A review by shcleveland
Pretty/Ugly by Jennifer Anne Gordon

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I found this book challenging to finish. The beginning went by quickly; I was gripped by the sheer horror of the sickness as it swept over the characters' lives. After that it started to drag and I lost interest in chunks of it. It's definitely a character driven story with very little in the way of plot after the initial onset of the virus. The book goes for a more literary feel than a genre horror or thriller. 

I do think I would have enjoyed it more if it hadn't been written with an omniscient narrator. It was jarring and head-hoppy in places. There were also some spots where it felt like the book was written in present tense but edited into the past and I found that distracting. Still, much of the writing was haunting and beautiful.
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