Wild Beauty

"Readers Block" maimed me through most of 2016-2017, partly due to the aggressive pace I set for completing my graduate degree and partly due to lesson planning as a middle school English teacher. But with the completion of my course work in January, my husband encouraged me to actually read the books I had received. My sister recently began a subscription as well, and recommended I move Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore up on my TBR list. I loved several of my other OwlCrate books (reviews may come later as I play catch-up), so McLemore's text became my mid-December read.

What attracted me to the book?

To begin with, Wild Beauty  has a beautiful cover, and, isn't that what initially draws us to any book? I love flowers--even though I have a tendency to kill them--so our apartment is filled with living, dying, and faux flora.

Second, I loved the premise of a book that centered on familial relationships. The main characters are five female cousins with a powerful bond of family and friendship.

Third, I've been missing my Hispanic students since moving back from Texas and I love that this book blends Spanish vocabulary into the text and introduces the reader to some of the intimacy and delicacies of the culture.

I must be honest, this one was hard for me to get into.

The first hundred pages seemed to drag on. Yes, I said the first hundred pages, but I was determined to make it through, so I kept reading and moving my motivation Post-It fifty pages ahead. 

What made the book difficult to read?

I didn't know exactly how to put this, but when reading a random review on GoodReads, I realized I agreed with another reader: the author was too descriptive. And odd drawback, no? Especially coming from me, the girl who loves to read the amplified Bible. McLemore was so descriptive, that the reader hardly had room to imagine the space. And example of too much "show" in places. The descriptions made the story lag a bit, for me. 

The element that irritated me the most was the authors way of including an LGBT theme. While I have no problem with the inclusion of LGBT content, the content of this book--as explained in the first hundred pages--seemed forced.

* * * * * SPOILER WARNING * * * * *

 All five cousins were in love with the same girl. And they all knew it. And they all kept trinkets. I don't have five close female cousins [I was blessed to have a multiplicity of boy cousins], but I have had  many close girlfriends throughout high school and college and, let me tell you, there's is no jealously and rivalry like two girls in love with the same person. LET ALONE FIVE. McLemore painted the cousins' relationship as friendly and accepting that they were all in love with the same person, but I just couldn't buy in. 

Now, I will say, my feelings changed quite a bit at the twist in the story. McLemore nearly redeems herself with a solidly realistic explanation. 

Estralla and her cousins blessed one another's love for Bay, not only because they share it, but [also] because they considered it impossible (174).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 What redeemed the book?

There several wonderful things about Wild Beauty that allow me to comfortably recommend this to other readers, with a fair warning that it has a slow start. 

First, the enchantment of the story. Without spoiling any more of the story, the magical garden that McLemore created is truly enchanting and the curse that binds the Nomeolvides women together will keep you reading from cover to cover.

Second, the mysterious boy that appears keeps you involved because, like Estralla and the rest of the women, you want to learn more about who he is, who he was, and why the garden released him from the ground (that's no spoiler, it's on the book jacket). 

Third, the twist does exactly what the author intended: I couldn't set the book down for another few chapters because I wanted to read the twist through to the peak of the climax. 

Finally, McLemore resolves her tale beautifully. Again, I won't give away any more, but by the final paragraph, Estralla has had a true coming of age: acceptance of self, love lost and gained, and a rebirth of who she will be. 

Rating: ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐