All the Ugly and Wonderful Things cover art

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

A Novel

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All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

By: Bryn Greenwood
Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie
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About this listen

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.

©2016 Bryn Greenwood (P)2016 Audible, Inc. Coming of Age Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Scary Thought-Provoking Tear-jerking Feel-Good

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Critic reviews

"Jorjeana Marie was meant to narrate this gripping story, which takes place in meth country in the Midwest. Neglected, abused 8-year-old Wavy Quinn is stargazing when she unintentionally causes Jesse Joe Kellen, an ex-con employee of her drug-dealing dad, to crash his motorcycle. Marie grippingly portrays this troubled pair who befriend each other after Wavy saves his life. Things come to a head when their relationship is misunderstood. In addition to deftly presenting the lead characters, Marie perfectly renders Wavy's adorable little brother and beloved grandmother. Some chapters are written from other characters' viewpoints over a period of 15 years, and Marie presents those flawlessly as well. Listeners will be eager to hear what happens next, always rooting for Wavy and Kellen." ( AudioFile Magazine)
All stars
Most relevant  
This book is amazing. It's one that will stay with me for a long time. It's like a modern day Romeo and Juliet story, only with paedophiles and drugs. I'm going to search for other books by Bryn Greenwood, I hope there are more on Audible.

Incredible

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Very uncomfortable topic but it got me thinking A LOT. The story took a while to get going but overall it was good.

Worth a listen

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Heart wrenching story, and I had hope in my heart for Wavy the whole time. It’s rare enough to find a book you can’t stop listening to, but this is a gem.
Wonderfully narrated, perfect for the characters and so respectful of them.

Wonderful. I want to listen again straight away

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True emotion which made you think twice about how you would respond with many of the situations

An excellent book

Excellent

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I loved it from the beginning till the end. In contrast some other reviews, I did not feel confused about the story.
This is a very unusal love story, full of sadness and hope and desperate love, I will never forget.
The narrator was marvelous. too.

Best book so far this year

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Very few books have stayed with me like this one. It is disturbing, confusing, heartbreaking and frustrating all at once. All the characters are complicated as are their relationships with each other. There were moments where I couldn’t bare to listen but I was gripped right to the end. I’m not sure i can say I “enjoyed” this book it but I was compelled to keep going right to end.

I am still haunted by this book

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This is an equally tragic and beautiful book. The main character will stay with me for a long time! If you’re open minded you’ll really understand and love it too!

What a brilliant book!

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This beautifully crafted book challenges the reader to confront their own moral assumptions through the judgements and easy prejudice levelled against the main protagonists.

As a therapist specialising in working with adults sexually abused as children, I found the book to be a cautionary tale about the need to actually listen and stay in my clients frame of reference. Perception governs experience.

If you enjoyed this book, I recommend “Where the Crawdads Sing”, which, while less mortally challenging, is beautifully written.

Challenges So Many Assumptions

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Something different but very worthwhile. Love is complicated and here it is shown at the extreme of that.

Love story with teeth

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Although its tough subject matter it was interesting and a different to the normal genre that I would listen to

Uncomfortable reading

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