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The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty: A Novel
The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty: A Novel | Amanda Filipacchi
16 posts | 18 read | 31 to read
"A sure comic touchsmart and sweeta tribute to the pleasures of friendship." The New Yorker "Readers who'd like to spend a little time at the corner where a brisker Haruki Murakami meets a drier '30 Rock' would do well to seek out Filipacchi's radiantly intelligent and very funny novel." San Francisco Chronicle A magical and comedic take on modern love, the power of friendship, and the allure of disguise. In the heart of New York City, a group of artistic friends struggles with society's standards of beauty. At the center are Barb and Lily, two women at opposite ends of the beauty spectrum, but with the same problem: each fears she will never find a love that can overcome her looks. Barb, a stunningly beautiful costume designer, makes herself ugly in hopes of finding true love. Meanwhile, her friend Lily, a brilliantly talented but plain-looking musician, goes to fantastic lengths to attract the man who has rejected herwith results that are as touching as they are transformative. To complicate matters, Barb and Lily discover that they may have a murderer in their midst, that Barbs calm disposition is more dangerously provocative than her beauty ever was, and that Lily's musical talents are more powerful than anyone could have imagined. Part literary whodunit, part surrealist farce, The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty serves as a smart, modern-day fairy tale. With biting wit and offbeat charm, Amanda Filipacchi illuminates the labyrinthine relationship between beauty, desire, and identity, asking at every turn: what does it truly mean to allow oneself to be seen?
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kspenmoll
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#LMPBC #round2
Almost missed this. Just got into group N. Spreading the word as I had such fun with round 1, enjoyed group members & exposure to books I may have not read otherwise. ❤️📚

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080444aead2caOff-li...
Could not get sign up link to work so go to @suvata or @Rachbb3 for a link that will take you there. Apologies!

jillannjohn I signed up today! 7y
kspenmoll @jillannjohn 👏🏻👏🏻❤️📚 7y
merelybookish I think we can keep our group going without signing up again, if you want. 7y
kspenmoll @merelybookish Yes, I think we can just keep going as well- I do want to! 7y
56 likes4 comments
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kspenmoll
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#snowday #LMPBC #G
Thought I would start the last book on this unexpected gift of a day. Lunch with Poe, the book sniffer/smeller. #catsofLitsy

Zelma Poe needs to make sure there is nothing dangerous in that book. 😉 7y
rubyslippersreads 😻😻😻 7y
kspenmoll @Zelma You may just be right as I am only a few pages in! 😹 7y
See All 34 Comments
merelybookish Looks like a perfect way to spend a snow day! 7y
merelybookish Also @BookwormAHN I just mailed your book off today. Sorry for the delay!! 😕 And I'm wondering @kspenmoll @bookish_wookish do we want to keep going and pick another round of books? 7y
BookwormAHN @merelybookish That's okay, I'll watch for it. I signed up for another round with another group, but I was also wondering if y'all wanted to keep this one going. @kspenmoll @bookish_wookish 7y
bookish_wookish I love our group! I signed up for the next round but i would love to do another round with our group! @merelybookish @kspenmoll @BookwormAHN 7y
merelybookish @bookish-wookish @BookwormAHN Yay! I'd like to keep going too. If @kspenmoll is on board, time to suggest books. ☺️ 7y
kspenmoll I would love to keep going with our group! I had such fun! @merelybookish @BookwormAHN @bookish_wookish (edited) 7y
kspenmoll Give me a few to think of a book😀 7y
kspenmoll The Summer Before the War by Helen Simpson, An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine, Jane & Prudence by Barbara Pym. From my TBR stack. Anyone read these or interested? @merelybookish @bookish_wookish @BookwormAHN 7y
bookish_wookish i havent read any of them @kspenmoll so whatever everyone picks is good with me 7y
BookwormAHN I'm good with whatever. I'll probably go with the Book of Speculation since its still high in my tbr. @kspenmoll @bookish_wookish @merelybookish 7y
bookish_wookish i dont have a pick yet! When are we starting so i know when to have my pick by? 7y
kspenmoll @BookwormAHN Sounds good; have not read it. 7y
kspenmoll @bookish_wookish Take your time! I just started our last book! 7y
bookish_wookish Perfect! Ill get some titles together in the next few days! 7y
merelybookish @BookwormAHN @kspenmoll @bookish_wookish I also need to get some titles together. I think we'd aim to mail out around March 1st. 7y
bookish_wookish Should we follow the same schedule as the next round? @merelybookish @BookwormAHN @kspenmoll 7y
BookwormAHN March 1st, same schedule sounds good to me @kspenmoll @bookish_wookish @merelybookish 7y
BookwormAHN @merelybookish I received the book today, thanks for the tea 😸 7y
BookwormAHN @kspenmoll I mailed your book back to you today. It was really good. @merelybookish @bookish_wookish How is everyone doing on picking new books? I just started The Book of Speculation but so far it's really good 😸 7y
bookish_wookish im struggling a little because ive been sick but i think i found one! ill post it later! 7y
merelybookish I was wondering how you guys would feel about a YA fantasy ? It's considered a British classic. 7y
BookwormAHN @merelybookish Sounds good to me 😸 7y
BookwormAHN @kspenmoll Jane and Prudence sounds entertaining! 7y
kspenmoll @merelybookish Your book sounds like fun😀 sounds great. 7y
kspenmoll @bookish_wookish Hope you are feeling better. So much illness this winter. 7y
BookwormAHN @kspenmoll I haven't read it, but it sounds good 😸 7y
85 likes2 stack adds34 comments
review
BookwormAHN
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Pickpick

Saturday I mailed @kspenmoll The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty for #LMPBC Group G.
My book for #horrorpost #weknowwhereyoulive to @WanderingBookaneer
And my #cupidgoespostal #valentinesbookexcahane to my match 💙
@teebe @suvata @MrBook @BookBabe @Avanders

WanderingBookaneer I‘m so excited! I mailed my #HorrorPost selection on Saturday as well. 7y
Avanders 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽💘💘 7y
Ranchan That bottom box 😍 7y
kspenmoll Will keep my eye out! 7y
94 likes1 stack add4 comments
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BookwormAHN
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I meant to post this earlier. @merelybookish I received the book for #LMPBC along with the card and lovely bookmark. Thank you 💜
Also I received a lovely postcard from @erzascarletbookgasm #litsypostcardexchange Thank you 💜

merelybookish Glad it arrived safely! ☺️ 7y
erzascarletbookgasm So glad it has finally arrived! 💗 7y
96 likes2 comments
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Victoriahoperose
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Panpan

This was rough. I felt like in an attempt to make a deep or profound point, this book just fell flat. The characters were unsympathetic and unlikeable. The writing and the story really just felt forced.

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CaseyRoseReads
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Pickpick

Time to start playing catch up on Litsy for books I've read! (Especially the ones I've enjoyed)
This book has recorded a lot of mixed reviews, but I personally loved it. Strange and complicated with bouts of fantastic, it was an interesting world to be in.

RaimeyGallant Great photo! 7y
CaseyRoseReads @RaimeyGallant thank you! 😄✨ 7y
9 likes2 comments
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carladurf
Mehso-so

I'm not sure how to describe this book. It was a fast read, enjoyable but I found myself puzzled at certain aspects of the storytelling - mainly because it unexpectedly shifts from reality to fantasy and then back to reality without any explanation or fluidity.

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thesaurusrex
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Pickpick

One of my biggest literary pet peeves is unnatural dialogue and this book had stilted conversations for days. But I still loved it. It's weird and interesting and reminded me of a fairy tale. Plus I was insanely jealous of Barb's apartment (minus her awful doorman)

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danirob
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Pickpick

I've long had a thing for dysfunctional people, and I'm discovering that a little bit of magic does it for me too, so this book delivers on both accounts. Sad yet mirthful, falling short of gut-wrenching and hysterical, but altogether an enjoyable, quick read.

MrBook I love this title. 8y
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danirob
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Summer reading ready! First up: The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty.

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Ejmellow
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Pickpick

Stayed up until 3am finishing this book. It was wonderfully preposterous and raw. Definitely a new fan of #AmandaFilipacchi ❤️

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Ejmellow
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"She will try to continue bathing in the beauty of existence. She will let the universe embrace her, since no man will."

The book is so good!

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Ejmellow
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Happy Memorial Day weekend to all my US friends! So far really loving The Unfortunate Importance of beauty! Read it the whole train ride down to my parents☺️

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Ejmellow
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Running around checking off my To Do list, but I cracked this beauty open last night and oh my! Only 2 chapters in, but really loving it. The writing is fresh, witty and charming.
I also thought it looked perfect in front of this piece my Pops painted that's hanging in our home ☺️❤️.

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Obviousstate
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I picked up “The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty” at Three Lives in the West Village a few days ago after a recommendation from the staff. Part meditation on beauty, part murder mystery? Surrealist literary farce? I‘m in.

BookishFeminist This sounds interesting! 9y
krpotts I'm in love with the cover 😍 9y
Obviousstate @BookishFeminist It's good so far! 9y
Obviousstate @krpotts So lovely. 9y
Ejmellow I just finished and loved ever word! 9y
20 likes15 stack adds5 comments
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jessicarenee
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lunch break

5 likes1 stack add