Book Review – What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson

There are books that slowly creep up on you, and What Beauty There Is is one such book. At times poignant and at times thrilling, it was a fabulous read, start to finish. Cory Anderson deserves to be applauded for writing a very fine book.

What Beauty There Is begins with a teenager struggling to balance his education, looking after a younger sibling, managing a household and a parent who is an addict. Add to all this the stigma of another parent who is in prison and Jack’s character is one that draws sympathy and awe. Matty, Jacks’s brother, is every bit adorable and readers can’t help loosing their hearts to the fraternal bond between them.

A chance encounter in the school halls brings Jack into Ava’s world. Ava is as complex as Jack is simple. Yet, both are as scarred as they can be by the past. Where Jack’s character, the caution, the intent, the need and desperation can be gleaned by the reader and the causes clearly can be attributed to past events and trauma, Ava is the polar opposite. Ava is complexity herself. The whys, hows, whatfors cannot be answered simply. Ava’s character is like an onion, we get glimpses of little things, one layer at a time. Somehow, Jack and Ava are the ying and yang that work magic in this book.

The plot is in itself riveting. The reader is kept enthralled and there is no need to skip pages. The pace, the action, the whole of plot is one interesting read – start to finish. There is nothing to dislike about What Beauty There Is.

I am sure there are people out there who would have liked a better ending, but wasn’t this one poignant? It may not be all roses and rainbows, but What Beauty There Is is not one such book. It dealt with trauma and survival. Precisely what was delivered, in a brutally realistic manner.

What Beauty There Is delivered on all counts – good writing, interesting plot, relatable characters, thrilling twists and all in all a riveting read. I’d definitely recommend What Beauty There Is for everyone.

You can get a copy of What Beauty There Is here – Amazon