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leafingthroughlife's review
3.0
Pretty Is tells the story of Lois and Carly May, the grown up victims of a child abductor, struggling to find their ways in the confusing aftermath of their abduction, a strangely idyllic time that was, nonetheless, fraught with fear and left an inevitable impression on the two that trails them into adulthood. The book alternates between the two women's perspectives, illuminating their lives and their struggles as they mature, somehow always feeling more connected to their abductor than to their own families. Lois grew from a beautiful studious young girl into a smart college professor who spun her abduction into a famous novel written under a fake name. Carly May, a brash former child beauty queen, changed her name to Chloe and abandoned her father and wicked stepmother to chase fame in Hollywood. Though the two haven't seen each other in years, the time of their abduction lingers fresh in their minds, and when Lois's book finds its own way to Hollywood, the two might finally have the chance to revisit their shared past.
Mitchell is a debut novelist, and with that considered, Pretty Is becomes that much more impressive. Mitchell skillfully weaves together many different stories in one. She brings her two damaged main characters to life, exploring their upbringings and their leftover traumas both from the abduction and the scars they carry with them from their own family lives. At the same time, Mitchell is exploring each character's present, and even including a swathe of Lois's novelization of the abduction that proves particularly compelling. As the novel becomes a movie and Lois starts a sequel and a mysterious student starts unearthing Lois's path, the stories pile up, but not all of them are equally well-handled. The Sean the creepy student storyline, in particular, seems extraneous to the rest of the novel, a side show perhaps intended to reveal how troubled uber-controlled Lois's thoughts still are.
Perhaps the biggest problem is that the "excerpt" from Lois's novel that fills out the middle of the book is so much more compelling that it makes the rest of the novel pale somewhat in comparison. The pages in this section flew by in a way that Carly May and Lois's more introspective narratives do not. That said, Mitchell's story layering style is ambitious and, on the whole, successful. While I didn't love the characters, I was taken in by their stories and eager for the two to meet again and unpack their shared psychological trauma. If you're looking for a page-turning mystery/thriller sort of novel, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a deeper, more literary effort that does a fascinating job of illuminating the confused aftermath of an abduction, definitely give Pretty Is a try.
Mitchell is a debut novelist, and with that considered, Pretty Is becomes that much more impressive. Mitchell skillfully weaves together many different stories in one. She brings her two damaged main characters to life, exploring their upbringings and their leftover traumas both from the abduction and the scars they carry with them from their own family lives. At the same time, Mitchell is exploring each character's present, and even including a swathe of Lois's novelization of the abduction that proves particularly compelling. As the novel becomes a movie and Lois starts a sequel and a mysterious student starts unearthing Lois's path, the stories pile up, but not all of them are equally well-handled. The Sean the creepy student storyline, in particular, seems extraneous to the rest of the novel, a side show perhaps intended to reveal how troubled uber-controlled Lois's thoughts still are.
Perhaps the biggest problem is that the "excerpt" from Lois's novel that fills out the middle of the book is so much more compelling that it makes the rest of the novel pale somewhat in comparison. The pages in this section flew by in a way that Carly May and Lois's more introspective narratives do not. That said, Mitchell's story layering style is ambitious and, on the whole, successful. While I didn't love the characters, I was taken in by their stories and eager for the two to meet again and unpack their shared psychological trauma. If you're looking for a page-turning mystery/thriller sort of novel, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a deeper, more literary effort that does a fascinating job of illuminating the confused aftermath of an abduction, definitely give Pretty Is a try.
melissapalmer404's review
4.0
Book # 142 Read in 2015
Pretty Is by Maggie Mitchell
This was a good read. I enjoyed the upstate NY/Adirondack setting since that is local to me. Two girls, Lois and Carly May, are abducted by a man who brings them to upstate NY to an isolated cabin. He seems to be trying to "save them" from "female corruption". Eventually, the police find the cabin and rescue the girls. The book then spends the bulk of time years later, when the girls are grown ups. Lois is a college professor and Carly May has reinvented herself as Chloe, an actress. Lois, under a pen name, has written a novel loosely based on the abduction and that book is being made into a movie. Chloe has a part in the movie and the two will be reunited for the first time in years. Lois also has issues with one of her students, who is stalking her and questioning her about the abduction. Is he the abductor's son? Overall, this book was well written and interesting. It had a lot of twists and turns to it. I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.
Pretty Is by Maggie Mitchell
This was a good read. I enjoyed the upstate NY/Adirondack setting since that is local to me. Two girls, Lois and Carly May, are abducted by a man who brings them to upstate NY to an isolated cabin. He seems to be trying to "save them" from "female corruption". Eventually, the police find the cabin and rescue the girls. The book then spends the bulk of time years later, when the girls are grown ups. Lois is a college professor and Carly May has reinvented herself as Chloe, an actress. Lois, under a pen name, has written a novel loosely based on the abduction and that book is being made into a movie. Chloe has a part in the movie and the two will be reunited for the first time in years. Lois also has issues with one of her students, who is stalking her and questioning her about the abduction. Is he the abductor's son? Overall, this book was well written and interesting. It had a lot of twists and turns to it. I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in exchange for a honest review.
emp1234's review
1.0
I'm so sorry I wasted my time with this book. Unlikable characters, clunky (sorry - not finding a better word here) storyline, an overall unsatisfying experience.
fourestxx's review
4.0
The strangest book I've read in a long time. None of the characters are particularly likeable but it's a gripping story. The unanswered questions at the end are a little frustrating though.
jenicapospisil's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
Nice for a rainy day read, a little slow but still had enough tension to keep me turning the pages. I found it insightful, and an interesting version of the classic abduction novel that leans more into the messiness and uncertainty of reality—has a bit of a Gillian Flynn vibe. The narration hops between the two main characters in a way that gives them both fully fleshed-out personalities.
laurelinwonder's review
3.0
The premise sounded so interesting... And it was for a few moments, but then Mitchell got too fancy with multiple layers, personas, time periods, and complex characters who never really got fleshed out in this 320 page book. I wanted more about why the girls got in the car, and what happens during their two month captivity, because the little we get is different than the usual plot lines we expect from this kind of novel. That being said, I, too (like another reviewer) would like to quote Blair on Goodreads, who nails it, and I've linked the rest of her review below this portion that I have to share, because it is on point:
"The thing that kept me turning the pages was an urge to know the truth about the period they were kept captive. The real story is obscured by being presented in fictionalized forms and by the differences in the two narrators' memories, implying ultimately there is no solid truth. We only learn about their time in the cabin through an extract from Lois's novel; neither woman ever talks directly about it. But we learn enough to know that their kidnapper, who they name Zed, does not even attempt to harm or abuse them; instead he gives them a life they actually prefer, a kind of freedom absent from their home/family lives, and an education, creating a reverence that stays with them forever. The blurb refers to the girls forming 'a bond which will never be broken', but that bond is really with Zed, not each other. They admire him, they feel a nascent desire for him, they compete to impress him and to be the one he loves most. His influence remains with them into adulthood; they hear his voice in their heads; they speculate about what about their lives now would make him proud, or otherwise.There's a suggestion that his influence has, in fact, made them who they are. This portion of the story is exciting and original, and I loved the way it played with the reader."
Read the rest of Blair's review here, it's apt and spoilers are hidden: http://tinyurl.com/zjlh5yz
"The thing that kept me turning the pages was an urge to know the truth about the period they were kept captive. The real story is obscured by being presented in fictionalized forms and by the differences in the two narrators' memories, implying ultimately there is no solid truth. We only learn about their time in the cabin through an extract from Lois's novel; neither woman ever talks directly about it. But we learn enough to know that their kidnapper, who they name Zed, does not even attempt to harm or abuse them; instead he gives them a life they actually prefer, a kind of freedom absent from their home/family lives, and an education, creating a reverence that stays with them forever. The blurb refers to the girls forming 'a bond which will never be broken', but that bond is really with Zed, not each other. They admire him, they feel a nascent desire for him, they compete to impress him and to be the one he loves most. His influence remains with them into adulthood; they hear his voice in their heads; they speculate about what about their lives now would make him proud, or otherwise.There's a suggestion that his influence has, in fact, made them who they are. This portion of the story is exciting and original, and I loved the way it played with the reader."
Read the rest of Blair's review here, it's apt and spoilers are hidden: http://tinyurl.com/zjlh5yz
megnolia13's review
1.0
It's rare that I don't finish a book. Even rarer that I can easily skim the rest to find out what happens. In this case, not only are both true, but I was also deeply disappointed in the end. This book went nowhere. It had no point. It is kind of awful.
chrissireads's review
4.0
I was sent a copy of Pretty Is a few months ago and thought it sounded like an incredibly intriguing pyschological thriller. I’m really into thrillers and the synopsis of this book captured my attention straight away. Pretty Is is a decent read which doesn’t take long to get into. I personally would’ve liked the plot to have been a bit more fast paced, but it was totally enjoyable nevertheless and I’d certainly recommend reading it if you’re particularly interested in the genre.
Pretty Is centres around two twelve year old girls who are kidnapped and rescued over a month later. It follows their story after their kidnap and a little of the time just before. At the start of the story, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the girls. I’m not sure if I ever really did. They came across as incredibly precocious, and although I felt sorry for them, it was hard to really connect with them.
I did like how the story filled in the back story and also explored the girls future. After they were rescued, the girls grew up to be very different people and live different lives. It was interesting to read the dual narrative and begin to get some answers. The only reason I didn’t rate this book any higher was because I felt like it left a lot of unanswered questions and I am one for resolution in my stories.
I was impressed with Maggie Mitchell’s debut novel and I’d definitely read another book by her in the future!
Pretty Is centres around two twelve year old girls who are kidnapped and rescued over a month later. It follows their story after their kidnap and a little of the time just before. At the start of the story, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the girls. I’m not sure if I ever really did. They came across as incredibly precocious, and although I felt sorry for them, it was hard to really connect with them.
I did like how the story filled in the back story and also explored the girls future. After they were rescued, the girls grew up to be very different people and live different lives. It was interesting to read the dual narrative and begin to get some answers. The only reason I didn’t rate this book any higher was because I felt like it left a lot of unanswered questions and I am one for resolution in my stories.
I was impressed with Maggie Mitchell’s debut novel and I’d definitely read another book by her in the future!
katydid8811's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
kjerolamon's review
1.0
Absolutely atrocious. I can't believe I forced myself to read the whole thing.