Beautiful Ugly

by Alice Feeney

Beautiful Ugly started strong for me. The build‑up to a wonderful tension was palpable, and I relished the character, emotional, and scenery descriptions. About 80% in, though, things fell apart; there were moments when I felt like I was suddenly reading an action movie chase scene, and the shift pulled me out of the story. By the end, I was more annoyed than satisfied, despite how much I enjoyed the early tone and pacing. It was indeed an unpredictable novel, but only riveting in how quickly the plot went from mysterious to ridiculous.