03/04/2023
Bookstagram made me do it. I've never seen a physical copy of this book, but I have seen it on Bookstagram over the years. That is what made me choose to read this book. It was also March's book prompt for
Author: Bryn Greenwood
Published: August 2016
DM me for content and trigger warnings.
What's it about?
Meet Wavy a young child whose parents are drug addicts and drug dealers. Her well-meaning mother's family does the very best to love, nurture, and protect her and her baby brother Donal. However, Wavy is bright, complex and knows her own mind. Effected by her parents and dysfunctional life, Wavy develops a communicative relationship with an adult; Kellen, Wavy's drug dealing father's, sidekick and muscle man who takes on a fatherly figure role in her life. As I'm sure you can imagine, that's not where it ends. I told you this one is complicated. In my experience, your feelings towards all the characters will change as the story progresses. This book is thought-provoking. It's also very, very compelling.
If you adore a sadder traumatic read like:
BETTY, MY DARK VANESSA, SHUGGIE BAIN
then I wholeheartedly recommend All The Ugly and Wonderful Things, too.
I will always recommend this book it's provocative in a positive and compelling way. It completely challenges your reactions and responses to social and economic stereotypes. The parallel storyline around mother daughter relationships and forms of abuse where the family's social and economic status is polar opposite to Wavy's. The author challenges the status quo with this theme on multiple occasions throughout this book. So the saying goes... Never judge a book by its cover. In this case, even with its sensitive themes and narrative, I do challenge you to pick it up and not fail to be swept away by it. Come back and talk to me once you have finished.
This one deserves all the stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
