Can we just take a moment to appreciate this cover? The mascara tears dripping down her face, and the contrast of the eyes and hair makes you to want to hug the book and never let it go. It's what initially attracted me (Yes, yes, I know "Don't judge a book by it's cover" Yeah well I did. Sue me).
Ugly is about a teenage girl named Lily (Hey look it's my name! And it's spelled correctly!) who hasn't had the easiest childhood. Trying to juggle her alcoholic father's swinging moods and violence as well as put on the charade of normalcy at school isn't the easiest.
So imagine her happiness when she meets Trent, the first person to ever notice the invisible blonde haired girl. But as the saying goes, it does seem we are attracted to ones like our fathers, but just because Trent has a little anger issues doesn't make him abusive?
Right?
Upon reading the first page, I was drawn in with curiosity and wonder on how this book would be written. Most domestic violence related books I've immersed myself in had been choppy and hard to follow. They mostly just had countless scenes of their parents hitting them, hospital visits, and finding a lover. This book however, showed the emotional side to this kind of abuse in a raw way.
I admit, I wasn't totally hooked as I went through the chapters. It may have been because I can't relate to any domestic abuse or negativity at all occurring in my home, but this book was very hard to relate to. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to know how a survivor feels or relate to the pain, but I expected to be able to get inside her head a little more than the author allowed.
The writing in the beginning was too, a little rough cut and sounded just like words to me, as if I was reading an essay with no feeling put into it.
It wasn't until I reached halfway through the story that I realized the voidless words from the beginning was how the character was feeling. Lily was a shell of her former self from all the abuse she had suffered in her life. The void I was feeling was her.
I think the author could have added a little more drama in the story with Trent. I would have loved to see him more at the end of the story than what was put. Throw in a little plot twist with his mother as well.
The last half was filled with countless wonder and interest as I tried to predict what was to happen next. As Lily found herself, the writing became more in depth and personal, just like the character.
I have to say it's probably my favorite story written with the domestic abuse topic and serves as a great reminder to others that what you see isn't always what is.
Your best friend could be having the perfect relationship with a boy who buys her everything and showers her with love. When inside the house, he brings her gifts as an apology for beating her up the other night; and that broken arm she got while riding a bike? Was really from him shoving her down the stairs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Give take for the few things that bugged me. I give it an overall 3.5/5 It was a good read, and I hope to see it out in paperback at Barnes and Noble someday.
I'll leave you all with one of my favorite quotes from the book,
“And if you were broken, you’d give up on life, so you’re not broken.”
― Margaret McHeyzer, Ugly
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