Beautiful Ugly By Alice Feeney Book Review
Being stuck in a marriage where nothing is quite what it seems, and then losing the person you thought you knew, that’s the unsettling vibe you get diving into Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney. It’s a psychological thriller that’s part mystery, part dark look at marriage, trust, and revenge.
The story starts with Grady Green, a writer waiting for his big break as his newest book might hit the New York Times bestseller list. But the day takes a twisted turn when his wife, Abby, mysteriously disappears during a phone call with him, her car abandoned by a cliff, possessions inside, but no sign of Abby. A year later, Grady is a wreck, unable to write or sleep, so he retreats to a tiny, isolated Scottish island called Amberly, hoping to find himself again. Except the island is strange, there’s no cell service, just 25 residents, and a creeping sense of suspicion. When Grady thinks he spots a woman who looks exactly like Abby, things start to unravel. The story flips between Grady’s troubled first-person perspective and Abby’s voice from before she disappeared, adding layers of confusion and doubt: who’s telling the truth, and what really happened in their broken marriage?
What makes Beautiful Ugly stand out is its eerie, tightly wound atmosphere. The island isn’t just a backdrop; it’s almost like its own character, with claustrophobic isolation and unsettling locals fueling the suspense. Feeney’s writing is straightforward and sharp, though there’s definitely a minimalist style here that some readers found repetitive or simple. The unreliable narrator angle keeps you guessing, but it can also make the story confusing or frustrating at times, especially with several major twists that left a lot of readers divided.
And that’s where the reviews get interesting. Some readers really loved the slow build of tension and the growing paranoia, praising how the shifting perspectives created a complex puzzle to figure out. The hidden messages in the chapters and the dual identities were clever touches that made the mystery addictive for some. Plus, the audiobook got big praise for bringing the story to life with immersive narration.
But plenty of people had serious issues with the book, calling the writing juvenile or muddled, the characters unlikeable, and the plot twists confusing or just plain illogical. Many mentioned getting annoyed by the repeated insomnia references, the rushed ending, or the way the big reveals weren’t quite satisfying or well set up. The dynamic between Grady and Abby rubbed some readers the wrong way, especially how their relationship and certain early events were shown. For some, it felt more like a series of shock-value moments than a tightly crafted thriller.
From my perspective, Beautiful Ugly is definitely a book that leans more on mood and atmosphere than clear storytelling. If you like psychological thrillers where unreliable narrators mess with your head and you don’t mind a bit of ambiguity or plot holes in exchange for a tense vibe and unexpected twists, this could be a fun ride. But if you prefer thrillers with tightly logical plots and fully likable characters, or if you don’t enjoy being thrown off balance with guesswork and confusing reveals, this probably won’t be your thing.
The island setting is fantastic, and the feeling of isolation and paranoia is well done, really putting you in Grady’s shoes, or maybe his unsteady mind. There’s definitely a Twilight Zone or Wicker Man vibe that can draw you in if you’re in the mood for something strange and a bit unsettling. And hey, if you like digging into unreliable narrators and trying to figure out who’s lying and why, this could hit that sweet spot.
So, if you’re up for a dark, atmospheric thriller with plenty of twists, blurred lines between reality and paranoia, and a haunting island setting, Beautiful Ugly might be worth a shot. Just be ready for mixed feelings about the writing style and the ending. Let me know what you thought if you’ve read it too!