#1 – Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (2024)
My number one book of 2024 was a bit of a surprise, as it is a new author, and book I reserved on a whim after reading a review. Obviously, I wasn’t let down by this quirky, pseudo-science fiction novel that tells the story of a life that is unique.I love finding books like this that come out of nowhere and have a powerful impact. Both funny and a little sad, it’s one of those books that sticks with you after you finish it.
The beauty of Marie-Helene Bertino’s latest novel Beautyland is that while our protagonist, Adina, purports to be from another planet, born through a human mother, you never really know for sure if that’s fact, or delusion… and it doesn’t even matter. The novel is a beautifully written allegory for being the ‘other.’ Adina was always a little strange growing up; from her aversion to mouth sounds, to her largely solitary existence, with only her mother as a companion for her early childhood. As she grows into adolesence, she forms a strong bond with Toni and her family. As an adult, she tries out a romantic relationship, but doesn’t really understand how it all works. All the while, she dutifully faxes her ‘superiors’ from her origin world, receiving brief sometimes heartening, sometimes frustrating responses. In the end, Adina lives a life, and whether she finds what she needs will be up to the reader.