This Bright Beauty

By: Emily Cavanagh

Narrated by: Cristina Panfilio

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Franci and Lottie may be identical twins, but that’s where the similarities end. Franci has always been the stable one, while Lottie has bipolar disorder, constantly battling depression and mania. After years of taking care of her sister, Franci moves across the country to build a life for herself. Now, all the two share is distance.

But when Lottie gets in an accident, Franci reluctantly steps back into her familiar role as protector. She returns to find her sister’s life in complete disarray and makes a shocking discovery: Lottie has an infant daughter she never told Franci about. Although Franci swore she wouldn’t get sucked back in, she can’t leave the baby alone in Lottie’s care.

As Lottie further unravels, a secret is revealed that she has kept since childhood - one that has the power to reframe the sisters’ entire relationship, forcing Franci to ask herself if the secret was too much for Lottie to bear. Was the accident really an accident, and who has been protecting whom all these years?

©2018 Emily Cavanagh (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Very Good Book

The story and characters felt very real. It made me cry. My younger brother committed suicide when he was twenty. After he died we found out he had a daughter. She was born a month after he died. He never knew.

Touching intense view of mental illness

This book may not be for everyone, but I’m really glad I read it. The topic was sensitively handled and informative. The characters were relatable and well crafted. If you have experience or interest in the reality of mental illness, this book may touch your heart.

Good character driven drama...

This is not my usual genre, (I'm more of a psychological thriller kinda girl!) but I really enjoyed this book. I felt that the characters were realistic and totally beliveable and I was really touched by their story . The storyline was interesting and showed the struggle of how this family lived with mental illness. Definitely worth the time and credit!

*Spoilers* The conclusion didn't sit well with me

I felt that the writer was crafting a beautiful story that ended up being only cosmetic, it lacks the depth it could have held. I would not recommend this book to anyone that's bipolar or someone living with someone with bipolar disorder. While it may give some insight into the disorder it seemed to imply that it's a hopeless disease of nothing but doom and despair. I really hate to give this a negative review because overall the story was compelling but, in the end it left me feeling frustrated and for lack of better words depressed. The narration of the book was okay I didn't like that Lottie sounds robotics and detached but it could be the writing. The voice was contradictory to the way her character is portrayed.

It's would be hard for me to write a review of this book without spoiling it, this is where I tell you about the book if you don't want it to be spoiled you should stop reading. The firstborn twin Lottie is the protector, she's strong, smart, and charismatic. While Francis bookish and perferred to blend into the background, content with living vicariously through her sister and slow to come into herself. That is until Lottie is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The story jumps from past and present events told from the POV of both sisters. Although the writer seems to be trying to tell the story in a sympathetic manner all I feel is the writer's disdain for the disease. I know that's harsh but all throughout the book I was waiting for Lottie to be seen as a person and not just the disease. I did not expect a HEA but I did expect the writer to address what it takes to live with this disorder. Witt said all the right things to Francis but in the end his words loss merit because he too choose only see the illness. By killing every depressed character by suicide this book seems to be saying that people can not live fulfilled lives if they suffer from mental illness. What concerns me more is that many people will read/listen to this book and see Lottie as the problem instead of seeing that lack of positive support was the problem. Francis may have been the one picking up the pieces but by making everything about the disease she might have caused the fractures.
I have to keep in mind that this a authors telling of one persons battle with mental illness. She told a good thought provoking tale I just wish that she would have shown more strength in Lottie's character and the importance of positive support. A book in this genre addressing mental illness needs positive education more than poetic writing.

Worth a listen

Narration was great. Story was So very realistic. A must read/listen for anyone who has ever had a sibling with a mental illness or have lost a sibling to mental illness. It was funny, heartwarming, surreal, and the last several chapters really hit home in a way everyone could relate.

Loved it, but may be tough for those that struggle with bipolar.

Overall, I love the book and the characters. I loved the connection between the twins, and the reality of the disease pushing loved ones away. Unfortunately as someone who is bipolar, this novel is very pessimistic about the disease process and may be triggering to some. It hurt to realize how closely I connected with Lottie, but at the same time I still loved the story.