Customer Reviews

Girl in the Mirror

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mary Alice Monroe once again writes a powerful novel about a woman's moving journey to self discovery. In this modern day parallel to the ugly duckling fable, Monroe tells the unforgettable story of Charlotte Godowsky/Godfrey's transformation and subsequent search for true beauty. This was not my first Monroe novel. I searched for it after reading THE BEACH HOUSE and THE BOOK CLUB. Loved them all and highly recommend them!

Charlotte Godfrey (nee Godowski), a Polish-American actress has a tragic secret. Born with a cranio-facial defect, she has reconstructive surgery in 1991 at age 20 to correct a minimal chin. She suffers from a complex regarding her appearance all of her life and after a traumatic encounter with some boys during her kindergarten year (1976-77) and an attempted rape by her employer some 15 years later prompts her to act.

Like Sleeping Beauty, Charlotte revels in her new image in the mirror. Like Cinderella, she meets a prince from California who literally sweeps her off her feet. Like the Ugly Duckling, she feels as if she has developed into a beautiful duck (cygnets are young swans). She embarks upon a successful film career after her reconstructive surgery.

In 1996, Charlotte, then 25 has to confront the decision she has made about her reconstructive surgery. She literally has to make a decision that not only will affect her career, but her life.

I did find the story a tad implausible. I found her whirlwind success as an actress rather hard to believe and the story did follow a nice little formulaic pattern. It was also easy to figure out the true identity of some of the characters and the "surprise" ending was really not a surprise to me.

Even though it was a nice little forumlaic package, it was an entertaining read. Mary-Alice Monroe has written other books that are so much better than this one, so this work is really not up to her usual par.

Monroe's story of a young woman's search for the meaning of true beauty was compelling. I couldn't put thye book down. And the strong Latino hero and his family was great. I recommend it highly!

Mary Alice Monroe is one of my favorite authors in the romance/women's lit genre, but this book's plot is just a bit over the limit of believable. I started reading it and enjoyed it but after a while I got restless with the story and thought that it could have been trimmed and the plot would have been edgier and more suspenseful. The heroine is an ugly duckling turned swan turned modified ugly duckling. The rivals for her affection are a movie mogul and a landscape artist. Guess who wins?

There are several reasons that 'Girl in the Mirror' is a wonderful read and always selling out...but the most important one for me is that I enjoy a well written story. I love to come home from work and cuddle up with a book that is going to enliven my imagination, widen my horizons and take me away from the daily frazels of modern day life. (hey, I think about plastic surgery every time I look at the girl in my mirror)
All of Monroe's books pay homage to the private and important concerns of woman; and we all share and benefit in that exchange.
Thanks Mary Alice.