Now Read This: 'Pretty Is' by Maggie Mitchell

"Everyone thought we were dead. We were missing for nearly two months; we were 12. What else could they think?"

And so begins the story of two unrelated girls who vanish in the middle of the day. They are kidnapped in two different parts of the country and have nothing in common with each other or their abductor. They are kept in a cabin in the woods, fed, clothed and allowed to play outside. They are not harmed. Their captor is not evil. After the girls go home, they are not allowed to continue their relationship. They grow up and they are coping, but they are on the edge -- leading their own complicated lives.

They cross paths again in the most fascinating way. One is a writer and the other an actress in a movie based on their experiences and laced with fiction.

I liked this book because I thought I had it figured out early on, but I was wrong. What could have made a seemingly nice person kidnap two girls and just keep them? This is the question that resonates throughout each chapter as these young women mature and tell the story from their own point of view. The book references the past while staying in the present and revealing more and more about what really happened in the woods.

This is Maggie Mitchell's first book, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good psychological read. "Pretty is as pretty does," as my grandmother used to say.

I couldn't put it down. I must admit I've been bragging on this book, so you may find that is not available right away. Use your library card number and place your "hold" on this book today at www.capelibrary.org.

When I checked on NoveList, based on the subject matter and the title "Pretty Is," I found the following titles: "I'd Know You Anywhere" by Laura Lipman; "Rage" by one of my favorite authors, John Kellerman; "In the Lake of the Woods" by Tim O'Brien; and "A Sight for Sore Eyes" by Ruth Rendall (another great storyteller). I believe I see "A Sight for Sore Eyes" in my future. Stay tuned ...

Here's how to navigate the library website to find Novelist: Go to www.capelibrary.org, click on "Subscription Resources" at the top right of the page, then click on "What to Read Next" and explore!


About Linda

Linda Bailiff is an administrative assistant at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.