North of Beautiful

A book I picked up randomly by the author Justina Chen Headley. I was expecting to read another story about overcoming insecurity and usual teenage angst. What I got instead was well written prose that was thought provoking and magnetic. I was unable to put the book down until I read those last words. The characters were well described and I was able to get an overall picture rather than a snapshot of someone’s face. Their personalities were embodied by their gestures and words. The entire book wouldn’t be called depressing but poignant. The emotion was sharp and well targeted. It’s a book I would read repeatedly just to bring myself out of a wallowing funk. The issues described in the book are a bit uncommon, focusing on emotional abuse rather than anything physical – showing how words served to entrap people into unhealthy relationships. The book is all about overcoming dependency on people and their opinions and giving credence to our own self worth. It’s about exploring new avenues and smashing all the beliefs we were brought up with and reconstructing our own.

In specific regard to the book, I compliment the author on her portrayal of Jacob, who serves as a portal to the main character Terra when she seems to be stuck in a rut and unable to speak out. He extends a hand and offers her a new perspective on her life and he helps her transform into the person she was supposed to be if she and her family accepted her completely from the beginning and didn’t deign to add snarky remarks to the mix.

Another plus point for the book is that it shows the progression of other characters, especially her mother. The focus isn’t solely on Terra. A normal teenager would focus on just the downside but this author just presents the facts. The dialogue is minimal. The lack of verbosity in the book adds to the pathos and the body language speaks for itself.

The book shows how the definition of ‘jolie laide’ changes for Terra. Literally translated it means ‘pretty ugly’, but as she goes on she discovers it means something that draws the eye to itself – you can’t look away because it’s mesmerizing. Overall, a good read.