The Face

Sarah Sims was born with Treacher Collins syndrome, a condition that gave her such severe facial defects she was expected to die. Now 20, she has lived her entire life in a secret CIA hideaway in an old convent on an island near Spain. When she was a child, her mentor, Dr. Glenda Mewton, oversaw enough facial reconstruction for Sarah to function, but people seeing her are shocked at her mask of a face with its scarred skin, thin and twisted mouth, and lack of symmetry. Sarah feels secure in the nest of her CIA home, though. She never leaves it, not wanting to see people's reactions to her terrible face. Dr. Mewton is something of a chilly mother figure, and Sarah's adorable and funny best friend Judson is blind. Sarah is the resident computer expert. She loves her work and is inventing an innovative brain scan tool that will change how the CIA extracts information from subjects. Sometimes she fiercely wonders about her father, Kevin, who also worked for the CIA until his suicide soon after Sarah's mother died in childbirth. She has never truly missed the family she doesn't have and has no way of knowing that her aunt Renee, Kevin's sister, has believed all along that Sarah was a still-born. Renee is a psychologist with a failed marriage behind her. Her only family is her beloved dog, Elvis. She is surprised when a storage rental business notifies her that she needs to clean out her deceased mother's storage unit, which she didn't even know her mother had. Inside, she finds old papers, including a letter that will change her life. That 20-year-old letter is from CIA officer Dr. Glenda Mewton, giving an update on Kevin's baby, Sarah. Dr. Mewton warns Kevin's mother that Sarah's prognosis is doubtful and asks her to sign the papers giving up rights to the baby so she can continue to care for her. The news that her niece did not die at birth stuns Renee. She is absolutely determined to find out what became of Sarah. Of course, obtaining any information from the CIA is a very long and difficult process. Finally, in order to get the clearances she needs, she takes a job as a psychologist for the CIA. The door is opened to her, and she is flown to the CIA facility that is Sarah's home. Although Renee is warned about Sarah's face, she is still shocked when she meets her niece. She is further appalled at the secluded life Sarah lives. Renee suggests a face transplant, but she meets resistance from Dr. Mewton. Sarah herself must ponder this life-changing idea: Is her safe, known life what she really wants? Or would she like to see the world and have new relationships? Narrated in first-person present tense, Sarah and Renee's stories have an urgent immediacy, which makes THE FACE a compelling read. The two women are well-rounded, sympathetic characters. Thought-provoking questions arise: How important are memories, even if they're painful? What is the connection between facial expressions and emotions? Add some late, truly shocking plot twists, and rea

I can sum up my reaction in one word: WOW! A baby is born with such severe facial deformities that several operations must be preformed in order for the child to breathe, eat, hear, and speak. Twenty years later, her aunt, a psychologist, stumbles across the evidence of the child's existence, and begins a determined quest to find and love her niece, no matter her niece's appearance. But without an acceptable face, the young lady has never been in public; she's never learned to experience emotions. Hunt's talented writing pulls the reader into this tender thriller with realistic characters and believable dialogue. She teaches me something new with each one of her novels. At the core of this novel, the reader considers the importance of life, love, and pain. This is one of those hard-to-put-down books. John Grisham, move over!

The Face by Angela Hunt is another stellar book by one of the best writers in the business. I always know that whenever her name is on a book, it's going to be a terrific read. Sarah Sims was born without a face due to a tragic genetic condition. She's spent her entire life secluded from the world and being cared for by the CIA. Now at the age of twenty, she works for them as a computer genius living on a remote island near Spain. Her aunt Renee had clue about Sarah's existence until she comes across a letter while going through her deceased mother's belongings. Renee immediately wants to know her long-lost niece, the daughter of her only brother who died tragically shortly after Sarah's birth. Renee, a licensed psychiatrist, applies to work for the CIA as well in order to meet and get close to Sarah and hopefully free her from her life of isolation. The chapters alternate in narration between Renee and Sarah giving the reader a thorough understanding of their feelings as they get to know each other. Hunt gives a great deal of information about how faces speak their own language, which is fascinating, especially as Sarah tries to learn to use expressions which opens her heart to emotions she's never before felt. I wish I could tell you how amazing the conclusion is, but I don't want to give out any spoilers. Hunt writes a Christian book that never speaks of Christ, but the conclusion is incredibly moving, especially looking at it in terms of Jesus. Hunt has written a novel that speaks to the value of suffering as well as why for a life to be full it must have love in it.

There aren't enough adjectives to describe The Face! Sarah Sims is a brilliantly conceived character, and the story is as intriguing and riveting as you'll find anywhere in contemporary fiction. Hunt continues to pack her novels with surprise, creativity, and drama even while she challenges us to think and consider the implications of her never-predictable, roller-coaster stories. What a gifted novelist! Loved this book!