7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, July 3, 2008
It's always been Shelby, her mom, and her three sisters. The story is told through Shelby's eyes. She is the second eldest of the four. They live in an untraditional family, to say the least. Each of the sisters has a different father. And they each have different ancestry, as well. One is half Japanese, half Italian. One is half Japanese and half Chinese. One is half Japanese and half Anglo. And Shelby is all Japanese.
Their mom has always been on the quest for eternal beauty and the rich husband. None of the girls' fathers have satisfied her, even though Lakey's father, Larry, wants to marry her. It's only after learning of Larry's engagement to another woman that Helen realizes what she could've had.
Even with the bizarre family ties, the girls and their mother are close. They do everything together. And though maybe unconventional, their mother has done a good job raising the girls. It's only after her mother is in a serious car accident that their world crumbles. Since none of the girls are legally adults, Helen must arrange homes for the girls while she recovers.
It is decided that each of the girls will go to live with their respective fathers. Shelby has only seen her father a handful of times. Jiro is a reserved man, living a quiet life in Arkansas. Except for the fact that he dresses terribly uncool, as the summer unfolds, Shelby realizes he's not a bad man, just unknown to her.
It's Maddie that has the worst situation. Her father, Mr. Bronson, has been legally trying to obtain custody of her, stating Helen is an unfit mother. He's a stern disciplinarian, and Maddie's personality starts to disappear, living in his oppressive home.
When notified that their mother may die, all the girls are flown home to be with her. The girls take matters into their own hands when they fear that they could be permanently separated if the worst happens. They will do anything they can to keep their family unit together, and to save Maddie.
Ms. Kadohata writes a powerfully moving novel of four girls struggling to keep the lives they've always known. Separated from each other, they can barely survive. Looking in from the outside, the reader knows what is going on, but feels powerless to stop the momentum that is driving their lives. After reading OUTSIDE BEAUTY, the reader will come away with a wonderful feeling of family, and of how love can pull you through anything.
Reviewed by: Jaglvr
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great read -- but not for younger teens, August 6, 2008
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The book jacket lists this book for ages 12+. But I would strongly encourage parents and teachers to pre-read this book before recommending it to anyone under about 15. While there is nothing explicit or graphic in the book, there are a number of references to very casual sexual activity among adults (not wearing panties to parties, trading `favors' for car service, a date expecting to `get what he has paid for'). These incidents are reported very dispassionately by the 13 year old protagonist, as it is just commonplace in her life. That fits perfectly for the voice of this character. But I personally would not want to give this to a preteen or young teen who is just starting to gather clues about how people behave sexually. I think it would be fine for a mid or older teen.
That said, I found Outside Beauty to be a great read. The basic plot and premise of the story is unique. It's the story of a single mother and her four daughters. The mother is quite shallow and values beauty (and what it can get her) above all else. She teaches these values quite effectively to her young brood. Because of an accident, the girls are split up and sent to live with different fathers, in very different living situations. It's a beautiful story of how a strong familial bond will overcome exceptional circumstances.
Outside Beauty is told from the viewpoint of the second-oldest daughter, Shelby. I found the "voice" of this character to be very authentic. I enjoyed the variety of characters in this novel. Each daughter and each father has a distinct personality. Although each character is fairly one-dimensional, and some are stereotypical, it works quite well as an ensemble.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sophiscated for a "young" reader, August 2, 2008
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This book is about a mother with 4 girls who thinks her appearance matters more than anything. The story is told through the eyes of her 2nd oldest daughter. The girls are very close to each other and their somewhat eccentric mother. This is a great read and well-written. However, due to some mature references and concepts, I would not recommend it for preteens. OK for a high schooler.
The story tells of how the girls come into their own after their mother's car accident. She may die and the girls must deal with imperfect fathers as well as their own feelings. Despite the premise - one mom with 4 girls by 4 dads, the girls learn some good things: a woman can be valued for more than her beauty, running away isn't always the answer, sometimes it's good to love some one back, etc...
Very well-written, lots of fun, some ups & down. Highly Recommended!
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