hit you right smack in the feels. My favorite kind of book. (The audiobook was also excellently performed, and the story was easy to follow in that format!)
This is a literary novel about an alien named Adina; her “superiors” put her on Earth at the time of birth to observe and teach them about humans. As she grows up, from early childhood with a single mother in Philly through adulthood in NYC, she reports back on what she learns via a fax machine in her bedroom.
This may sound a little absurd; it is. It may sound like sci-fi; it’s not. At its core, it’s nothing less than a deeply resonant and creative exploration of the otherness of growing up and then the simple alienation of existing alongside others while always seeking connection. Bertino gives us a look at how it’s possible to be lonely and surrounded by love at the same time, at humanity and the small things that make life both hard and beautiful.
You should definitely read it.
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, and Grief
anitaw16's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death and Death