Everything is Beautiful - Book Review
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Author: Eleanor Ray
Year: 2021
Pages: 320
I’ll be perfectly honest with you: I bought this book for the beautiful cover. The premise really intrigued me but the story I thought I was going to get was nothing like I thought. Everything is Beautiful really tugs at the heartstrings, adding mystery and intrigue to a beautifully brilliant piece of fiction.
Amy Ashton sees beauty in everyday objects; an empty wine bottle, a broken clock, a chipped terracotta pot. Such beautiful things deserve a loving home. But now Amy’s home is full of her collected treasures and there’s barely any room left for Amy herself. After a traumatic and mysterious past, Amy’s treasures remind her of happier times.
When new neighbours move in next door, Amy unearths a clue from her past. Does she have the courage to face her past in order to move forward with her future?
Oh, this was such a lovely read. This book is all heart – it’s got such a beautiful and tender story that’ll make you really cheer Amy on. Ray really makes you feel for Amy when she’s judged for hoarding her little treasures, items that she gives a second chance. This book definitely drives home the message not to judge a book by its cover (even though I initially did). There’s so much more to Amy’s story than meets the eye.
Everything is Beautiful has something for everyone. It’s hard to define the exact genre of this book. It’s mainly contemporary fiction, with a dash of romance and a compelling mystery that doesn’t necessarily feel out of place, although it did move the story along in a direction I didn’t think it would go in. This is not just a story of Amy overcoming her hoarding tendencies, but about how these tendencies came to fruition. Ray interweaves past and present through the items Amy collects in alternative chapters.
““There is no rubbish in my house,” said Amy, with pride. Her house was fairly full, of course, but that was because it was filled to the brim with treasures.”
If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I think you’ll like Everything is Beautiful. It’s a captivating story of love and loss that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★.5