Such a Pretty Girl

I actually threw this book and I am greatly sorry for it but this novel got under my skin. So yes, I totally enjoyed this novel and yes, I would highly recommend it, if this is a genre you read. Why? For starters this novel is real, this story is reality as it told the story as if they were your neighbors and this was not the edited version. There was no red bow at the end and there was no happy, sappy feeling in the middle that made me go “ahh!” I was furious and irritated and I wanted to reach inside this novel and knock some heads together. Yes, these are the people you read about in the paper and the people I yell at my husband about, these people should be shot and yet these people have children. There are people in the world who are dying to have children and they can’t and here we have people who have children and they treat them like this.

She cringes when she thinks of her father. She is happy that he is behind bars finally and she feels free. It’s just the two of them, her mom and her, living together in an apartment. She also has Andy; he was in an accident years ago and now moves around in a wheelchair. Not sure what you would call this relationship but I feel that she clings to him. They are close, intimate close but I wouldn’t label it a girlfriend/boyfriend relationship. Because of his accident, she feels that he will always be there for her. One day, her mother has exciting news or at least she feels it is exciting news, her father is being released early. Bam, the novel is filled with emotions and they are intense and real, slamming into everything. Of course, the girl is upset for her father was the one who took away her childhood and the childhood of other children who were brave enough to speak up in court. Her father is a child molester and he is coming home. There are words spoken and mother is angry. It boils down to this, mother is choosing her husband over her child, and the words that spew out of her mouth towards her daughter shock me and make me want to grab this young girl and run. I’m angry now just writing this, this book is a work of fiction yet I am upset just thinking that this does occurs in the real world and mothers abandon their children as they cling to their men. Their town doesn’t like her father and she knows it and she doesn’t fight the words or the attitude that they cast towards him, she understands their position. She’s a sassy one but she has a reason to be. I was pulling for her…..all the way through the novel.

Told by Meredith who, at the age of twelve, was raped by her father, and at the age of fifteen refused to be a victim a second time.

Of a nine year sentence, her father is released after only three years, and moves into an apartment in the same complex as Meredith and her mother, who explains away the rape as being a mistake. “Your father made a mistake, everybody makes mistakes, Meredith! Why did you have to ruin our family?”

At only 212 pages it's a quick, but disturbing read. The ending felt a little rushed to me.

I hope my review has been helpful to you. It encourages me to continue writing and updating my reviews. Please leave a comment if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer if I can be of help.

Here’s another book where the blurb promises more than the book delivers.

This time instead of glossing over the important issues, we’re presented with a story line that borders on unbelievable. [SPOILERS]Meredith’s father sexually abused her and numerous other children. He’s sentenced to nine years (NINE?!) and only serves three. Her mother wants to sweep the ordeal under the rug, including moving her father back into the house and leaving him alone with Meredith. Meredith is in a relationship with a guy that was also molested by her father. In the end, Meredith ends up whacking (yes, literally whacking) her father with a wooden statue of Madonna, the religious figure, and paralyzing him. Oh and the doctors say that her hitting him shouldn’t have done the damage it did, but somehow…[/SPOILERS] I’m not saying that something like this couldn’t have happened, but goodness. There’s too much here that just doesn’t make sense and there’s even more than what I listed.

Combine the unbelievability with the shortness of the novel and we’re left with disappointment. Such a Pretty Girl is another one of those books that I just can’t recommend.

This book was sad and kind of off at the same time.
My least favorite character was the mom, Sharon. What she said pissed me off, she told Meredith "What your father did was a mistake" Since when does molesting a child become a mistake? Its an intentional act, not a mistake. Sharon basically ignores what happened to Meredith when her father comes out of jail she wants them to be a "big happy family" even lets him in the house alone with Meredith even though it violates his parole. Both Sharon and Meredith dad lives in LaLa Land like nothing has happened. The people in the community has not let them forget. They refuse to let them in restuarants, they refuse to deliver any pizza to them and someone trashes her fathers place letting him know hes not welcome. What sickens me is Meredith father still has feelings for her and makes sexual remarks toward her everytime theyre alone telling her "I loved watching you walk" Yuck. Meredith feels alone but cant talk to her mother because her mother is wrapped up in her father, shes determained to put their family back together, even risking having a baby by him. LOL my favorite part of the book is when Meredith is straight foward with her mother, when talking about having a baby her mother says "Meredith knows how babies are made, dont you?"Meredith says "Of course I do, same guy that taught you, taught me" The characters that should have been left out in the book should have been Andy and his mother both of them are weird. Meredith proves herself brave when sets herself up to trap her father so that no other kids will get molested. I wont give away the ending but let just say Karma came back around and bit her father in the butt!

I've had Such a Pretty Girl on my to read list for years. Everyone has amazing things to say about it so I don't know why I put it off for so long exactly. I picked it up on a whim the other day and devoured it.

Such a Pretty Girl is a difficult book. The subject matter is something that a lot of people wouldn't want to read about. I've always liked dark books. Books that make me step outside of my normal life. That's definitely what this one is. Meredith has been sexually abused by her father in the past. When the story starts she's now 14 and her father is getting out of jail. Her mother refuses to acknowledge that anything happened and wants them to live as a happy family. Pretty horrifying, right? Laura Wiess handles the tough subject with grace.

I felt for Meredith so much. She was a lot braver than I could have ever been. I loved the subtle support system she had around her. I never quite felt the connection between her and Andy. It just felt odd to me. Her mother was infuriating and crazy. Picking your child molesting husband over your child? How could anyone do that. It's unfathomable, but Laura Wiess does a great job with her character. It was very believable.

The writing is heartbreaking and gorgeous. Meredith has these short and sometimes sparse (thankfully) flashbacks to her relationship with her father, and her abuse. They brought the story to life. It was horrifying and somehow breathtaking at the same time.

Such a Pretty Girl was a spectacular read. If you like stepping outside your comfort zone every once in awhile I highly recommend this one.

I can't help but compare this book to Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott - both are about abuse and are totally heartbreaking. While Living Dead Girl was shocking and horrifying, I felt that this one was even more emotional, more personal, as in this case, it's Meredith's own father who abuses her, which is even more messed-up and sick - I just can't get my head around how someone could do that to their own daughter. Of course I knew before reading this book that these things happen, but the descriptions in this book made it all the more real for me. The worst parts aren't even described, but still...That whole storyline was heartbreaking, especially during the flashbacks, how innnocent, young Meredith trusted her father, and he took advantage of her like that...I don't even want to think about it anymore.

Laura Wiess's writing is beautiful and captivating - she had me from the very first page. Especially the metaphors were great, and I loved how Meredith talked about numbers and their meaning so often. There were so many rich metaphors in this book, I couldn't even get all of them the first time reading this - and Such a Pretty Girl is definitely a book I could read again without being bored at all.

The characters were pretty good. I felt all of Meredith's feelings, her fear and her sadness. I don't want to say I could relate to her, as I don't have any experiences even close to hers, but I could definitely understand her. It feels wrong for me to criticize such technicalities in such a great, important, emotional book, but one thing I didn't like was that the reader never got to know all that much about Meredith as a person, her personality and interests. Maybe this was to show how her fear of her father consumed all of her and made a normal life impossible, but I think we could have heard a bit more about her as a "normal" girl from the time her father was locked up and she was safe.

The secondary characters were pretty good as well - I loved the complexity of Andy's character, and thought that his connection to Meredith and their backstory added a lot to the main plot. I'm not sure what to make of the mom's character - I felt sorry for her at times and understood she just wanted her husband to love her, but mostly, I was shocked at how much she sacrificed for her child-abusing husband, and thought it was incredibly harsh how she blamed Meredith for telling the police about her father, and how she told her flat-out that if she had to chose between him and her, she'd choose him.

The one problem I had with this novel was the dialogue. I don't even know what it was about the dialogue, but it just sounded strange, fake. Especially when Meredith spoke, it sounded more like inner thoughts than something you'd say to other people.

Don't say I didn't warn you - this book is horrifying, heartbreaking and (at times) plain disgusting. If you think you can handle that, though, I definitely recommend Such a Pretty Girl to you - the writing is amazing, and the book has an important message. It's definitely worth reading!

This was a very quick read but definitely not an uplifting story.

Meredith's father was supposed to be in prison until she turned eighteen, but finds out only the day before, that he is being released early. She is only fifteen. And he's moving to the same condo complex she lives in with her mother. Her mother has stood by his side through it all and is determined to have them become a family again. But it becomes obvious to Meredith that he has not changed at all and that she is in danger. With the help of one of her fathers paralyzed victims and a retired cop, Meredith will put herself in even more danger to ensure the safety of others.

This was just a sad story. Meredith has really has no kind of life after her father is convicted of his crimes and sent to prison. She and her mother are shunned by their community. I really felt for Meredith because she had no one looking out for her best interests so she was really all alone. I wanted to bring her home and take care of her!

It's a very good book with an original storyline which examines the crimes against children without the graphic descriptions.

A nightmare for a child to go through but this book tells how she's also a fighter and a winner. Sadly this is a true story for a lot of young children. Parents so often ignore the needs of the child for their own selfish needs. My heart cried for Meredith and I just wanted to shake the crap out of her mother and the father I can't post what I want about the father. This story drew me in and held me until the very last page. Nothing worse then feeling helpless, hopeless and full of fear.

She was promised nine years of safety, but received only three: Meridith is fifteen, living with a mother who intentionally blinds herself to the truth, and her sexually abusive father is about to be released from jail. She must find a way to protect herself from her father--and protect the other children that he may abuse in her stead. Meridith's harrowing story is compulsively readable, but it's too short and the secondary characters and plotlines don't receive enough attention. Careful flashbacks prevent the book from devolving into voyeurism, but Meridith's proactive solution to her father's abuse sets a questionable example to young adult readers. Faulted, but not a bad read, I moderately recommend this book.

At Wiess's hand, Meridith's history as a victim of child sexual abuse is rendered harrowing but never unreadable. Meredith counts wall tiles and vitamin pills, but she also willfully confronts her mother with her father's abuse: Wiess balances realistic trauma against her protagonist's fighting will, giving the dark story a sense of hope. Careful, brief flashbacks help illustrate the horror of Meredith's past without devolving into empty voyeurism. The present-day incarnation of her father is a threatening, realistic antagonist. These dark aspects pull the reader in and hold him captive, compulsively turning to the next page.

Unfortunately, not all aspects of Such a Pretty Girl are as strong as the atmosphere. The book is so fast and so short that the side stories fall forgotten at the end: Wiess introduces and builds them up, but the brief ending is reserved for Meredith, leaving side stories and themes only hastily explored. Worse and more debatable is the issue of Meredith's proactive solution to the threat posed by her father. Believing she has no other options, somewhat encourage by an adult friend, Meredith intentionally sets herself in harm's way. Such a Pretty Girl is only one character's fictional story and never intends to be instructional, but the protagonist's risk taking--especially since it has only positive consequences--sets an uncomfortable example for the reader.

Such a Pretty Girl is a dark book which is almost impossible to put down. Wiess does an admirable job building Meredith's suffering and her strength, which forgives the fact that other elements of the plot are underexplored. However, if this harrowing story is supposed to be inspiring or profound, I worry about the message that it leaves with the reader. Meredith puts herself at risk but emerges unscathed, and the possible grave consequences are nearly unmentioned. If the text discussed the risks or had less of a positive conclusion, I may not feel so hesitant recommending it. As it is, I think that the book needs to be taken with a grain of salt, and I recommend it only moderately--it is compulsively readable with a well-handled atmosphere, but Such a Pretty Girl has its faults.

If you can't imagine the horrors of child abuse and the way it changes children, read this. If you know someone who has unfortunately been through something like it, read this. If you want a beautifully haunting and thought-inducing story, read this.

Meredith is a fifteen year old who does not have an average life. Instead of having friends and a comfortable life at home, she lives with the horros of having a father who did the most unspeakable things to her and many other children in her neighborhood. Her situation is made worse by her mother's blind eye and sad excuses for her father's actions and a town that both pities and shuns her. Meredith's only grip onto sanity is through a ninteen year old neighbor, a wheelchair bound man named Andy, also a victim of her father's. However, her world is about to be shaken when her father comes home early from prison and Andy plans a trip to see a "victim soul," a man who supposedly takes the pain and suffering from others into his own body.

The plot of Meredith putting herself on the line so no other children become her father's victims is gut-wrenching but also her "saving grace" because the last thing she wants is for some other kid to go through what she went through; she doesn't want to end up as a statistic. It's hard to imagine that her own mother doesn't want to believe her and she doesn't think other people will help her, but unfortunately that's what can happen. However, she manages to overcome and transforms into a good person, one I hope will realize her potential. Ms. Wiess has done a terrific job at making her a human being you care about.

When I received SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, I almost didn't read it. I tend to stay clear away from works that will leave me emotionally bereft, but one Saturday, I picked it up, read the first page and was so drawn into Meredith's life that I couldn't put it down until two hours later when I had finished it.

In the story, Meredith is a young girl who thought she had the next nine years of her life father-free. She thought she'd be out of the house and long gone by the time he was released from prison, but three years later, at the age of 15, Meredith, along with her mother - a woman who still wants him no matter what he did to Meredith or other children, welcome her father home.

Though Meredith has people she can turn to, like her grandmother, her best friend, and his mother, she still misses that huge component that should be a given for any child: the love and protection from parents.

This book put me through "it" - "it" being the emotional ringer. I cried. I yelled. I screamed at the injustices that Weiss so vividly portrays in the novel. Every character, good or bad, is life-like and will make you feel, whether that feeling is love or hatred.

It speaks on a subject that is raw, that is tragic, and it sends a message that illustrates just how wrong, how bad things can be for victims. I HIGHLY recommend this novel not only because I think it's a topic that is relevant, but because I think Meredith is a character that has strong morals and convictions and despite being just a girl, she shows her determination in not ever being a victim or allowing other children to be victims, again. ~Shon Bacon

Such a Pretty Girl is a clean read, well edited and entertaining. The protagonist is believable although sometimes the situation does stretch one's credulity. The book makes clear the point that a molester of children is forever a threat, no matter what the circumstances after his release or how perfected is his former or "rehabilitated" image. A man who takes advantage of the young is a societal threat to all that is decent and civilized in the culture.

The book begins with Meredith, a teenager, awaiting her father's release from prison after serving three years for the brutal assault of her and various boys he coached in the town's soccer league. A town hero, it is his daughter's testimony that puts him in the slammer after years of sexually abusing neighborhood boys.

Somewhat coincidental is the arrival of one of his victims at the condo complex where Meredith and her mother now live after selling the family house to pay for the father's legal fees. Now a young man, David is also an alcoholic, a paraplegic as a result of poor coping mechanisms after her father's assault, and the son of a devout religious fanatic mother whose determination to wreak vengeance on Meredith's father is the reason she's living in the condo complex. He becomes Meredith's lover, and his gentleness provides a safe harbor from her fears and her mother's indifference to the suffering her cad of a husband caused.

In fact, Meredith's mother is still in love with the creep she married young. For years, she has been in denial, always pining for the charming athlete of her adolescence. Although stupid and insensitive to her daughter's needs as well as irresponsible in protecting her child, she is still believable as a nice person, an intelligent woman, if one driven by compulsive love.

Most interesting is the characterization of Meredith's grandmother, a mayor of the town and a woman of means and intelligence. She tries to intervene and help Meredith, but her granddaughter chooses to remain put, to make sure her father never molests another person. In choosing to put her father away for good, she chooses life over despair; she does the right thing, the caring thing, indicating her emotional maturity in contrast to her mother's selfish behavior. In doing the right thing, she becomes empowered.

The book contains all sorts of insights about what it is to lead a fearful life as well as what it feels like to have been a victim of such a terrible act as incest. Meredith loved her father, idolizing him for his manliness, his athleticism and his charms. When confronted by the truth of what the man was, however, she displayed an astonishing fortitude in accepting her mother's denial, self-centeredness, and irresponsibility. Moreover, she did not allow the constraints of her life -- the ignominy of her father's act and the reputation of her mother, her own lack of friends, the condo complex she was forced to make her home with its filthy dumpster that symbolized all that her ugly plight but instead rose above her sorry fate. She befriends David and his mother, allows the ex-cop who helped put her father away to help her deal with her father, and most importantly, she protects, as best she can, the twins next door who are distasteful children but possible victims if her father has his way. In such a way is Meredith a teen hero, even if her story is too sordid for Young Adult fiction in most schools.

The book is a quick, easy and intelligent read. The characters are believable. Some of the coincidental elements of plot are hard to swallow, but in terms of the subject matter and the author's ability to empathize with the situation, Wiess does a very good job. If not literary fiction, this is a well told story about some of the dark hazards of growing up, and it appropriately drives home how important it is for a young and vulnerable woman to be strong in the face of adversity.

Marjorie Meyerle
Colorado Writer
Author of "Bread of Shame"

Meredith thought she had time: time to be free, time to grow, time to love. Then she found out that her father was coming home. After three years of freedom and safety, her time is up. Now she will be forced to face her worst nightmare all over again.

Meredith's father was put in jail for sexually assaulting her and four other kids. She thought that her testimony would be enough to put him away until she was old enough to get away. Instead, the courts decide to let him out early, on parole. What they don't know is that that isn't nearly enough to stop him from going back to his old ways.

Meredith does everything she can to keep him away from her but nothing works. Her mom doesn't care and she is running out of time before it will be just him and her. Her mom will have to return to work soon and then they will be alone. It's just like before, almost. What her father doesn't know is that this time Meredith has friends. She has people to talk to and places to hide. But will that be enough to save her and if it is, will he just pick a new victim?

The only word I can think of to describe this book is fantastic. Laura Wiess addresses such a hard topic but she does it with compassion and amazing skill. I read the whole book in two sittings. It was such a hard book to put down.

I have to say, though, this may not be a book for everyone. It addresses topics such as incest, pedophilia, and molestation. It was kind of hard for me to get into in the beginning just because I knew it would be a sad story. Even knowing this made it better. I kept turning the pages because I just had to know what happened with Meredith and her dad.

Such A Pretty Girl is a realistic, gripping story about finding the strength in yourself to face your fears, not just for yourself but for everybody else who has to go through the same or similar things every day of their lives. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend it.

SUCH A PRETTY GIRL has only been out for three and a half years now, but I kind of get the impression that--similar to Julia Hoban's Willow--it hasn't reached the wider audience it deserves as a result of its somewhat disturbing subject matter. I know I held off picking it up for awhile. Well, make that several days. I would have gone longer, I'm sure, but I read two absolutely stellar reviews of it and wanted to try it so bad. However, I have a very hard time reading stories about child abuse. I haven't the stomach for it and I tend to emerge so much the worse for wear that I can't make a habit of them. However. Something about the tone of these reviews (I wish I could remember whose they were) encouraged me. So I made a silent agreement with myself that if my library had it, I would go ahead and read it. And wouldn't you know it, it did have it. And this ended up being another case of me running out to buy the book before I'd even finished my library copy. It was that good. And this all happened within the space of one 24-hour period, as this slender volume clocks in at a scant 224 pages. But I'm telling you, Laura Wiess knows how to make every word count. It instantly snagged a spot on my Beloved Bookshelf and I think about it and Meredith often.

Meredith Shale thought she'd have longer to prepare. She thought her father would be locked away for nine years. That's what his sentence read. But after serving three years in prison for child abuse, he's released on good behavior. And he's coming home. Her mother, who never got over her father being gone, is ready to welcome him home with open arms. Meredith's reaction is just a little bit different. At fifteen, she thought she'd be able to reach her eighteenth birthday and leave home, thus avoiding ever having to see him again. But now he's back living in the same apartment complex. And Meredith has no one but her best friend Andy and retired cop Nigel to turn to when her anger and fear threaten to overwhelm her. But Nigel can't always be right there when she needs him. And Andy, who is confined to his wheelchair and not so incidentally had his own brush with Mer's father, really does have his own set of messy issues to deal with as much as he loves and wants to protect Meredith. When the unthinkable first happened, no one believed her. And the horror spread to other kids as a result. In the years since her father was incarcerated, Meredith has acquired several coping mechanisms for dealing with what happened to her. From her strict vitamin-taking regimen to her obsession with prime numbers, everything in her life has its place. Now that he's out, even on parole, she abhors the idea of seeing him, doesn't believe for a second his claims of reformation, and is determined no one else will ever suffer at his hands the way she did again.

I was shocked at how much I loved SUCH A PRETTY GIRL. It's an incredibly fast-paced story, with a very present narrative style so that it feels like you're standing at the sink with Meredith in the morning, sitting on the curb with her under the glaring sun of the afternoon and staring up at Andy's door, walking home with her at night--a ball of dread tearing a hole in the pit of her stomach. And here and there the story is shot through with brief flashbacks to the time in her life when she was most powerless. But it never overwhelms completely. It never made me want to shut the book and leave. Rather, I could not put it down. I loved this girl from page one and I was going to see her through to the end. Which is perfect, by the way. Wiess strikes a touching and precarious balance between moments when Meredith is supported by a desperately needed group of truly good, if slightly unusual people--a cop, a cripple, a zealot--and moments when she is left utterly alone to stand up to her demons. Because she's the definition of a survivor. Meredith lives through nightmares unimaginable, more than any 15-year-old should ever have to live through. And when the law lets the nightmare right back into her house, she doesn't crumble and succumb. She fights. That's why she won a spot on the Top Ten Kick-A** Heroines of YA list I put together awhile back. I took a risk on this book, but it was just extremely well done. The relationship between Meredith and Andy provides an important current of sweetness and light to counter the darkness of their combined pasts as well as the imminent danger of their entwined presents. And to top it off it has one of my favorite last lines ever. An amazing debut novel for Ms. Wiess. Recommended for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, Julia Hoban's Willow, and Donna Freitas' This Gorgeous Game.

Such a Pretty Girl deals with something that everyone knows is there but noone wants to talk about, rape. This book was dark, twisted, and disturbing but realistic. I'm usually all for reading books about topics that are heavy, this one was just a bit more graphic and difficult to get through. It was a phenomenal book about something so heavy and I feel Wiess did a fantastic job showing how rape affects not only the victim but others around her/him and how differently individuals deal with it. This book was a roller coaster ride, everything happening was insane. It was panicked and scary, I imagine that's exactly what it felt like to be Meredith.

The feelings I have toward Meredith are hard to explain, I felt awful for her. Who wouldn't though? Rape ruins people and changes their lives forever. Meredith was a very strong girl even though she didn't see it. Wiess did a good job showing little details in Meredith's actions as a result of the sexual abuse like her obsession with the number four and other rituals she had. Her mother was a complete asshat to say the least, she was pathetic and weak honestly. I hate to say that because I can't imagine having that happen to my daughter if I ever have one but to have the nerve to ignore it and deny it isn't okay. Her job as a mother is to protect her baby and make sure she's safe, not put her through hell. Meredith's father was a real piece of work, he sickens me. Just thinking about him makes me feel gross. He was a very sick man and it makes me sad to know they let people like him out into the world when they shouldn't all the time.

I can't say Such a Pretty Girl left me feeling happy or better, I can say I'm glad Meredith was strong and rose above her tragedy though. Such a Pretty Girl isn't for those who like light hearted fluffy reads about unicorns pooping butterflies and rainbows. It's hard and disturbing but it's real.

Favorite Quotes

"Chirp is dead," I hear myself say and watch the flat words destroy his pleasure. "You killed her, and now you have to deal with me because I'm what's left." I push past him and walk out the front door to the gathering dusk.

I watched her and said nothing. Silence was the key to self-preservation.

It's like he's confirmed what I've always known but never gave voice to; when it comes to nightmares, we are truly on our own.

I've been hoping for a save in the last inning but now, when all the outfield chatter has faded and the other players have gone home, the only one stepping up to the plate is me.

Meridith ( the little girl in this story) was molested by her father at a young age. Along with Meridith her father molested several other children of which he looked after as their coach for baseball. She was promised 9 years of saftey, security, of freedom from her father but only got 3 years in the outcome. 15 years old at the time and she already has to deal with the troubles of abandonment from her mother who thinks nothing ever happened in there " happy peacefully house". She pretty much falls in love with her neighboor,Andy, who is handicapped and was also one of her fathers molestation victims. The weeks her father comes home her safe house and lover leaves to go to a "healer" and she has to face the demon alone. The end of the book is the end of that week and telling you it would ruin the book so enjoy.
One of the reasons why you should read this book is because it demonstrates something that is real that is the truth for some girls/guys in our genoration. The second is because it really catches you. i didnt want to ever put it down. It just kept getting more and more thrilling to see what was going to happen to Meridith and Andy and her father. The third reason is because it describes the emotions so well. The description was awesome in the first place but the way the author described how Meridith was feeling and how Andy was feeling was amazing in so many ways.
This book does not have a specific sex gender for the book. I personaly think that a guy could read this book and find it good but most guys probably wouldnt read it because of the flower on the front.
This book was great i loved it and hopefully if you read it you'll like it too.

Megan

I checked this out at my library and I enjoyed the story, it tackles a heartbreaking issue but Laura wrote this so eloquently. I liked Andy and Meredith so much, I loved that she defended and defeated her enemy in the end. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was I wanted more from the ending with Andy and Meredith, perhaps a epilogue or something. I truly loved them that much.

SUCH A PRETTY GIRL depicts a community where the tension doesn't simmer; it's explosive. The only way to protect the community is to provoke the offender into re-offending, and Meredith offers herself up as the sacrificial lamb. She's in no way reluctant, though she must battle her fears to complete the task.

The romance is believable: victims, survivors banding together, trying to cope with their tortured pasts...and now their troubled present. Paralysis and religion thread their connection with conflict and salvation. The theory of a "victim soul" is fascinating.

Meredith's mother is representative of unfortunate women with internalised - and maybe externalised - misogyny, who only value themselves if they have a man. It's sad, frustrating, and definitely frightening that Meredith's mum puts herself before her daughter.

This is a true psychological thriller, which I read in one sitting in the dark, wee hours of the day. It's sinister, scary, and fully engrossing, and cements Laura Wiess as one of my new favourite writers. She's an expert at crafting layered, hard-hitting stories. Both books I've read by her (the other is ME SINCE YOU) are five-star quality, which I highly recommend to fans of contemporary, realistic young adult fiction.

This is a story about a girl, Meredith, who was sexually abused by her father. He goes to prison. He's supposed to be in there for 9 years but gets released in 3 for good behavior. When he gets out he moves into an apartment near Meredith and her mom. Through this book you see Meredith's struggles on dealing with the man she loved but now hates and fears him.
This wasn't a bad book but I didn't find it overly interesting either. I don't think the writing was bad but it wasn't anything special either. I really didn't feel close to any of the characters or the characters situations. It's a descent book that hits hard on a subject that happens way too often. I just thought it could of been better.

Such a Pretty Girl, Laura Wiess' foray into teen fiction, tells the story of a survivor of sexual abuse. She thought she would be safe - at least, until she was grown up.

At the age of twelve, Meredith was a fairly well-adjusted child. Then her father did the unspeakable. Her own mother didn't believe her, choosing to side with her father, who swore he was innocent. Meredith found the courage to testify against him in court. The judge and jury put him away for nine years. She thought that she would be a high school graduate and live far away by the time he got out of jail.

After only three years in prison, Meredith's father is released early. He comes home to his loving, naive wife - and his terrified fifteen year old daughter.

Such a Pretty Girl is a darkly realistic story. One could see it as the backstory of an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but only from the victim's point of view. It moves along quite rapidly, beginning the day he comes home and ending a few days later. Due to its content, Such a Pretty Girl is recommended for mature readers.

Here is the first thing I would like to say about this novel: don't let the fact that it is young adult fiction keep you from reading it. I am so glad I read Such a Pretty Girl despite its genre classification.

Laura Wiess has written a compelling novel that deals with a painful subject. Meredith was sexually abused by her father, who has recently been released from prison. She is an anguished, wounded character struggling to overcome and as the reader, I could feel the conflict inside her: would she ultimately be victim or victor?

Meredith was wise beyond her years, forced to grow up too early by her father's iniquities. Still, she felt unable to protect herself from her father, who had clearly not been successfully rehabilitated.

I think a talented writer not only creates characters for the reader to fall in love with, but often also gives us one or two to despise. Wiess created a truly loathsome character in Meredith's mother. She was ignorant and insipid and from the father's first day back home, repeatedly violated the court order not to leave him alone with Meredith. She was nearly as despicable as her pedophilic husband.

The system failed to protect Meredith just as abysmally as her mother did. Meredith seemed to fall between the cracks, leaving her frightened and vulnerable. Redemption would be her own doing, and that of a few people - her maternal grandmother, a caring neighbor - who were willing to get involved instead of merely looking the other way.

Besides being very well-written, Such a Pretty Girl is thought-provoking. Can pedophiles be successfully rehabilitated? How effective is the sex-offender registry in its current format? Is it appropriate to take matters into our own hands when we see the system is failing to protect children? Are we even willing to?

After having this book on my tbr pile for a whole year I finally got a chance to read it and I'm really glad I did. This book can be a difficult read because it deals with a difficult subject. Meredith, the heroine of the novel is faced with the horrors of having her sexually abusive father back in the picture 3 years after he was sent to prison. The legal system failed Meredith once and now she, not the people who are supposed to protect the victims must face her new reality with more courage than you can imagine.

I absolutely loved Such a Pretty Girl. It's a great book about an ugly subject but the author handled the subject matter with a lot of grace. Not many authors will touch this subject and even fewer who do it properly but Laura Wiess is one of those who was able to tell her story remarkably well.

While Such a Pretty Girl is a very short read at only 212 pages it certainly packs an emotional punch. I found myself cheering Meredith on through out the whole novel and was happy with the outcome at the end but I also found myself in somewhat of a murderous rage when it came to her parents. It's not every day that I actually find a character let alone two that I would mind putting in a tiger's pen and hoping for the worst. Harsh? Maybe. But completely deserved. Meredith's idiot of a mother failed her even more than her abusive father did. She turned a blind eye to Meredith's horrors for years and she should be in jail just as much as her husband.

However, Meredith does have a small cluster of people around her that do love, support, cherish and are willing to protect her but they all have their own lives as well so I could understand much of Meredith's frustrations in the book of feeling alone.

I thought that the story line of Such a Pretty Girl was perfectly paced and I'm glad it wasn't overly long. 212 pages was the perfect length for this story and I'm afraid that if it were longer it wouldn't have packed as much punch as it did. The characters were though provoking albeit sometimes I had violent thoughts towards some but other I loved.

I would recommend this to people who enjoy contemporary young adult fiction especially novels that deal with the darker subjects. It's one that will make you feel a bevy of different emotions and send you on a roller coaster ride you won't forget. Laura Wiess should be applauded for handling this subject the way she did and I can't wait to read more of her novels.

The State convicted her father for nine years for molesting children including his daughter Meredith Shale. However New Jersey does not care about the feelings of a fifteen year old, as they release her dad Charles after only three years. Meredith's mom Sharon refuses to face the truth about her spouse or how their offspring fears him. Charles is known to the cops, the schools, and on the New Jersey Sex Offender Internet Registry. His teenage daughter knows his return means being a pariah as the sins of the father are placed by everyone including those so called liberal do-gooders on the child.

Meredith keeps her distance though Sharon tries to turn them into a regular TV family. However, the frightened teen realizes that Charles still desires her. She knows the government and the right to life crowd will do nothing for her, as the law is on Charles's side and since she is alive though in hell she does not matter to those who swear to protect the unborn only. Her only hope lies with an alcoholic wheelchair bound neighbor or her grandmother. However, when she learns that her dysfunctional parents want another child, Meredith decides to end the terror.

SUCH A PRETTY GIRL is not an easy novel to read as readers will feel Meredith's nightmare. She suffers directly from her father and via neglect from her mother and the community. The state cannot protect her and even Megan's Law that places her dad as a sexual predator on the Internet causes her more harm from a society that chooses to ignore her plight. However, what makes the tale haunting without being a made for TV victim's movie are there are no easy answers leading to Meredith's decision that she will not take this anymore. Readers will wonder what to do about a teen forced to be an adult when no one is there for her.

Harriet Klausner

One time 'Daddy's Girl' Meredith holds a secret so terrible that it is talked about by everyone--her neighbors, her schoolmates and even people she doesn't know.

Meredith's testimony at her father's trial three years ago was the nail in the coffin--and he should have been in prison for a very long time. His good behavior, however, gets him back on the streets and back into her house, free to become the predator he once was.

This time, however, Meredith is older and, now 15, she can trap him. In order to do so, she enlists the help of an ex-policeman neighbor, her handicapped boyfriend (who was also once a victim of her father's appetites) and her boyfriend's mother (the former lover of the monster himself).

In order to trap him and keep other children safe, Meredith will have to use herself as bait--an action that will alienate her from her mother--the one person's in Meredith's father's corner.

Meredith makes some tough but believeable decisions. In Meredith, Weiss has created a strong, believeable character than fans of Laurie Halse Anderson's 'Speak' will embrace and remember for years to come.

Such A Pretty Girl has such an amazing concept. I had originally thought the father was in jail for something he'd done to someone else, and that it'd be a book about a girl dealing with misplaced guilt. I was initially a bit disappointed that it was what it was, as there are so many YA books dealing with that topic already, but I kept reading and I'm glad I did. The writing is set in the perfect tone, very easy to follow. Some of it was predictable, other parts were so shocking that you could not ever have seen them coming. I felt like there were characters in the book that could and should have gotten more development (Paula Mues and Meredith's grandmother to name two). There are some extremely powerful scenes in this book, probably the most powerful one was when Meredith installed the camera and proclaimed that that wouldn't be her life. The ending was great, not at all what I expected, but I was so glad to see it all happen. Not the most realistic, but definitely satisfying.

Rating: 4.5/5

Additional comment: Whatever dolt tagged this as 'chick lit' clearly hasn't taken the time to read the book.

This book is a lot of things to me. Depressing, engrossing, decently written, and one dimensional. It flirts with the line that divides the emotional from the literary. The main character never really grows as a person, the "bad guy", her father, has no depth to his character and her mother even less. The role of the grandmother is simply convenient and her relationship with the boy across the way is just awkward. Meredith's experiences are painful and she spends much of her time trapped in them. It was, however, a compelling read. Once i started i couldn't stop until i found out if Meredith wins her battles. But compelling doesn't unnecessarily mean 'good'. You feel for the characters in the story in a very detached way--yes you FEEL for them, but only due to their circumstances and not necessarily because their suffering is fully explored. The subject matter appears to be the draw here. I can see why so many people enjoy this book, it certainly fills a niche of darkly themed books for young readers. This book definitely isn't for everyone but i think many people will find it enjoyable.

Meredith was raped by her father years ago and he's also guilty of pedophilia towards other children. He gets out of prison earlier than expected. She's fifteen, and she thought she would be safe until she's eighteen. Having a mother who is in denial and on her father's side makes everything worse. There are laws and rules in place, but that doesn't stop her father from coming after her. The terror in this novel is spine-tingling. I couldn't put this book down. It's not easy to read, though, because of the subject matter.

The writing itself is very good. The flashbacks detailing the abuse are disturbing but the inclusion makes the story more powerful as we can see Mer's complete point of view.

The supporting characters are problematic. In particular, her mother. She was so one dimensional she approached cartoonish at times. People that selfish and delusion do exist but she was written so flat that she was ridiculous. She obsessively loved her husband to the point of victim blaming when he molested multiple children; the fact he did this phased her about as much if he had ran a red light.

The ending was really abrupt. After all Mer went through she deserved more pages after she finally "won". Her boyfriend suddenly being able to walk and just ending there was so sudden I thought my book was missing pages.

This book was beautiful. I don't know how else to describe it. The subject was so terrible and horrifying, and the author didn't try to disguise that or exaggerate it in any way. She simply wrote an incredibly realistic novel that captivated me from page one. That being said, this is one of the hardest books I have ever read. The realistic writing style and fast-paced movement of the book make it a quick read (I finished it in about five hours--that being said, I didn't put it down the entire time), but the intense, terrible subject matter makes it a difficult book to handle emotionally. There were sparks of humor, certainly, but this book wasn't about being entertaining or exciting--it was a harsh, realistic view on sexual child abuse. I did cry during this book, the first time that's happened in ages.
Overall, a fascinating, horrifying book that will hold you hostage until you reach the end. I'd rate this book PG 13, though, because of content that is difficult to handle unless one is more emotionally mature. That being said, this book is a masterpiece and I'd recommend it to anyone. A resounding five stars and I've got the rest of Wiess's books on hold at the library.

This book will hook you from page one. The story of Meredith a 15 year old who has been raped and used by her father is riveting, revolting and beautifully written.
You will lose sleep and you will rethink of all those cases of abuse that go on every single day without us taking any notice.

There are so many things unsaid in this novel that really need no words since the silences speak out to you. The author's poetic and thrilling prose will stay with you long after you finish the last paragraph. The end is so full of hope and faith I was almost in tears.
Be aware you will lose sleep and will have permanent goose bumps, this is a gut-wrenching story and I recommend it heartily to all who consider themselves good and open minded readers.

Brutally blunt a one of a kind read.

It's a hard book to read because it makes you face the harsh realities of how the system is failing the victims. The book may be fiction but situations like Meredith's happen every day in real life.
The book was well written. I am going to check out other works by the author.

Meredith is abused by both of her parents; her father who has raped her and her mother who has stood by and let it happen. When her father is released from prison early, she knows it will just be a matter of time before he molests again. She also knows that she has to stop him before he hurts someone else. Strengthened by her friends: a wheel-chair bound boyfriend who was also raped by Meredith's father, his mother (the father's former girlfriend), her grandmother, and her neighbor, a retired police officer, Meredith waits for the inevitable to happen.

This is not a pretty story, but it is a good and realistic portrayal of a horrific situation that way too many people are living with. My only complaint is that it was rather short. I would have preferred more fleshing-out of the characters.

I finished this book tonight in a couple of hours. I didn't care for it, and not because of the heavy subject matter. The author had the opportunity to delve into the realities of having someone people knew and trusted and loved betray everyone in the worst possible way, and yet after a too brief prison sentence, there they are again, in the community, on the block, in the house. This happens, I am sure, since all those convicted of crimes have families and neighbors, and feelings about the persons and the crimes may not be black and white.

We do see the impact on Meredith, whose character is well developed here. We see her long to be able to feel safe, thought she knows she isn't going to be. We see her want her mother to protect her, even though she knows that won't happen. She wants to run away but feels that to remove herself from harm may mean another child will be endangered. We see the child just want her mommy when she is frightened, and we see the tough, invincible, smoking, sexually active adult she is pretending to be. Her despair is palpable, and yet she is the only one dealing in reality. Her pedophile father, released after only three years despite testimony from five children, including Meredith, and solid medical evidence, is now jogging proudly around the neighborhood wearing his "Junior High Coach" shirt. Her mother should have been charged with aiding and abetting at most and obstruction at least, as she was insisting in the hospital that her raped and bleeding 11 year old daughter "tell the truth, that nothing ever happened." Meredith's grandmother is the mayor, apparently asleep these three years, never noticing that Meredith's mother has been working on the teen to admit they are indeed just one happy family, and the grandmother is rendered powerless to intervene, even though the father immediately violates parole conditions by moving back in with his wife and daughter,and back in on his daughter, with his wife's complicity.

I felt uneasy with the spare renditions of Andy and his mother, feeling there was something not quite right with either of them. They didn't seem real people but kind of entity like characters, no real substance to them, and the ending of the book was just laughable, and very out of place in a book about a child in this hopeless situation. Why was there not one person who actually had the power to do something to help Meredith, and did it? What hope will this book give to a child who is living this? Even though the systems are overworked, I wanted Meredith to feel a breath of hope or to have some options or resources, other than the agonizing ones she felt faced with, her own kind of "Sophie's Choice." Such a brave, courageous girl, but the book fell short.

Two stars because one character is well drawn.

In SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, Laura Wiess grabbed and held my attention from the first page to the last. New Jersey teenager Meredith was supposed to have nine years of safety from her father, so she'd be eighteen and out of the house when he was released from prison. But three years later, when Meredith is fifteen, her father gets out for good behavior. No matter what he did to Meredith and to other children before her, Meredith's mother is more than ready to take him back.

Meredith isn't alone, though. She has her grandmother, the mayor of the town, who wants Meredith to move in with her to escape her father. She has Andy, her best friend, the guy she is in love with, who was also scarred by Meredith's father as a child. She has Andy's mother, who moved across the street from Meredith's family just to keep other children from the horror from which she couldn't protect Andy. She has Nigel, a retired policemen who has a plan to get Meredith's father back in jail and away from children. Even though Meredith is far from alone, she still feels that way when she can't even count on the people every kid is supposed to be able to count on: her parents.

Meredith wants to get her father back in prison. She wants her mother to go back to visiting him instead of having him in their house. She wants to be able to go into her own home without fear. She wants other kids to be safe, too. She doesn't know what that's going to take, and she's certainly not unafraid, but she isn't going to let him hurt her, or any other kids, again.

This moving, powerful novel is one that should not be missed. Once you start reading it, you won't be able to put this book down. I wasn't! It's an emotional book that is beautifully, powerfully written and unique, and it'll stay with you long past the last word.

Laura Wiess's characters are as well-written as the rest of the book, very realistic (in some cases, scarily so). They're three-dimensional characters in an equally (and, again, scarily) believable story that will certainly be a favorite of anyone who reads it. I know it's one of mine now! Don't miss this book.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

This book left me raw. As a High School guidance counselor, I would like to believe that I would know how to help a teenager in this situation. I keep reading literature about kids in trouble to make sure I keep these issues- rape, abuse, loss, death, betrayal, and molestation in my head enough so that hopefully I recognize it when I see it and am able to help. This book is so compelling--Even though I was tired when I picked it up, I read the whole thing in one sitting. I'm not sure it helps me understand how to help--- but it does remind me that these issues are all around us-- and often times those people who have developed strategies to keep people at bay are the very ones that need our help and compassion the most. I will keep this visible on my book shelf--ready to pass on to the right kid.

This book is so heartbreaking. I actually found it years ago in the regular fiction section of my local Borders (may it rest in piece) and I actually have never found it in a YA section, though I classify all of Laura Wiess' books as YA and I know most people do.

This book is about Meredith who was abused by her father and he was sent to prison and was supposed to in till she turned 18 and could move out on her own, never to see him again. But instead he gets out early and at 15 Meredith finds herself having to deal with her own worst nightmare.

Meredith's mother is totally on her father's side, content with thinking the abuse was an "accident" and goes against the courts and allows Meredith's father to live with them. She is so ignorant about the entire situation and unfortunately that is the case with so many situations like Meredith's.

Thankfully she has allies in her condo unit. A ex police officer who answered the call on Meredith's father years ago and a boy in a wheelchair whose apartment she escapes to daily. But even with places to go and people on her side she has to come home sometime and when she does she is met with leering stares and innuendos from a father she was never supposed to see again.

This story was so honest, so gut-wrenching, I was captivated. It's relatively short and I read it in one day. I have reread it a few times and it is just as powerful every time. As someone who was a victim of sexual abuse I can tell you, this story could not be told better. There was never a time when I thought it seemed forced, the entire situation was written so incredibly well.

The language is a bit strong but the entire situation with what exactly happened to Meredith that put her father in prison is danced around, not ever explained in explicit detail. Still, though, it's heavy subject matter and even though I am pretty laid back about recommended ages for teens I would say this is a book for ages 16 and up.

I have lended my copy out to a few friends and all of them loved it and said it was one of the most powerful novels they have ever read. Definitely worth the read.

In my experience, beautiful books are crafted by descriptive writers who create multifaceted characters. The characters in this book have absolutely no dimension, and the characters are driven by nothing more than simplistic agendas. After I finished this book, I had absolutely no profound takeaways. The concept of this book had potential, albeit a somewhat unrealistic plotline. However, as I read, I realized that the characters were barely human. Meredith, the protagonist, has no friends except for one boy who had also been raped by Meredith's father. That boy's mother, as it turns out, had stalked the father with the intention of making him pay for what he did to her son. I thought that part of the plot was utterly contrived and unnecessary. The characters are flat and random, and I would advise not to pick up this book.

Such a Pretty Girl was published in 2007 By Laura Wiess. Wiess wrote a dark, emotional, and suspenseful book that grabbed my attention since the first chapter. Wiess tells a story about a young girl, Meredith, conquering her fears of her pedophile father. Wiess used strong descriptive words to share each horrible event that occurred to Meredith. Wiess captured Meredith’s most painful moments and tried to make her story of a child suffering into reality. I believe the book, Such a Pretty Girl, deserves 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading about mystery and crime investigations.

A friend gave me this as a pre-pub. I finally picked it up and finished it in two sittings. To say that its powerful is an understatement. To say that Laura Wiess wrote a simple compelling story that will haunt you is too little. Such power and depth in such a small book is unusual. Such a Pretty Girl is a gripping and thoughtful story of bravery (Meredith), self-centered narcissm (her mom), pure evil (her dad) and courage,love and the desire to help and protect from very 'different' sources each powerful in their own way (Andy, his mom, Nigel, Meredith's grandmother). The story may disturb you but sometimes the most powerful messages are the most unsettling.

I almost passed this book by. The topic was an awful one, and I have had to witness the effects of abuse on children. I didn't think such a topic could be pulled off at all well. But something on the back matter made me pick Pretty Girl up, made me read the first couple of pages and then buy it.

I'm glad I did. Not only did the author convey the reality of the child's suffering, she gave us the effects on the community, the relatives and others. She has portrayed a very bad situation and shown us characters who are damaged and isolated by their experience, and shown us how some of them make it through the damage and out the other side. She shows us how some do not, or can only heal part way. It's about coping. And it was done beautifully.

This is one of those books that can effect a profound change on the reader.

This book is so heartbreaking. I actually found it years ago in the regular fiction section of my local Borders (may it rest in piece) and I actually have never found it in a YA section, though I classify all of Laura Wiess' books as YA and I know most people do.

This book is about Meredith who was abused by her father and he was sent to prison and was supposed to in till she turned 18 and could move out on her own, never to see him again. But instead he gets out early and at 15 Meredith finds herself having to deal with her own worst nightmare.

Meredith's mother is totally on her father's side, content with thinking the abuse was an "accident" and goes against the courts and allows Meredith's father to live with them. She is so ignorant about the entire situation and unfortunately that is the case with so many situations like Meredith's.

Thankfully she has allies in her condo unit. A ex police officer who answered the call on Meredith's father years ago and a boy in a wheelchair whose apartment she escapes to daily. But even with places to go and people on her side she has to come home sometime and when she does she is met with leering stares and innuendos from a father she was never supposed to see again.

This story was so honest, so gut-wrenching, I was captivated. It's relatively short and I read it in one day. I have reread it a few times and it is just as powerful every time. As someone who was a victim of sexual abuse I can tell you, this story could not be told better. There was never a time when I thought it seemed forced, the entire situation was written so incredibly well.

The language is a bit strong but the entire situation with what exactly happened to Meredith that put her father in prison is danced around, not ever explained in explicit detail. Still, though, it's heavy subject matter and even though I am pretty laid back about recommended ages for teens I would say this is a book for ages 16 and up.

I have lended my copy out to a few friends and all of them loved it and said it was one of the most powerful novels they have ever read. Definitely worth the read.

In my experience, beautiful books are crafted by descriptive writers who create multifaceted characters. The characters in this book have absolutely no dimension, and the characters are driven by nothing more than simplistic agendas. After I finished this book, I had absolutely no profound takeaways. The concept of this book had potential, albeit a somewhat unrealistic plotline. However, as I read, I realized that the characters were barely human. Meredith, the protagonist, has no friends except for one boy who had also been raped by Meredith's father. That boy's mother, as it turns out, had stalked the father with the intention of making him pay for what he did to her son. I thought that part of the plot was utterly contrived and unnecessary. The characters are flat and random, and I would advise not to pick up this book.

Such a Pretty Girl was published in 2007 By Laura Wiess. Wiess wrote a dark, emotional, and suspenseful book that grabbed my attention since the first chapter. Wiess tells a story about a young girl, Meredith, conquering her fears of her pedophile father. Wiess used strong descriptive words to share each horrible event that occurred to Meredith. Wiess captured Meredith’s most painful moments and tried to make her story of a child suffering into reality. I believe the book, Such a Pretty Girl, deserves 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading about mystery and crime investigations.

This was such a good book. It is easy to read and has alot of emotion in it.
Merideth's father is getting out of jail on good behaviour. He is a pedophile. Merideth knows he will not stop and it does not matter how "good" he was, there are no children in jail.
Her mother is oblivious and just wants her husband home and to re live her youth.
Merideth has several friends that she can go to, one whom is in a wheelchair and a former victim of Merideth's father.
The final conclusion is surprising and heartbreaking.
If you have been molested this will bring back memories but you will cheer in Merideth's strengths.

A friend gave me this as a pre-pub. I finally picked it up and finished it in two sittings. To say that its powerful is an understatement. To say that Laura Wiess wrote a simple compelling story that will haunt you is too little. Such power and depth in such a small book is unusual. Such a Pretty Girl is a gripping and thoughtful story of bravery (Meredith), self-centered narcissm (her mom), pure evil (her dad) and courage,love and the desire to help and protect from very 'different' sources each powerful in their own way (Andy, his mom, Nigel, Meredith's grandmother). The story may disturb you but sometimes the most powerful messages are the most unsettling.

I almost passed this book by. The topic was an awful one, and I have had to witness the effects of abuse on children. I didn't think such a topic could be pulled off at all well. But something on the back matter made me pick Pretty Girl up, made me read the first couple of pages and then buy it.

I'm glad I did. Not only did the author convey the reality of the child's suffering, she gave us the effects on the community, the relatives and others. She has portrayed a very bad situation and shown us characters who are damaged and isolated by their experience, and shown us how some of them make it through the damage and out the other side. She shows us how some do not, or can only heal part way. It's about coping. And it was done beautifully.

This is one of those books that can effect a profound change on the reader.

This was an engrossing tale of abuse and the mental anguish that ensues. I found myself sympathizing, agonizing and cheering for young Meredith, who was stripped of every ounce of truth she ever knew, by the very people who brought her into this world and were supposed to love, nurture, protect and care for her.

Unfortunately, the scenario of pedophilia and sexual predators is all too real in this world, and while the media can cause a society to grow complacent in their reaction to such crimes, this story gives you a frightening glimpse into the lives of the victims, the perpetrator and the victims' loved ones who have their own way of dealing with the aftermath of the crime.

My advice, don't pick up this book unless you have the time to invest, because you won't be able to put it down!

I was intrigued by the simple cover of this book & saw that one of my favorite authors (Ellen Hopkins) had high praise for it so I bought it. I'm usually interested in books that include some crime so I can root for the victim to see justice. This was that book! I finished it in 2 days. Yes the subject is a sad one and there are some disturbing parts, but they aren't so bad that you'll want to put this book down. In fact, they make you connect with the main character more & I found myself wanting to read on, sticking by her side and beginning to hate her father as much as she does. I'd like to read some more of Laura's work!

this book caught and held me on the first page.
12 year old girls Merdith had pressed charges against her father for child molestation. they had thier evidence and there were other children in the neighborhood who had been asulted my her father.
the police promised her and all the other children 9 years of safety. of him locked behind bars.
3 years later her father is realesed from prison early due to good behavior...
Merdith knows that he will try again, and that its only a matter of time. her mother calls it and accident. a mistake. Now merdith must rely on her neighbors abd best friend who also lost his innocence to her father.
Merdith knows she must do SOMTHING. but is she willing to sacrifice herself?

it took me all the self comtrol i have to not start reading the dialougr out loud in public. Merdiths charecter is one of a kind and unforgettable. this eggy lost and strong herion will have you begging for more.

do urself a favor.
Read the danm book.

This novel, Such a Pretty Girl, was great. I loved every page of it. I literally felt bad for this fictional character because she went through such hard times. The only down to this story (my reason for leaving out one star) is that at times I couldn't figure out who was talking or what about? I got lost a few times and had to go back and re-read a page or two, but I'm not totally blaming that on the author or the story because it could have just been me not paying close enough attention! Ha! But anyways, this was a great read and short... I'm definitely recommending~! =)

Wow! That was the first word I said when I finished the first chapter then again when I read the last page. Just wow. This book is really incredible. I honestly didn't know anything about the book when picked it up; I wanted a book to read on a long bus ride and it was on sale for $10 so I grabbed it. Half way through the book I had to put it down because I did not want to be the crazy chick crying on the bus. Meredith is an easy character to root for, you want to scream at just about everyone else because it's like they're just standing back watching this car accident happening in slow motion and yet no one stops it. I don't want to give anything away because it's a really easy one sitting read; but I have to reiterate, it's an awfully good read. That said, some part of me loves the ending and another part of me wishes for an epilogue, although considering how the book is written an epilogue to wrap up anything else may seem to contradictory (if that makes sense). Anywho, buy it, because even with the tough subject matter you'll seriously enjoy this book. Much kudos to Laura Wiess!

Despite my frustration with the blind self absorption of the heroine's mother, the damaged, yet resilient character of Meredith so engrossed me with her in-the-moment hyperawareness of her surroundings, the details of which made her so identifiable, and her perilous existence so palpably real, I was never bored for a second; but only impatient with the imperviousness of her mother to the position she thrust upon her daughter. Perhaps if there were some background psychological explanation for the mother's obsessive need to use her daughter to hold onto her husband, she might have been somewhat more pathetic and less despicable. She seems to lack any maternal instinct whatsoever.

I love this authors awareness of detail, as I experience the world much the same way, and enjoy the comfort of a character who sees, smells and feels her surroundings so vividly.

Despite the disconcerting subject matter, the author has managed to allow us to understand what has occurred, yet without any lascivious details. You feel from the beginning that it will be safe to keep reading without fear of having to endure a graphic description of a repulsive act.

This book should be required reading for troubled teenagers, who may recognize the patterns of their behavior and take some strength from this young girl's unwillingness to yield to her plight, despite her sense that she is ultimately alone in dealing with her nightmare. Such knowledge could create a more open dialog for young people who have experienced an abuser to feel less guilty for their confused feelings about people who seem to care about them but prey upon them in seclusion.

Parents and educators can also benefit from this observation of abused and abuser to heighten their vigilance in protecting their children against this disease.

This is a sad and repulsive subject matter, but abuse of children is not going away, and shedding light on the problem in this manner can only help us all recognize patterns of behavior in both abusers and abused and educate us all to be more aware of their meaning and even help some children to avoid being victimized before it happens.

It's time for parents and educators to stop protecting children from the ugly truth, and start arming them with knowledge that can keep them safe.

This had to be a dark and disturbing book to write, but I am grateful that Laura Wiess took one for the team to write it in a way that did not make me turn away, but keep reading for enjoyment and learn something while I was at it.

A quick read I couldn't put down...didn't want to put down...wouldn't let myself put down. Have you ever raced to get to the end of something and were rewarded beyond anything you had imagined? That was the ending of this book for me. I bit my lower lip to keep from crying (and I don't cry...EVER) but I think a tear wedged it's way from my right eye. The last four words of the book...yes, "the power of 4"...WOW. There is a reason this book has received Five Stars from reviewers...if you are doubting to buy this book shame on you. You are missing out on one helluva powerful, emotional and rollercoaster experience. And that is just the style of writing, but the content - THAT is truly amazing in itself, and a very powerful message to our society, let alone individualism. Buy this book! It's one you will tell others about but won't dare lend out your own copy.

I actually listened to the book on tape and found that I did not want to stop listening to it. I kept staying in my car to listen to more of it!

All I have to say is that I have finished this book and I find myself just reading the reviews here to get more of the book.

Definitely recommended for a mature audience. Her story is psychologically accurate for a girl in this situation. I recommend this book to everyone.

So maybe this wasn't the greatest book to read while on a vacation, but I got so wrapped up in it that the fact that it was filled with raw emotion and heavy ideas, didn't really register with me. I think there's only a certain number of authors who can pull off a story like this one while making it realistic and addicting at the same time. The subject matter was far from light and I was glad for that change as I had been reading a lot of fluff up until then. This book made me think and actually feel something for the first time in a long time. There are many books out there that will confuse you and make you use your mind, but there are only a couple, Such a Pretty Girl included, that will tear at your heart strings and make you ache; whether that be with sympathy, disgust, horror, or another equally strong emotion. This isn't a book to take lightly but even though it has many heavy elements you can't help but be engrossed by the story. I got pulled in almost grudgingly because as I was reading, I didn't want to be able to get into the book, but I knew that if I was to truly appreciate the book for what it was, I had to submerge myself in the gruesome yet gripping story. And I'm so glad I did. The book really got to me and I think I'll remember it for quite some time; and that my friends, is the mark of a truly good story. One that will captivate you and pull you in no matter what. And for that, I highly recommend it. But, just as a warning, it's only for mature readers as there is a bit of graphic content.

This book provided quite an interesting, revealing perspective from a girl abused by her father. The plot was clear, however sometimes frustrating, but overall, it was a good book. I ended up recommending it to many of my friends.

This is a tough book to read. Meredith was sexually abused by her father, along with some neighborhood children. He was sentenced to nine years in prison but was released in three. Meredith has to deal with his return home and his desire to return to his bad habits. A very gritty but powerful novel, teens would definitely want to read this. This book has to be discussed however. It has too much realism to not be.

Gripping tale of a teenage girl, Meredith, how is emotionally & psychologically scarred from being sexually abused at the hands of her father who is now getting out of jail early for good behavior. Her mother doesn't really care about her and considers her husbands pedophilia a "mistake". This book will pull you in and have you keep turning the pages to see what will happen next. I loved the ending. Very heart-wrenching, I found myself close to tears many times. Wonderful read 5 stars.

This book deals with a young prepubescent girl's ordeal. Raped by her father, who has also diddled with other children in his care and custody, Meredith speaks out about her family's little dirty secret, against her mother's wishes. Consequently, her father is arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to prison. After only three years in prison, rather than the nine Meredith had been led to believe he would get, he is released.

The mother, besotted with her husband, and blind to her child's pain and the enormity of the crime that daddy dearest has committed against his flesh and blood, does nothing to help Meredith. Instead, she speaks inanely about their being a family again, disregarding her daughter's pain and suffering over such a concept. Meredith, now an older and wiser fifteen year old, has her own coping mechanisms that help her deal with both her mother and father's complete betrayal.

Moreover, since the mother is a total enabler, she gets him an apartment in the complex in which she and Meredith live and proceeds to invite him into their home in complete disregard of a court's directive. She does this despite the fact that one of the original arresting officers just happens to live in the complex, as well, and is well-aware of what is going on. This is where the story begins to fall apart, as the author's understanding of law enforcement and the criminal justice system with regards to pedophiles seems off the mark.

While this is an intriguing book with its up close and personal look at incest and pedophilia, it is flawed. Some of the book rings true, while some of it rings quite hollow. Consequently, there were parts that I liked and parts that I did not at all like. Overall, however, I found the writing style to be less than satisfactory, with characters that are too one dimensional and dialogue that seems forced and stilted. Still, the author is able to convey a sense of the damage that incest and sexual abuse does to a young person's psyche. For this alone, the author deserves some kudos. Unfortunately, it is not sufficient to overcome the problems that plague this book.

Weiss does an excellent job of building Meredith's character - right from the very beginning we know her, feel her sadness, her fear and her strength. It was marvelous to watch her grow throughout the story. I read it in one straight sitting - It was very well written with fully developed and robust characters... And the end was absoulutely Fantastic!!.. A Must Read.

Laura Wiess chose an interesting storyline that instantly caught my attention. It wastold very well, it was just a little disturbing sometimes. But i would recomend this book to someone if their looking for something unique.

I seriously thought this book was SOOO good! I couldn't put it down, and it's so realistic, you can't help but to really feel sorry for the girl! The irony is surprisingly strong and gives you hope that in our world today justice is eventually served, even if not by law.

I did not intend to read this whole book in one sitting, but I could not put it down! This author is very good at real life. I experienced a wealth of emotions including fury & sadness as well as some laughs here & there. This book is now added to my favorites list. I loved it!

i started reading this book yesterday. whenever i had to pause my reading, i couldn't wait for the next moment i could continue. the words and story flow beautifully. meredith's (the main character) voice and feelings come alive, all painfully real.

This book is amazingly written.a horrible topic but it is wonderful at the same time. I could honestly not put this book down I was up till 3:30 am trying to finish it. This book is amazing I guarantee you will love it!

some books i buy are about sappy teen couples and the usual. but when i read this it was much different. i loved this book so much. i passed it on to my friends and the reacted the same way i did. i read all of her other books but this one has to be my favorite

I read this book in a day. When I picked it up and read the back, I thought it would be powerful and moving... Then as I read it, I realized that it wasn't... Something about it put me off and I honestly can't put my finger on it. No discredit to the author. She certainly has potential.

So maybe this wasn't the greatest book to read while on a vacation, but I got so wrapped up in it that the fact that it was filled with raw emotion and heavy ideas, didn't really register with me. I think there's only a certain number of authors who can pull off a story like this one while making it realistic and addicting at the same time. The subject matter was far from light and I was glad for that change as I had been reading a lot of fluff up until then. This book made me think and actually feel something for the first time in a long time. There are many books out there that will confuse you and make you use your mind, but there are only a couple, Such a Pretty Girl included, that will tear at your heart strings and make you ache; whether that be with sympathy, disgust, horror, or another equally strong emotion. This isn't a book to take lightly but even though it has many heavy elements you can't help but be engrossed by the story. I got pulled in almost grudgingly because as I was reading, I didn't want to be able to get into the book, but I knew that if I was to truly appreciate the book for what it was, I had to submerge myself in the gruesome yet gripping story. And I'm so glad I did. The book really got to me and I think I'll remember it for quite some time; and that my friends, is the mark of a truly good story. One that will captivate you and pull you in no matter what. And for that, I highly recommend it. But, just as a warning, it's only for mature readers as there is a bit of graphic content.

This is a copy/paste from my Goodreads review. Please see some of my other snarky reviews!
What a stupid story! Yes, the author is trying to deal with some heavy issues like child incest and pedophiles but the world she's created here is just too unbelievable. The main character, Meredith, age 15, just can't seem to focus on anything except getting away from her sadistic parents and their bad sex to be with her crippled boyfriend, Andy, so they can have the good sex and drink the good booze. Hanging out of a car window while drunk was what led to Andy's paralysis yet he's constantly swigging from a bottle of whiskey and engaging in underage sexual activity. Sex with daddy is bad while sex with Andy is perfectly acceptable. No moral scruples here.
Meredith has no close girlfriends her own age and the only responsible female adult in her life is her grandma because her Mom is just plain crazy. Once again, the harmful message that a woman is nothing without a man in her life trumps the more serious issues the author fails to get across here.
The big, bad, boogie-man who wants to get in everyone's pants is Meredith's father who just got out of prison. Apparently everyone in town, except Meredith's crazy mother, hates his guts and are ready to run him out on a rail. [He's slept with everyone, including Andy, Andy's mother and every kid he ever taught in gym class before he was hauled off to prison thanks to his own daughter's confession. Now he's back and this time it's personal. Every look he gives Meredith is filled with lust sending her running to Andy, her grandma's house, or her bedroom to bolt her door and set up hidden cameras. After several pages of hide and seek, the climax finally arrives in one ultimate Hollywood-style confrontation leaving Dad unconscious on the floor with Meredith triumphant holding a statue of the Virgin Mary, a gift from Andy and declares her freedom by...breaking up with Andy. Why? Because he's no longer wheelchair bound and is now free to date other girls in their full upright position. (hide spoiler)] Take my advice and skip this one.

Such a pretty girl grips you from begining to end. This book will make a lot of people mad (mostly at the mother) but that tells a lot for the book... it is filled with so much emotion. The mother acts so unrealistically, yet, the author makes it realistic and hard enough to believe, there are people like both her parents in this book.

I highly recommend it. It is going on my favorite's list.

This book came up recommended based on another book I was looking for on the store, so I rented it from the library. I am a 30 y.o. female, and though I had to laugh at myself fishing through the 'young adult' section, I figured, oh well.

The topic itself is obviously a horriffic one, but it's presented very well. There is enough detail to drive your emotion into the book, yet not so much that it's downright distasteful.

The book was very easy & quick to read (thank God; I mean, I'm 30 for pete's sake! lol). The ending was a little borderline science fiction-cheesy to me, but wouldn't sway me from recommending the book to someone else. Guess that's why they call it fiction.

I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 15 or 16, based on the sexual content.

When Meredith testified to have her dad sent to jail, he was supposed to serve 9 years. This meant Meredith had 9 years of safety and could move away when she turned 18. She never thought that her dad would get out in only 3 years for "good behavior". So Meredith is stuck at home with a mother that doesn't believe her and a father who is about to get out of prison. She has two friends in which she can confide; the wheelchair-ridden, Andy, who is her best friend and the guy she is in love with and there is also a retired cop in the same apartment complex, Nigel, who wants Meredith's dad put back in jail. Each friend is trying to help her in the only way that they know how. There is also her grandmother, Leah Louisa, who is the mayor and wants Meredith to live with her. But, if Meredith lives with her, will she be able to save others that is at her father's grasp?

This book is a gripping and powerful novel. All of the characters are so realistic that it is scary at times. There are also flashbacks in the book that are just as enthralling and telling of the story and how it got to where it is. Even though this book is honest, it's not too graphic. You understand why Meredith tries to run away. Then, when she comes back to help save others, you appreciate her. She's just a scared 15 year-old trying to take on more of the world than anyone should, much less someone her age. Laura is an amazing writer and is treading in water that is rarely touched. She did a wonderful job making you believe these characters. This is an earnest book that should be picked up!

[...]

This was such a good book. It is easy to read and has alot of emotion in it.
Merideth's father is getting out of jail on good behaviour. He is a pedophile. Merideth knows he will not stop and it does not matter how "good" he was, there are no children in jail.
Her mother is oblivious and just wants her husband home and to re live her youth.
Merideth has several friends that she can go to, one whom is in a wheelchair and a former victim of Merideth's father.
The final conclusion is surprising and heartbreaking.
If you have been molested this will bring back memories but you will cheer in Merideth's strengths.

This might seem like an odd thing to appreciate, but I really liked that when writing the Synopsis.. Laura kept it short, simple, and to the point. There was just enough to explain the story line, but short enough to keep some mystery and keep you wondering when you tried to leave it on your shelf. Now, to the book itself. The writing was well done over all, I thought some of the “happy ending” bit’s were… a little too played out, unrealistic and a tad too cheesy for my liking. I mean, we all "love" a happy ending.. but you have to really want it, really have the characters work for it.. and I didn’t feel that here. There is one scene, a confrontation scene that I know everyone that reads this will be waiting for, and it was… unsatisfying to say the least. Her mom is selfish, ignorant, and unaware and her role kind of killed the book for me. But to have a well rounded mother in this story, would not allow for all of the turmoil. Over all, it was a quick read. If you want something that’s easy and quick for in between books. Go for it, but I can’t say I would pick it up for a reread.