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jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
My second book this month dealing with grieving teenagers. The Beauty that Remains is a YA novel whose narrative switches between 3 characters: Shay, whose twin sister recently died; Logan, whose ex-boyfriend recently died; and Autumn, whose best friend recently died. All of these main characters share a love for music.
The book started out strong for me but the last third or so petered out a little for me. I almost think the book would've been stronger if the author allowed the characters to "move on" a little sooner than they did. We know grief is hard (and the author did a good job portraying this), but it felt like the story stalled just a little for me. Overall, this was a strong debut novel and I would definitely pick up any additional books that Ashley Woodfolk publishes.
The book started out strong for me but the last third or so petered out a little for me. I almost think the book would've been stronger if the author allowed the characters to "move on" a little sooner than they did. We know grief is hard (and the author did a good job portraying this), but it felt like the story stalled just a little for me. Overall, this was a strong debut novel and I would definitely pick up any additional books that Ashley Woodfolk publishes.
j_loon's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really loved how the different perspectives of the three main characters were woven together. Including them, there were so many great, complex characters and I found myself rooting for all of them by the end.
yayarose's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Honestly one of the best books I have read. This is a beautiful story featuring 3 characters moving through the grieving process. Their grief and development was handled with such care. I could fully empathize with each character and felt how they were feeling in the moment. Having dealt with different kinds of grief myself I truly enjoyed reading this and growing with them. 10/10 would recommend this book to other people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Alcohol, Cancer, Death, Grief, Suicide, and Terminal illness
fuzzyhead's review against another edition
2.0
A previous reviewer of this said, "Books that deal with grief are hit-or-miss for me," and I have to agree. This one was a miss.
My main problems with the book-
1) Autumn and Shay.
The book is told from three POVs, with each main character dealing with the loss of a different loved one. I found Logan's storyline the most engaging. He was definitely the least likable of the three, to be sure, but at least he was interesting and distinguishable, you know? I was way more invested in his search for answers behind his ex's suicide than anything else in the book. Meanwhile, I was constantly getting Autumn and Shay's storylines confused. At least to me, they had very similar personalities, so I was asking myself questions like, "Is Shay the one who lost her twin? Which one has the distant and unsupportive friends again? Which one has the music blog? Who's dating who?" Etc etc etc.
2) Reference to social media. Though not always explicitly named, sites like Tumblr, Instagram, and YouTube are referenced and used as plot devices in this book. I guess that's not exactly a bad thing, but the frequency of these references just made me think about how this book is dating itself. It's relevant to teens in 2018, sure, but imagine being a teen now and reading a book that constantly references MySpace or AIM. If the book is strong enough to stand the test of time, these very 2018 references won't matter. But I don't think it is.
This may just be the harshest review I've ever written on here. It's not badly written overall, and I do think the author has potential to do something great!
I feel weirdly guilty right now.
My main problems with the book-
1) Autumn and Shay.
The book is told from three POVs, with each main character dealing with the loss of a different loved one. I found Logan's storyline the most engaging. He was definitely the least likable of the three, to be sure, but at least he was interesting and distinguishable, you know? I was way more invested in his search for answers behind his ex's suicide than anything else in the book. Meanwhile, I was constantly getting Autumn and Shay's storylines confused. At least to me, they had very similar personalities, so I was asking myself questions like, "Is Shay the one who lost her twin? Which one has the distant and unsupportive friends again? Which one has the music blog? Who's dating who?" Etc etc etc.
2) Reference to social media. Though not always explicitly named, sites like Tumblr, Instagram, and YouTube are referenced and used as plot devices in this book. I guess that's not exactly a bad thing, but the frequency of these references just made me think about how this book is dating itself. It's relevant to teens in 2018, sure, but imagine being a teen now and reading a book that constantly references MySpace or AIM. If the book is strong enough to stand the test of time, these very 2018 references won't matter. But I don't think it is.
This may just be the harshest review I've ever written on here. It's not badly written overall, and I do think the author has potential to do something great!
I feel weirdly guilty right now.
abrooklynbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
In general, this felt like a book that I could have really liked, but it fell a little short of what I was expecting. The writing was good and overall I thought it was a good plot and wanted it to be the perfect book to fill the YA void in my life, but it didn't quite make it there.
The problem I think is that the book never really took off, the story started and then everything kind of stagnated and stayed at the same level the entire way through. In a literal sense, the actual format of the book was exactly the same for each character's section, which is fine but in conjunction with the fact that none of them really seemed to grow, it all became a bit much.
Yes, the story is about grief first and foremost, so this may sound silly, but literally all that ever happens is that people are sad. That's it. They cry. Their hands shake. They can't breathe. It happens to each of the three narrators. After a certain point there is only so much crying and shaking and shortness of breath that can go on before you're like "Okay, and what else is there?"
So, it was fine, but I wanted something a little more out of it that I didn't get.
The problem I think is that the book never really took off, the story started and then everything kind of stagnated and stayed at the same level the entire way through. In a literal sense, the actual format of the book was exactly the same for each character's section, which is fine but in conjunction with the fact that none of them really seemed to grow, it all became a bit much.
Yes, the story is about grief first and foremost, so this may sound silly, but literally all that ever happens is that people are sad. That's it. They cry. Their hands shake. They can't breathe. It happens to each of the three narrators. After a certain point there is only so much crying and shaking and shortness of breath that can go on before you're like "Okay, and what else is there?"
So, it was fine, but I wanted something a little more out of it that I didn't get.
flis14's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn't quite what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it was still beautiful. If you're looking for a fast-paced plot or a compelling storyline, this may not be your kind of book. But if you're looking for a deep connection with the three main characters and their lives, for an honest account of what its like to lose someone you love young, and for beautiful friendships, this is for you.
The story follows the three narrators, Autumn, Shay and Logan, as they each lose someone incredibly important to them and how they are able to begin to live again with their grief. Its beautiful and heartbreaking and feels like these characters become your friends. Their connections to each other through their love of music shows the power of a common passion and its ability to heal a heart.
The story follows the three narrators, Autumn, Shay and Logan, as they each lose someone incredibly important to them and how they are able to begin to live again with their grief. Its beautiful and heartbreaking and feels like these characters become your friends. Their connections to each other through their love of music shows the power of a common passion and its ability to heal a heart.
njreadsandwrites's review against another edition
4.0
The Beauty that remains is about three teens who all experience death during the same periods. These deaths connect them in a way that no one expected.
The plot for this book was chef's kiss because it made you stop and think about, not only how they handled grief, how we handle grief, but how grief can be the things that pulls people apart. Whether good or bad, a lot can be said about the road to healing from losing a loved one.
I enjoyed the characters. Their growth and development. It almost seemed personal. I could relate to them, and how they dealt with it. There weren't all sad moments, but the good times never tried to overshadow the main plot of the novel, but made it better.
I would love to know your thoughts while reading this book. Drop them below. If you're pressed for time, and this was a quick read in between tasks, drop a pink heart in the comments.
Love, peace, and dope reading!
-NJ
The plot for this book was chef's kiss because it made you stop and think about, not only how they handled grief, how we handle grief, but how grief can be the things that pulls people apart. Whether good or bad, a lot can be said about the road to healing from losing a loved one.
I enjoyed the characters. Their growth and development. It almost seemed personal. I could relate to them, and how they dealt with it. There weren't all sad moments, but the good times never tried to overshadow the main plot of the novel, but made it better.
I would love to know your thoughts while reading this book. Drop them below. If you're pressed for time, and this was a quick read in between tasks, drop a pink heart in the comments.
Love, peace, and dope reading!
-NJ
kyliehughes's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mshore47's review against another edition
4.0
Very heavy and emotional but I loved the characters and seeing them heal throughout the story.
readmoreyall's review against another edition
5.0
Three narrators try to navigate life “after”.
Grief manifests itself in many ways and I think Woodfolk does a masterful job of portraying the different ways we grieve. We are all someone in this book. If you don’t see yourself in this, you didn’t read closely enough.
It was really beautiful. I have many students who carry grief on their shoulders and haven’t found ways to start letting go and I think this could be one of “those books”—the book that helps a kid change and grow and move forward. It brought me to tears in honest ways...no cheap shots to the gut.
Thank you netgalley for access to this book.
Grief manifests itself in many ways and I think Woodfolk does a masterful job of portraying the different ways we grieve. We are all someone in this book. If you don’t see yourself in this, you didn’t read closely enough.
It was really beautiful. I have many students who carry grief on their shoulders and haven’t found ways to start letting go and I think this could be one of “those books”—the book that helps a kid change and grow and move forward. It brought me to tears in honest ways...no cheap shots to the gut.
Thank you netgalley for access to this book.