Aesthetica

My second five star read of the year! This is one of the rare books that I can say i would’ve read 300+ more pages of and would not have been bored. I was excited everyday to read this novel and it kinda felt like the same vibes as Exhalted by Anna Dorn if you read that and are looking for writing style that is similar. In Asthetica we follow a dual timeline of Anna Wrey at ages 21 and 35. It’s her journey as a former Instagram celebrity turned cosmetic counter worker as she grapples with her past, her identity, and the pressures of societal standards. At 35, she opts for the high-risk Aesthetica™ surgery to undo her past plastic surgeries and reclaim her ‘true identity’. However, as the surgery approaches, she is confronted with her traumatic past and forced to reckon with the realities of her former manager/boyfriend's abusive behavior. At 21, we get glimpses into how she fell into this predatory relationship as well as how her relationship with her mother and best friend changed the trajectory of some of her later decisions. Anna’s mother is very sick for most of the novel so the book really touches on the gravity of having an ill parent while also trying to start your career. The narrative highlights the challenges of maintaining genuine connections amidst fame and betrayal. Additionally, Anna’s decision to undergo the Aesthetica™ surgery reflects her inner struggle to find her place in a world that constantly pressures women to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. Ultimately, "Aesthetica™" is a really compelling exploration of resilience, self-discovery, and the pursuit of authenticity in a society that often prioritizes superficiality over substance. I don’t think this book is perfect — there is more that could have been fleshed out as far as Anna and Jake’s dynamic, and Anna’s life post surgery. But it doesn’t need to be perfect to get five stars from me. inside. I leave you with some quotes i really liked: “I wanted it. A womanly ritual, the hurting, my ability to stand it.“ “In this picture, I feel small. In this picture, I want my mother and am afraid to want her.” “I suspect I’ll recover, return, and sometimes the wanting will, too: to be beautiful, to be seen, to be loved and never left. Desire like that isn’t a failure, or a girlhood flight of fancy. It’s a fact of every life.”

i was sold when i saw the caroline calloway blurb. i couldn’t put this down — the urge to protect our protagonist, who would’ve been just a couple years younger than me, was screaming out through her story. in an endless sea of thinkpieces on social media and modern feminism, aesthetica’s attempts to grapple with the “empowerment” of body modification was refreshing and raw. i’m somewhere between 3 and 4 stars on this; the ending felt a bit rushed and very tell, rather than show. i wish we got to follow anna more after that first party and the rest. most of all, i hope jake gets a serrated hotel knife straight to the heart <3

Ok I read this bc I saw someone post that it give “Life in plastic, it’s fantastic” vibes - AND THAT IT DOES!!! Also kinda makes you wonder if the future could be similar plot, influencers going and getting their face and bodies factory reset to how they were born prior to plastic surgery lol.

Florence Given should read this. Obviously it does not touch on all of the same issues, but I feel this accomplished what Given did not. This found a way to create similar types of characters without making it feel like a promotion or a public shaming. It was a realistic observation of the cycles of social and aesthetic trends and the possible dangers. Thank you NetGalley and Soho Press for the ARC.