Book Review: Beautiful Ugly
Title: Beautiful Ugly
Author: Alice Feeney
Length: 306 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Plot Summary: A successful author retreats to a remote Scottish island hoping to recover from grief and rediscover his creative spark. Instead, he becomes entangled with a mysterious community full of secrets. As the story shifts between perspectives and past events, the novel slowly reveals a web of deception, manipulation, and buried resentment.
Review: I finished this book with very mixed feelings. It began with so much promise, and I went in with high expectations, especially after loving My Husband’s Wife. In earlier chapters, I was intrigued by the atmosphere and the careful buildup of tension, but the final twist was hard for me to embrace. It felt more like a thriller device than a fully earned plot development.
There are clever moments throughout, and Feeney remains skilled at creating misdirection. But despite this, the story ultimately lacked heart for me. I never felt especially invested in any of the characters, and I found it difficult to root for anyone. That said, the novel did succeed in making Scotland sound absolutely irresistible and I’m excited to add Outer Hebrides to my travel list.
Rating: 2.75/5
