Book Review: The Story of My Face

Book Review: The Story of My Face by Leanne Baugh
Read courtesy of Netgalley
Publication date: September 10, 2018

LOVED THIS BOOK!

It had the potential to become preachy, and it WASN'T.

Baugh let the full story of the lead character's encounter with a bear build throughout the story without hiding the reader from the fact that the bear attack is what caused Abby's disfigurement. This paralleled the early shock of the attack and the physical affects with the more slowly evolving emotional healing.

Baugh included many characters and skillfully gave them depth and purpose. The author used the different storylines of the different characters' lives to ebb and flow with the pieces of knowing that we all have similar experiences and reactions in spite of our differences. Empathy came through without lecturing the reader. Real life sympathy showed through the varied characters' actions and reactions to Abby's new reality.

One of the greatest achievements an author might accomplish, Baugh did. She made me thoughtful and introspective rather than just being an observer. I related to the experiences about which I read rather than simply reading a story. I've never done, nor will probably ever do, the things that put Abby and her friends in their situations, but Baugh craftily made that irrelevant to my enjoyment. She created a universal experience through her characters' thoughts and actions, regardless of setting. Bravo!

I cannot wait to get this for my high school library!