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titalindaslibrary 's review for:

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
4.75
challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Vibes: a Black Mirror episode about Goop. Dreamy, horrific, and full of "wtf am I reading?" moments.
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Huang's debut novel is a mind-melting look into the cult of wellness and beauty, how it's sold as an identity, and the predatory nature of those looking to capitalize on it. 
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Our unnamed narrator is the child of immigrants and a former piano prodigy whose life has fallen apart after her parents are in a terrible accident. Then she is extended an invitation to work at a prestigious wellness and beauty center, Holistik. With her parents debilitated and her former dreams ruined, this sudden stroke of luck seems like a windfall. All the while, our narrator is plied with products that slim her thighs, smooth her skin, and lighten her hair. But beneath these creams and tinctures lies something sinister.
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I'm not sure how to describe this strange little book. It's slow yet hypnotic in the first half, but builds to an incredibly horrific climax. It's both a sad yet satisfying ending too, one that wraps up these snippets of thoughts sprinkled throughout that challenges the idea everything should be beautiful. To quote the book:
"And it is a kind of power to embrace ugliness and its possibility of expression, so much more imaginative than beauty."
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There's notes of capitalism, the immigrant experience, cultural identity, white beauty standards, exploitation, and more that kept me engaged. The real horror of this book is how close it is to reality.
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While I prefer the visuals and feverdream writing of Rouge, the commentary and overall plot feels more neatly tied together in Natural Beauty. Weird/horror litfic girlies, add this to your list!

Update: I’ve sat with this book a while and it keeps coming to mind in different facets of life. It’s a testament to the quality of this book that I still think about it months later! Anyway, I bumped up my rating lol