I just finished a book that I've been carrying around but didn't know would be so compelling.

Just to be the good diligent girl and write my book review:

UGLY by Constance Briscoe is the true account of the abusive and horrific childhood of one of the first black women to sit as a judge in the UK.

For 3/4 of the book you read with no clue about who or how intelligent this woman actually is. All you have is the simple viewpoint of a child who wants nothing more than to survive the days and keep out of the way of her erratic, ruthless mother. The language is casual, conversational, and not bombastic, so unless told you don't have the impression that she is a judge. The book doesn't have a picture of the author, and all you have is an image of a small black girl bowing her head on her knees with arms folded in despair. I guess it's appropriate because that's who she started out as- a nobody.

It's not easy to digest chapters of violence and abuse, dished out so coolly, but there is her voice of nonchalant innocence and strength that is just so misplaced in such distressing circumstances. She meets every act of malevolence with the steel-like resolution and overcomes it just like that.

It's an inducing read because you just want to know how she survives it all- or even if she does.

And of course, she lives to tell the story.

When I reached the end of the book my first inclination was to find out how she actually looks like. All along, the mental picture in my mind was an ugly, skinny girl with lots of scars.

So imagine my surprise:



In the sequel to the book she visits a plastic surgeon, so maybe she's had some work done. But still. She does look beautiful.