The Story of My Face [Hardcover]

Kathy Page (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003

A young girl grows up an outsider, then becomes drawn into the life of a local family with some curious beliefs. They treat her as a daughter, and take her away with them to a religious holiday camp. It is here that she is introduced to the Finnish Envallist branch of Protestantism, and here that events start to take a terrible turn. Rejected by some of the sectarians for her non-commitment to their beliefs, Natalie creates a rift in the group which culminates in a climactic event. Later, as an adult in Finland, she tries to make sense of what happened and to unlock the secret origins of Envallism itself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Quiently powerful, with considerable emotional depth: an intriguing account of tortured faith and thwarted desire.” -- Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Thirteen–year–old Natalie Baron is adrift in the world and looking for something or someone to latch on to; when she meets Barbara Hern and her family, followers of an extreme Protestant sect founded by Tuomas Envall, Natalie slowly insinuates herself into their lives. But when she inadvertently creates a rift in the group, events begin to take a terrible turn. Three decades later, living in Finland in a tiny wooden house surrounded by melting ice, Natalie researches the life of Tuomas Envall in an attempt to understand the devastating events that changed not only her face but also the course of her life. By turns a heart–rending story of human need, passionate belief, and the loss of innocence, The Story of My Face is a also a skillfully crafted psychological thriller. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 233 pages
• Publisher: Orion Publishing (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0297607855
• ISBN-13: 978-0297607854
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,707,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing story of an older girl & a Protestant cult, May 7, 2004

By 

KatPanama "katpanama" (Readerville) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of My Face (Hardcover)

An unusual, entirely captivating novel that marks a neglected girl's tragic coming-of-age within the confines of a Protestant cult new to her; set in Finland and the U.K. Beautifully written, a thriller of sorts, fine reading. It's partly about the attraction of family when one has none and partly about the seduction of belonging. And, about the ultimate belonging, the ultimate seduction: motherhood.

4.0 out of 5 stars Deep Subjects, January 17, 2003

By 

Doug (Prince George BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of My Face (Hardcover)

Kathy Page explores a couple of very deep subjects in The Story of My Face, but does so in a really readable, engaging, and accessible way. The subjects are religion and beauty / self image. The story is told in the first person and is set in the recent past (the narrator being adult) in, I think, Finland, as well as in the narrator's adolescence (around 13 years, I would say) in Britain. Page really creates a sense of place for both periods and parallel story lines that hold on to you. The implications as to how religions (in this case a particular sect) form, and the nature of faith are really thoughtful ones. I really recommend this book. Well written, thoughtful, and stays with you.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great to the end, January 27, 2003

By 

kerri (winnipeg, MB) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of My Face (Paperback)

Story of my face was the book I was searching for, a book that I looked forward to meeting me at home. A fantastic story, great imagery, brilliant characters. I am so impressed that from the first page, I cared about this story, this journey and how it would all work out. Page is able to keep the suspense up thru-out the story, yet you don't seem to mind because everything else that is happening is just as interesting. fantastic read!! A great new style of modern mystery fiction that is becoming ever more popular.