Such a Pretty Girl

One of my favorite books. I loved the plot and realistic situations and viewpoints the author evoked.

This book took me multiple times to read, I just kept getting bored halfway through. Finally I went back through and finished it and the ending felt really rushed and overall the story wasn't that intriguing. Normally this books would be right up my alley with some of my favorites like Boy Toy by Barry Lyga and the like. The writing reminded me of a children's book, it left a lot to be desired. Overall it was an easy read but not a very compelling story, if you're bored you might like it but you could easily find a better read out there. This is the first book in a long time I felt no desire to keep and actually gave to Goodwill.

Such a Pretty Girl gives a lovely account of child molestation without stepping over the edge. I found my heart racing constantly and rooting for the protagonist out loud.

Despite my frustration with the blind self absorption of the heroine's mother, the damaged, yet resilient character of Meredith so engrossed me with her in-the-moment hyperawareness of her surroundings, the details of which made her so identifiable, and her perilous existence so palpably real, I was never bored for a second; but only impatient with the imperviousness of her mother to the position she thrust upon her daughter. Perhaps if there were some background psychological explanation for the mother's obsessive need to use her daughter to hold onto her husband, she might have been somewhat more pathetic and less despicable. She seems to lack any maternal instinct whatsoever. I love this authors awareness of detail, as I experience the world much the same way, and enjoy the comfort of a character who sees, smells and feels her surroundings so vividly. Despite the disconcerting subject matter, the author has managed to allow us to understand what has occurred, yet without any lascivious details. You feel from the beginning that it will be safe to keep reading without fear of having to endure a graphic description of a repulsive act. This book should be required reading for troubled teenagers, who may recognize the patterns of their behavior and take some strength from this young girl's unwillingness to yield to her plight, despite her sense that she is ultimately alone in dealing with her nightmare. Such knowledge could create a more open dialog for young people who have experienced an abuser to feel less guilty for their confused feelings about people who seem to care about them but prey upon them in seclusion. Parents and educators can also benefit from this observation of abused and abuser to heighten their vigilance in protecting their children against this disease. This is a sad and repulsive subject matter, but abuse of children is not going away, and shedding light on the problem in this manner can only help us all recognize patterns of behavior in both abusers and abused and educate us all to be more aware of their meaning and even help some children to avoid being victimized before it happens. It's time for parents and educators to stop protecting children from the ugly truth, and start arming them with knowledge that can keep them safe. This had to be a dark and disturbing book to write, but I am grateful that Laura Wiess took one for the team to write it in a way that did not make me turn away, but keep reading for enjoyment and learn something while I was at it.

I finished this book in one sitting. Once I started, I was hooked. The characters feel very real and I found myself getting angry for the main character as she deals with the return of her sexually abusive father. You won't be disappointed!

I almost passed this book by. The topic was an awful one, and I have had to witness the effects of abuse on children. I didn't think such a topic could be pulled off at all well. But something on the back matter made me pick Pretty Girl up, made me read the first couple of pages and then buy it. I'm glad I did. Not only did the author convey the reality of the child's suffering, she gave us the effects on the community, the relatives and others. She has portrayed a very bad situation and shown us characters who are damaged and isolated by their experience, and shown us how some of them make it through the damage and out the other side. She shows us how some do not, or can only heal part way. It's about coping. And it was done beautifully. This is one of those books that can effect a profound change on the reader.

I did not intend to read this whole book in one sitting, but I could not put it down! This author is very good at real life. I experienced a wealth of emotions including fury & sadness as well as some laughs here & there. This book is now added to my favorites list. I loved it!

In SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, Laura Wiess grabbed and held my attention from the first page to the last. New Jersey teenager Meredith was supposed to have nine years of safety from her father, so she'd be eighteen and out of the house when he was released from prison. But three years later, when Meredith is fifteen, her father gets out for good behavior. No matter what he did to Meredith and to other children before her, Meredith's mother is more than ready to take him back. Meredith isn't alone, though. She has her grandmother, the mayor of the town, who wants Meredith to move in with her to escape her father. She has Andy, her best friend, the guy she is in love with, who was also scarred by Meredith's father as a child. She has Andy's mother, who moved across the street from Meredith's family just to keep other children from the horror from which she couldn't protect Andy. She has Nigel, a retired policemen who has a plan to get Meredith's father back in jail and away from children. Even though Meredith is far from alone, she still feels that way when she can't even count on the people every kid is supposed to be able to count on: her parents. Meredith wants to get her father back in prison. She wants her mother to go back to visiting him instead of having him in their house. She wants to be able to go into her own home without fear. She wants other kids to be safe, too. She doesn't know what that's going to take, and she's certainly not unafraid, but she isn't going to let him hurt her, or any other kids, again. This moving, powerful novel is one that should not be missed. Once you start reading it, you won't be able to put this book down. I wasn't! It's an emotional book that is beautifully, powerfully written and unique, and it'll stay with you long past the last word. Laura Wiess's characters are as well-written as the rest of the book, very realistic (in some cases, scarily so). They're three-dimensional characters in an equally (and, again, scarily) believable story that will certainly be a favorite of anyone who reads it. I know it's one of mine now! Don't miss this book. Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce