Reviews

"I ran a tight ship with my boys, and I run a tight ship here at this group home...but it's a ship where everyone onboard feels safe. I don't care about any mistakes you might have made or were made against you and I don't count those mistakes as defining who you are. I know life can be unfair. I know things can happen to you that you don't deserve. I also know there might be decisions you made in the past that you'd like to undo and can't. But here in this house, we look to tomorrow not yesterday."

"Not with a magic wand or hopeful thoughts or wishful thinking or mere words, but with courage and resolve and the refusal to allow those without voices to remain unheard. This is what makes us sublimely human, isn't it? Not unsullied genetic perfection, but when we stubbornly love and honor one another. Just the way we are "

I couldn't put this one down! The book jumps from past to present, explaining things along the way.

The story is about a girl, Rosie, who's family has tragically died in a car accident. She is then taken in and given the job as a maid. Things transpire (I won't spoil it here) and she is sent away to an institution. The final chapter is the reuniting of several main characters, it was heart wrenching and I couldn't read it fast enough.

gardenmommy's review

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Too harsh and upsetting from first chapter. (Pregnant girl, orphaned with whole family killed by train crash, forced into home for the insane.)

basschiro's review

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emotional inspiring slow-paced

4.5

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review

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4.0

Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner is a touching story. It is a dual timeline novel that takes us back to 1938 when Rosie lost her parents in an accident. The sixteen-year girl is taken in by the Calvert’s who own the vineyard where Rosie’s parents worked. Rosie becomes the Calvert’s maid (cook, cleaner, laundress). When Rosie becomes pregnant, Mrs. Calvert has Rosie sent to an institution. Rosie had made the mistake of telling a person about her synesthesia which was not understood at the time. In 1947, Helen Calvert returns to the United States after working as a nanny abroad. Helen’s brother, Truman has since passed. When Helen learns what Celine Calvert did to Rosie, she sets out to find her. Only the Beautiful is an emotional story. It is heartbreaking to read about the eugenics movement. I appreciated the author’s note at the end which provided additional information. I thought the story was well-written with developed characters. Rosie and Helen are great characters. I enjoyed getting to know them. I like the author incorporated the amaryllis into the story. I can tell the author did her research for this book and incorporated it beautifully. The story does address some difficult topics (racism, institutionalization, sterilization, assault, and doctor experimentation) which some people might have trouble reading about. It is a shame that throughout history those who are “different” are often targeted. Only the Beautiful is an informative book. It is a story that provokes discussion and it had me searching for more information on a couple of the topics mentioned. I enjoyed the author’s beautiful descriptions of the vineyard. The theme that runs throughout the book is that no one needs to live the life that someone else has mapped out for them. The determined can carve out their own path. Only the Beautiful is a compelling tale orphaned adolescent, unwavering vineyard owner, a compassionate nanny, vibrant sounds, an involuntary surgery, and a desperate hunt.

morethanmylupus's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative reflective tense medium-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

4.0

This is a beautiful but heavy book about eugenics and the evils humans can perpetrate against each other.

I loved both the first part with Rosie, who is dealing with these themes in California, and the second part with Helen, who is dealing with these themes in Nazi-occupied Austria. The way the two stories paralleled was wonderful, because it really emphasized the way that some of the things that Nazi's did were still being done here in America both before and after the Nazis. However, I wish the book had gone back and forth between the two narratives. Separating the two reduced some of the impact of the parallels for me.

If you liked this one, consider reading Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, which talks about similar themes.

Content Warnings

laumck's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

stairclimber's review

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challenging emotional medium-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

5.0

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