Tolog Review: Outside Beauty

Outside Beauty
by Cynthia Kadohata
reviewed by Mia Valencia Chanler

Outside Beauty is a novel written by Cynthia Kadohata about four sisters who not only have a very close bond with one another, but also live in a very unique family structure. The story is told through the eyes of Shelby and because of this the vocabulary used is not as advanced. The four girls, Marilyn, Lakey, Shelby, and Maddie share the same mother, however, they are all from different dads. Helen, their mother, only truly cares about her looks and how to keep herself from looking older. She teaches the girls that beauty is really all that counts to men and the world, instead of how smart one is. Although this is not true and perhaps Helen is not a good role model for the girls, she shows them what it is to be brave and the importance of family. She does this by deciding the girls have to live with their biological fathers after a terrible car accident leaves her in the hospital. They are then sent across the country to stay with their real fathers until their mother is well again. But from their mother’s determined qualities she instilled in them, they will not let this bump in the road damage their pact together. They must now find a way to overcome this difficult situation to find themselves and one another. The love and companionship the girls have illustrates how a family does not have to be the traditional, “perfect” family in order to be considered a family. A family is people whom love each other unconditionally and would do anything to make him or her happy. The other stuff, when it comes down to it, does not matter. All that matters is their love.