Ordinary Beauty
Lauded by critics and authors for her heartbreakingly real heroines, Laura Wiess brings readers another devastating tale of betrayal and redemption rich with the raw emotion that made Such a Pretty Girl a classic.
How can you make someone love you when they won’t?
And what if that person happens to be your mother?
Sayre Bellavia grew up knowing she was a mistake: unplanned and unwanted. At five months shy of eighteen, she’s become an expert in loneliness, heartache, and neglect. Her whole life she’s been cursed, used, and left behind. Swallowed a thousand tears and ignored a thousand deliberate cruelties. Sayre’s stuck by her mother through hell, tried to help her, be near her, be important to her even as her mother slipped away into a violent haze of addiction, destroying the only chance Sayre ever had for a real family.
Now her mother is lying in a hospital bed, near death, ravaged by her own destructive behavior. And as Sayre fights her way to her mother’s bedside, she is terrified but determined to get the answer to a question no one should ever have to ask: Did my mother ever really love me? And what will Sayre do if the answer is yes?
How can you make someone love you when they won’t?
And what if that person happens to be your mother?
Sayre Bellavia grew up knowing she was a mistake: unplanned and unwanted. At five months shy of eighteen, she’s become an expert in loneliness, heartache, and neglect. Her whole life she’s been cursed, used, and left behind. Swallowed a thousand tears and ignored a thousand deliberate cruelties. Sayre’s stuck by her mother through hell, tried to help her, be near her, be important to her even as her mother slipped away into a violent haze of addiction, destroying the only chance Sayre ever had for a real family.
Now her mother is lying in a hospital bed, near death, ravaged by her own destructive behavior. And as Sayre fights her way to her mother’s bedside, she is terrified but determined to get the answer to a question no one should ever have to ask: Did my mother ever really love me? And what will Sayre do if the answer is yes?
Choose a format:
Book details:
- MTV Books |
- 320 pages |
- ISBN 9781439193969 |
- June 2011
$15.00 List Price
Buy from another retailer:
Get our latest book recommendations, author news and sweepstakes right to your inbox
Resources
To download a file to your computer right-click on the link and choose 'save file as'
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Ordinary Beauty
Trade Paperback 9781439193969(2.0 MB)
- Author Photo (jpg): Laura Wiess
Paul Pinaha(0.4 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
Book Reviews
Reading Group Guide
This reading group guide for Ordinary Beauty includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
INTRODUCTION
Seven years ago, Sayre Bellavia had everything she could ever want. But when her mother’s relapse meets with unexpected tragedy, Sayre’s life is consumed by her mother’s addiction and neglect. When fate lands Sayre in the truck of a wounded stranger with an out-of-service phone, she finds herself reliving some of the best and worst memories of her upbringing, including the year that changed everything. And time is running out—not just for Sayre’s mother, but for Sayre’s chance to finally speak her piece.
TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. One of the overarching themes in Ordinary Beauty is identity. How would Sayre describe herself? What does she think of her last name, Bellavia? How do other characters in the book struggle with identity?
2. Why is Sayre so intent on feeding the kitten in the beginning of the story, especially when she barely has enough food for herself? What kind of symbolism do animals represent throughout Ordinary Beauty?
3. When Evan swerves into a ditch to avoi see more
INTRODUCTION
Seven years ago, Sayre Bellavia had everything she could ever want. But when her mother’s relapse meets with unexpected tragedy, Sayre’s life is consumed by her mother’s addiction and neglect. When fate lands Sayre in the truck of a wounded stranger with an out-of-service phone, she finds herself reliving some of the best and worst memories of her upbringing, including the year that changed everything. And time is running out—not just for Sayre’s mother, but for Sayre’s chance to finally speak her piece.
TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. One of the overarching themes in Ordinary Beauty is identity. How would Sayre describe herself? What does she think of her last name, Bellavia? How do other characters in the book struggle with identity?
2. Why is Sayre so intent on feeding the kitten in the beginning of the story, especially when she barely has enough food for herself? What kind of symbolism do animals represent throughout Ordinary Beauty?
3. When Evan swerves into a ditch to avoi see more
