Beauty

There are so many things I like about this book. First, there's the central character, Amy Wong, who goes through a wonderful transformation. She has a fantastic, strong voice–neurotic at times, determined at others. Then there's the setting–New York's fashion world, about which I know nothing but found endlessly fascinating and credible. And the structure. In the first chapter, Amy is a little girl, wounded by her father's departure from the family home, but each subsequent chapter jumps forward in time some number of years, so that a great deal of Amy's life and trouble is intentionally left out, which is perfect and gives the book its fast pace. A very enjoyable read.