The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

The Story of Beautiful Girl  brought out the emotional side of me, as a reader.  I have heard from some friends who read, that they have to put a book down to gather their emotional "wits".  I was not ready for the story that was hiding in between the covers of this hardback.  I can tell you when I finished it...tears ensued.

Beautiful Girl is the name of a teenage girl who has what I believe is Autism.  The book does not name the reason that Beautiful Girl does not talk (communicate) with people.  The author though, did give her a voice....a voice....to the reader...an internal voice.  This makes is much easier to see who Beautiful Girl is.  

The book follows the trials of Beautiful Girl and her Beau, named Homan, but is also known as number 42 (more on this follows).  Beautiful Girl and Homan escaped a facility for the feeble minded.  Beautiful Girl recently gave birth to a baby girl.  They knocked on a woman's door, (Martha), and though are hidden by the woman for a few hours, the police come to take them back to the facility.  Beautiful Girl left the baby with Martha, and Homan escaped being recaptured.

The rest of the novel is from the viewpoints of Beautiful Girl, Homan and Martha, who decided to raise Beautiful Girl's child, and wait for Beautiful Girl to return.  Homan tries his best to avoid police and recapture, and yet wants to get back to the facility to help Beautiful girl escape again.  Beautiful Girl is returned to the facility, and awaits Homan's return.

The timeline that this story covers is  1968-2011.  Rachel Simon weaves the stories together of these brave characters expertly.  She did a wonderful job of showing the reader how humanity sometimes ignores those who cannot communicate with the rest of the world.  It may appear that I have exposed too much of the tale, but rest assured, there is much more to be discovered.  I do encourage you to do so.  ****1/2