ac223's review
3.0
I liked Ordinary Beauty and finished it in one go, but cried for half. Great book but I hate crying, and it was too sad to avoid. I guess if there are a few lol moments with a few sad moments mixed in that's ok, but this was tragic from beginning to five pages before it ends.
theragereader's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In true Laura Weiss fashion, she crafts a heart-breaking tale of Sayre, a seventeen-year-old whose life has been full of hate, cruelty, fear, abuse, and lovelessness. She knows no kindness and struggles to survive the chaotic, narcissistic hurricane that is her addict mother and her mother's enabling and equally addicted best friend, Candy. We're brought along with Sayre's confusing, conflicting emotions when it comes to her dysfunctional, abusive mother and her dry, sad life currently.
Each event bleeds into the culmination of her mother's selfish behavior, coming to a head right before the start of the book. My heart broke for Sayre at the horrible situations she would be forced into due to her mother's selfishness, and I wanted to cry for such a smart, sweet young girl being abused and sneered at by her own mother. The saddest part, I think, was the small slices of happiness she was afforded only to be snatched cruelly away due to Sayre's mother's own jealousy and self-destructive behavior. I also loved Sayre's speech to Red about how forgiveness in regards to her mother (as someone with their own toxic parent.) and it was so cathartic to see all my own hurt and rage put into words I could never say.
My jaw would drop at the absolute apathy and ugliness of all the adults—Candy, Sayre's mother, Harlow—in Sayre's life. And Sayre finally getting to say her piece and give herself closure and striving to be better than her mother really warmed my heart.
Each event bleeds into the culmination of her mother's selfish behavior, coming to a head right before the start of the book. My heart broke for Sayre at the horrible situations she would be forced into due to her mother's selfishness, and I wanted to cry for such a smart, sweet young girl being abused and sneered at by her own mother. The saddest part, I think, was the small slices of happiness she was afforded only to be snatched cruelly away due to Sayre's mother's own jealousy and self-destructive behavior. I also loved Sayre's speech to Red about how forgiveness in regards to her mother (as someone with their own toxic parent.) and it was so cathartic to see all my own hurt and rage put into words I could never say.
My jaw would drop at the absolute apathy and ugliness of all the adults—Candy, Sayre's mother, Harlow—in Sayre's life. And Sayre finally getting to say her piece and give herself closure and striving to be better than her mother really warmed my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Pedophilia
ilke_vb's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mrsjkamp's review
4.0
I checked this book out from the library. Here is my honest review:
I can only describe this book as dark and painful but necessary. It's touching, personal, and very deep. Sayre has a lot of things to go through before she can feel free of her troubles. Her childhood was terrible, and it could have completely ruined her life. But as she's trying to get her life back together she finds out that her drug addicted, alcoholic mother is in the hospital, dying. Dianne has done a lot of wrong as a mother and person in general, but is it enough to keep Sayre from forgiving her? Read this one and find out!
This story is told from Sayre's POV in present tense, but she takes us through the past, story by story. She tells us everything she knows, and a lot of her childhood is disturbing. It's a sad, dirty, unlucky journey. Every turn made me feel worse and worse for Sayre. Once things are finally going right for her and her family, you know they're going to be ruined completely. These easily could have been some sob story taken too far, but Wiess did a great job of making this feel real and just about plausible. I haven't lived anything like this, but I can see it happening or being real.
I will say that I enjoyed the ending. By the final page, I was satisfied and felt whole again. The first pages rip you apart in order to prepare you for the depth and intensity of this novel, but I promise you'll feel better by the end. Oh, and get tissues ready. Enjoy!
I can only describe this book as dark and painful but necessary. It's touching, personal, and very deep. Sayre has a lot of things to go through before she can feel free of her troubles. Her childhood was terrible, and it could have completely ruined her life. But as she's trying to get her life back together she finds out that her drug addicted, alcoholic mother is in the hospital, dying. Dianne has done a lot of wrong as a mother and person in general, but is it enough to keep Sayre from forgiving her? Read this one and find out!
This story is told from Sayre's POV in present tense, but she takes us through the past, story by story. She tells us everything she knows, and a lot of her childhood is disturbing. It's a sad, dirty, unlucky journey. Every turn made me feel worse and worse for Sayre. Once things are finally going right for her and her family, you know they're going to be ruined completely. These easily could have been some sob story taken too far, but Wiess did a great job of making this feel real and just about plausible. I haven't lived anything like this, but I can see it happening or being real.
I will say that I enjoyed the ending. By the final page, I was satisfied and felt whole again. The first pages rip you apart in order to prepare you for the depth and intensity of this novel, but I promise you'll feel better by the end. Oh, and get tissues ready. Enjoy!
1tiffani1's review
5.0
Sweet Baby Jesus, this book was sad. I have a apprehension about reading things that will make my eyes water uncontrollably, but as soon as I started the book, I couldn't put it down. Sayre Bellavia, a 17 year old girl, gets the call that her mother is in the hospital. It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't have to HITCHHIKE to the hospital (Sayre and her mother live with unsavory characters.) It also wouldn't be bad if her mother was the epitome of Worst Mother of the Year. While hitchhiking to the hospital,she meets a boy while trying to take care of him after an accident and she tells him her story...and the waterworks ensue. Holy shit snacks. That's all I have to say. This story is memorable, and we find out WHY her mother is the way she is. I loved this story. Read it. I didn't want to spoil the book at all...and gush all the love for it.
sanderle's review
4.0
Laura Wiess has yet to disappoint. Her writing is beautiful and tragic and caused has me to burst into tears many times.
aqtbenz's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Vomit, Grief, Death, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Death of parent
caseey's review
5.0
A few of my heartstrings may have been severed whilst reading this book; Sayre's story, which is told as she reflects on her childhood after learning that her mother is finally about to lose her battle with addiction, was devastating and the fact she remained so sweet and kind despite all of the nightmares life threw at her made it all the more painful. I loved Sayre, from wanting to hug and take care of the little girl who was forced to fend for herself in a world where nobody loved her, to admiring the seventeen year old who was strong enough to have survived it all. Beautiful written, Ordinary Beauty doesn't shy away from providing a raw reminder of the horrific fact that there are children in the world who live in situations like Sayre's yet I felt it was also ultimately a tale of hope; I loved this book and I can't wait to read more by Wiess.
smashattackash's review
Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads
Interest in Book: It's obvious that this is not a book I would normally read. I am glad that my book club chose it for September's read, as it was emotional and affected me deeply. Sayre, a teenage girl on the cusp of adulthood, recounts her extremely difficult life in Podunk Town, USA, as her mother lies dying in the hospital from an extreme life of her own.
My Thoughts: This book was intense in a way that makes your heart hurt and your head spin as the horrific reality of Sayre's situation permeate your bones. The setting is impoverished and stark, the existence of the characters painful, traumatic, bleak. Watching another person experience such abuse, neglect and trauma is difficult to swallow. While this is fiction, it is every day reality for many children. Sayre's experience may resonate with some readers who have experienced such trauma, or know someone who has. I'd say that a good many of us can relate in some form or another.
The book flips from present day (roughly 24 hour time frame minus last chapter) to flashbacks of Sayre's life. I really enjoy books that do this, but some indication of time would have been helpful. It's obvious that she continues to age throughout the flashbacks, but it would have been nice to have dates. Sayre is a good narrator. She picks up on interesting details, and it progresses as she grows to show moving from concrete to abstract thinking.
Sayre's mother is a beast of a character. A very sick individual who turns to drugs, alcohol and men to numb the pain of her failures and could-have-beens. I assume she blames Sayre for everything wrong in her life. Her mother's actions towards Sayre were vile and horrible beyond words. I think when she looks at Sayre, she sees all the things she hates about her own self. It's not easy to accept your own character flaws. Her mother's best friend, Candy, was just as vile and her treatment of Sayre just as disgusting. I sometimes wonder if Candy was a huge influence on mom's downward spiral to Hell, or if she would have ended up the same without her.
Sayre's compassion for others, despite her environment and experience with people, was awe-inspiring. We first meet her as she's walking home from her waitress job in ugly, snowy conditions. She's got dinner in her hands, leftovers from the diner. Growing up never knowing when the next meal would be, she still feeds a bobcat on the way home, and a small kitten she has been caring for under the trailer. Her first encounter with Evan, a boy in town, culminates in a life-threatening moment for him. She stays with him until help arrives. There are little snippets like these that really drive home the reality that Sayre is definitely different from her mother.
The most interesting aspect of this book was when Sayre finally makes it to the hospital to visit her mother. Even though she feels extremely negative emotions towards her, she bargains and remains in denial that her mother's life is coming to an end. She questions how deep the bond goes between a mother and her child.
This scene is one that stuck with me. As a social worker, I often hear people baffled over the fact that many children take the abuse given to them by parents, that they don't speak up and flee for safety. As an adult, it's so very hard to put yourself in a child's shoes. I think it's difficult for people to understand that at the end of the day, after the screaming, cursing and violence, that the child remains because that is their parent. Children want to please people, especially their parents, and they are also egocentric and feel like every single problem that rains down on their head is their own fault. Therefore, they do not want to cause more trouble for their parents than they already perceive they are doing. When love and affection is doled out, it only adds to the confusion, as the child wonders what exactly love is. That of course adds to the violent cycle that many families are trapped in. Sayre sums it up here:
During book club, people stated that Sayre was too normal, too "together" to have come from such trauma. They needed to see something broken in her to make it more realistic. While I agree that Sayre came out of her situation a little too "healthy", I also truly believe in resiliency. Studies have shown that having one caring, responsible adult in a child's life can make all the difference. This evidence is why mentoring programs are popular and receive funding. In my mind, Sayre had a few of these adults scattered throughout her life. Her grandmother, Ms. Mo, Beale and his mother. People I think the reader should experience rather than me telling you about them here. Because of these characters, Sayre experienced sprinkles of hope, love and compassion. These moments may have been enough...Of course, if the author were to write a follow-up novel, I expect some borderline personality traits, therapy, anxiety issues...something. ;)
Lasting Impressions: It's obvious I have many thoughts about this book. If you made it through all of them, you deserve a cookie! I could no doubt talk about it in-depth for hours, but I will sum it up here: There are moments of joy and utter heartbreak. You may smile, cry, scream, gasp, laugh, sigh. Gut-wrenching sob fest. You may question the ability of people to continue on in such dire environments. You may be inspired by Sayre's perseverance and sheer will to survive and overcome. I was.
Interest in Book: It's obvious that this is not a book I would normally read. I am glad that my book club chose it for September's read, as it was emotional and affected me deeply. Sayre, a teenage girl on the cusp of adulthood, recounts her extremely difficult life in Podunk Town, USA, as her mother lies dying in the hospital from an extreme life of her own.
My Thoughts: This book was intense in a way that makes your heart hurt and your head spin as the horrific reality of Sayre's situation permeate your bones. The setting is impoverished and stark, the existence of the characters painful, traumatic, bleak. Watching another person experience such abuse, neglect and trauma is difficult to swallow. While this is fiction, it is every day reality for many children. Sayre's experience may resonate with some readers who have experienced such trauma, or know someone who has. I'd say that a good many of us can relate in some form or another.
The book flips from present day (roughly 24 hour time frame minus last chapter) to flashbacks of Sayre's life. I really enjoy books that do this, but some indication of time would have been helpful. It's obvious that she continues to age throughout the flashbacks, but it would have been nice to have dates. Sayre is a good narrator. She picks up on interesting details, and it progresses as she grows to show moving from concrete to abstract thinking.
Sayre's mother is a beast of a character. A very sick individual who turns to drugs, alcohol and men to numb the pain of her failures and could-have-beens. I assume she blames Sayre for everything wrong in her life. Her mother's actions towards Sayre were vile and horrible beyond words. I think when she looks at Sayre, she sees all the things she hates about her own self. It's not easy to accept your own character flaws. Her mother's best friend, Candy, was just as vile and her treatment of Sayre just as disgusting. I sometimes wonder if Candy was a huge influence on mom's downward spiral to Hell, or if she would have ended up the same without her.
Sayre's compassion for others, despite her environment and experience with people, was awe-inspiring. We first meet her as she's walking home from her waitress job in ugly, snowy conditions. She's got dinner in her hands, leftovers from the diner. Growing up never knowing when the next meal would be, she still feeds a bobcat on the way home, and a small kitten she has been caring for under the trailer. Her first encounter with Evan, a boy in town, culminates in a life-threatening moment for him. She stays with him until help arrives. There are little snippets like these that really drive home the reality that Sayre is definitely different from her mother.
The most interesting aspect of this book was when Sayre finally makes it to the hospital to visit her mother. Even though she feels extremely negative emotions towards her, she bargains and remains in denial that her mother's life is coming to an end. She questions how deep the bond goes between a mother and her child.
And maybe love is terrifying. I'm terrified now, but not in the way she would think.
I'm terrified because I hate who she is and what she's done, I do, and yet there is still something strong and powerful between us, some kind of deep, primal bond that won't end, won't snap or break or change, it just remains there inside me, as solid and factual as my blood and bones - she is my mother, I am her daughter - and I don't know what to call it because it doesn't feel like love, not the good kind I felt for Ellie, with all my heart, but instead an instinctual pull that's been there from the beginning, drawing me back to her again and again, the woman who has hurt me like no one else ever could, and now she's dying and the bond is still here, inside me, and I won't call it love or hate because emotions has nothing to do with the fact that she is my mother and I am her daughter, and we will be connected in that way forever.
This scene is one that stuck with me. As a social worker, I often hear people baffled over the fact that many children take the abuse given to them by parents, that they don't speak up and flee for safety. As an adult, it's so very hard to put yourself in a child's shoes. I think it's difficult for people to understand that at the end of the day, after the screaming, cursing and violence, that the child remains because that is their parent. Children want to please people, especially their parents, and they are also egocentric and feel like every single problem that rains down on their head is their own fault. Therefore, they do not want to cause more trouble for their parents than they already perceive they are doing. When love and affection is doled out, it only adds to the confusion, as the child wonders what exactly love is. That of course adds to the violent cycle that many families are trapped in. Sayre sums it up here:
If she'd said she loved me and still did all those cruel and careless things, would my child mind have decided to accept that as the definition of love?
Probably.
Would I have ended up believing that love was manipulative and hurtful and full of pain, gotten use to being shoved aside, sworn at and disregarded, picked up and hugged, and then slapped around for getting in the way, starved and smiled at, neglected and cursed, told I was no good and would never amount to anything, then hefted high and proudly shown off down at the Walmart, introduced as a little pisser and a big mistake in the same breath?
Yes, I would have, because if she said she loved me and then acted that way I would have thought that was how you loved someone, and how someone should love you back.
During book club, people stated that Sayre was too normal, too "together" to have come from such trauma. They needed to see something broken in her to make it more realistic. While I agree that Sayre came out of her situation a little too "healthy", I also truly believe in resiliency. Studies have shown that having one caring, responsible adult in a child's life can make all the difference. This evidence is why mentoring programs are popular and receive funding. In my mind, Sayre had a few of these adults scattered throughout her life. Her grandmother, Ms. Mo, Beale and his mother. People I think the reader should experience rather than me telling you about them here. Because of these characters, Sayre experienced sprinkles of hope, love and compassion. These moments may have been enough...Of course, if the author were to write a follow-up novel, I expect some borderline personality traits, therapy, anxiety issues...something. ;)
Lasting Impressions: It's obvious I have many thoughts about this book. If you made it through all of them, you deserve a cookie! I could no doubt talk about it in-depth for hours, but I will sum it up here: There are moments of joy and utter heartbreak. You may smile, cry, scream, gasp, laugh, sigh. Gut-wrenching sob fest. You may question the ability of people to continue on in such dire environments. You may be inspired by Sayre's perseverance and sheer will to survive and overcome. I was.
cjmowry's review
5.0
Yet another "Wiess Wonder"! This book brought out all the stops. It made me feel anger, sadness and compassion. It allowed me to remember that "not all Good families raise good children" and not all BAD families raise bad children". It is a gritty, heart-rendering story of a young woman trying to find her path - and somehow, with little normalcy in her life Sayre manages to find the courage and strength of character to struggle through the memories of her childhood and move forward with purpose and dignity. I highly recommend this book.