The Story of Beautiful Girl
by Rachel Simon
Those of you who read my reviews know I tend to favor the classics. I’ll read new releases but don’t usually like them as much. The Story of Beautiful Girl is an exception. Not only could I not put it down, but I cried several times and now display it proudly on my shelf.
The prologue starts with an older widow alone in her home during a rainstorm. There’s a knock at the door, and she sees a young mute woman accompanied by a deaf black man. It’s the 1960s, so when the widow decides to let them into her home, it’s no small matter. The back of the book will tell you infinitely more of the story, but trust me and read no further. I highly recommend this modern novel, and it’s even better when you don’t know what’s coming. There are countless twists and turns throughout the book, showing an incredible imagination and thoughtful planning from Rachel Simon. Her care and attention to the characters and story is extremely touching; it’s clear by the way she writes that she loves every one of her four protagonists. The structure alternates between the four leads, a structure I don’t normally like since it’s sometimes used to cut out the need for a linear storyline. In this case, plenty of detail is given to each section, and while the story does skip ahead and flash back at times, those plot devices are used well by someone who clearly has an abundance of literary talent.
I highly recommend this book, a moving tale that manages to be simultaneously an epic and a character piece. Reading The Story of Beautiful Girl is an experience. There are scenes that will stay with me forever, and the feelings of liberation and hope within the pages are truly beautiful.
The prologue starts with an older widow alone in her home during a rainstorm. There’s a knock at the door, and she sees a young mute woman accompanied by a deaf black man. It’s the 1960s, so when the widow decides to let them into her home, it’s no small matter. The back of the book will tell you infinitely more of the story, but trust me and read no further. I highly recommend this modern novel, and it’s even better when you don’t know what’s coming. There are countless twists and turns throughout the book, showing an incredible imagination and thoughtful planning from Rachel Simon. Her care and attention to the characters and story is extremely touching; it’s clear by the way she writes that she loves every one of her four protagonists. The structure alternates between the four leads, a structure I don’t normally like since it’s sometimes used to cut out the need for a linear storyline. In this case, plenty of detail is given to each section, and while the story does skip ahead and flash back at times, those plot devices are used well by someone who clearly has an abundance of literary talent.
I highly recommend this book, a moving tale that manages to be simultaneously an epic and a character piece. Reading The Story of Beautiful Girl is an experience. There are scenes that will stay with me forever, and the feelings of liberation and hope within the pages are truly beautiful.