All the Ugly and Wonderful Things Audiobook By Bryn Greenwood cover art

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

A Novel

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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 Emotionally Gripping Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Literary Fiction Genre Fiction Scary Feel-Good

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)
Compelling Narrative Structure • Emotional Depth • Thought-provoking Themes • Vivid Setting Portrayal

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I have over 400 books in my Audible library and have never written a review. I loved this book, but probably wouldn't write a review here either except I want to add my opinion to those slamming this book for the content, and the author for writing it. First of all, I thank God we live in a country where we can still write a novel about things that happen in real life and not be persecuted. Many of you want to persecute the author while applauding the entertainment you got from it. Secondly, while there were parts that made me uncomfortable, I appreciated how far the author went to show human feelings and frailty. It's this kind of writing that makes people stop and think and examine how different life can be from one person to the next. Stop your judgment and just think. Maybe your life had

Beautiful novel full of ugly things.

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The story line is a refreshing change from assembly line romance tales. The main protagonists are damaged and unglamorous. Some readers might even find the gradual development of their relationship disturbing due to the age gap and the squalor of their surroundings, yet the author persuades us that something of beauty can still grow in the ugliest of circumstances. There is neither a handsome Prince nor sexually skilled billionaire to fuel a reader's girlish daydreams here. Instead a random act of kindness to a child generates a feeling of responsibility which, over a period of years, develops into an attraction destined to raise concerns. This was not an easy subject to tackle and I applaud the author for taking us in a new direction. I look forward to more books from this source.

A brave departure from the norm

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The great reviews kept me reading when I felt intensely uncomfortable. It paid off. The story is wonderful and beautiful and ugly all at same time. The narrator did a phenomenal job conveying so many different viewpoints and voices. This book is truly exceptional.

Hard to Read but Worth It

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Very average....gloried child molestation to me. The story line was okay.

Has All the Ugly and Wonderful Things turned you off from other books in this genre?

no.

What about Jorjeana Marie’s performance did you like?

It was a decent performance.

Was All the Ugly and Wonderful Things worth the listening time?

no

Sick

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What a fantastic book! Jorgeana Maria did an amazing job narrating numerous people in the book. There were a few moments in the book that were pretty inappropriate but it was apart of the over all story so it was probably necessary.

great!!

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