Clever and entertaining... A delight to read

Brandt's agile wit and graceful prose lift this comedy of middle-aged masculinity well above the competition

A tragi-comic gem

This is a dazzling piece of writing

'Pognant, hilarious and ultimately deeply moving...a wonderful novel'

[An] enthralling love story. Simon has written an enormously affecting read, and provided sensitive insight into a complex world often dismissed by the "abled"

The Story of Beautiful Girl is the most compelling, resonating novel I've read in years. It is a love story, a mystery and a visceral indictment of a once-popular way of dealing with the disabled in U.S. society. Rachel Simon has crafted a breathtakingly beautiful, yet heart-wrenchingly aching story that, despite its cruelty and inhumanity, uplifts the reader

Heart-tugging

Truly stirring

Simon infuses it, bit by bit, with the expectation of a gratifying conclusion, one that rewards an indomitable romantic and parental love for its many surprises

Readers of Rachel Simon's fiction know that she's a hopeful romantic. Her work is smart and laced with sweetness, presenting an optimistic view even when her subject matter is bleak. It's a perspective Simon achieves, in part, by taking an unexpected angle on her subject - and subjects. She brings an anthropologist's eye to her stories, describing characters, action, and emotion as if she were new to the weary world. By seeing anew what comes naturally to most of us - cognition, memory, hearing, speech - Simon illuminates her characters' interior lives and finds new and forgotten meaning in familiar symbols. The novel's resolution is unexpected and satisfying, allowing for empathy with Lynnie's conflicted family, who ' put her away.' Simon's thorough research, detailed in an author's note, is evident in her careful crafting of this moving story. Those readers familiar with her insightful memoir, Riding the Bus with my Sister, will find this new fictional work an opportune meeting of author and material

Improbably beautiful

A gripping yet tender storyline that unfolds as the insurmountable obstacles are faced with bravery and loyalty. You're sure to be reaching for the tissues

A moving and disturbing tale of love and loyalty. And you might cry