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All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
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All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
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Publisher's Summary
A beautiful and provocative love story between two unlikely people and the hard-won relationship that elevates them above the Midwestern meth lab backdrop of their lives.
As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight.
Struggling to raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around. Obsessed with the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house until one night her stargazing causes an accident. After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold.
By the time Wavy is a teenager, her relationship with Kellen is the only tender thing in a brutal world of addicts and debauchery. When tragedy rips Wavy's family apart, a well-meaning aunt steps in, and what is beautiful to Wavy looks ugly under the scrutiny of the outside world.
A powerful novel you won't soon forget, Bryn Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things challenges all we know and believe about love.
What the critics say
What listeners say about All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Maureen
- 2019-07-23
Not sure what I want to say
The narrator/s were pitch perfect. The book was well written,with good character development...particularly it’s main character.
However I needed to remind myself throughout the novel that she was a child who, because of her circumstance, was ripe for latching on to the first person who treated her with love and respect. In this case it is a fully grown man who often struggles (and loses) his desire to change the relationship from friend to lover. This started when she was 8 and was manifested by 13. While love was the only emotion each felt for the other...it sends a troubling message. This book is not for everyone. I’m still grappling with balancing the fiction of this book with a dangerous message.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Babs
- 2018-11-01
Wow
I can’t deny that this booked shocked me, it filled me with so many conflicting feelings and down right grossed me out at some parts. But the story itself is beautiful and the end really got me. It’s taboo and wrong but even so I couldn’t help falling in love with Wavy and Kellen and hoping they would have a happy ending. I do highly recommend this book, it can be hard at times but even so all I feel is contentment at the end.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Claire
- 2021-12-13
dark and captivating
the narrator did a great job of changing voices for characters, this was so easy to listen to. the story was dark and beautiful, just as described. unique and interesting. dramatic and twisted and also somehow wholesome? I enjoyed it a lot.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2021-08-27
Worth while listen
I went from being unsure at the beginning, to appreciating the complexities of the characters and their relationships. Beautifully done.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jaltvater
- 2021-09-14
Such a great story, and well told!
I felt like I knew the characters or wanted to meet them! Great book. Thank you!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- breeaoag
- 2021-09-26
Will have to buy the paper version
I’m sorry, I can’t get passed the nasally voice, will try to read the paper version.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Samantha Laflamme
- 2021-10-11
Surprising
I downloaded this book with the expectation that it was included in the membership therefore wouldn’t be stellar. Never judge a book by its cover. I was enthralled in the story and though the end became a little explicit (TW; child abuse, drug use) I couldn’t turn it off. I needed desperately to know how it ended for Wavy. Give it a listen. It’s worth it.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Leelah
- 2022-01-07
Few troubling details
The book was a decent listen but predictable in some parts , trying to overlook the extreme age difference between the 2 main characters keeping in mind that the story takes place in the 70’s-80’s so I suppose age wasn’t as serious as a factor then as it is now .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Catarina
- 2022-01-22
Unusual and controversial
A beautiful love story!
Highly unusual, and no doubt controversial, but a great love stories nonetheless! Many ups and downs that kept me completely absorbed in the story. At times it was difficult to hear what was happening or even to believe that someone is talking about a little girl falling in love but even though is crazy, its almost understandable what was happening and why; even though I don't agree with some of it.
The characters were very real in my mind. I thought the narration was outstanding! Very well written !
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hazel L.
- 2022-01-22
Could not stop listening.
Loved it! Was hooked from the start. Will have you laughing and crying. A must read.
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