181
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #188,212 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★☆☆☆
Dark and grim reading from the beginning until the very end
Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold is a dystopian novel that is so dark and grim that I was happy to finally get to the end. The title is not reflective of the book.
There is not much hope in this story of young people looking for a way to survive. It appears poverty was a way of life for most of them even before the grey disease. The story is told from different perspectives but none of them are uplifting. The individuals that are the focus of the story are preteens to young adults. Their interactions with the remaining adults in the quarantined community range from caring to cruelty. The effects of these actions take as much of a toll as the disease.
I did not find this a satisfying reading experience. There is enough grim news and stories of children in sad situations that a fictional story about such misery is not something that I want to read. If you are looking for an entertaining or enjoyable reading experience, I recommend that you skip this one.
