What Beauty There Is

A Novel

By: Cory Anderson

Narrated by: Dan Bittner, Emma Galvin

What Beauty There Is is Cory Anderson's stunning YA novel about brutality and beauty, and about broken people trying to survive—perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Laura Ruby, and Meg Rosoff.

To understand the truth, you have to start at the beginning.

Winter in Idaho. The sky is dark. It is cold enough to crack bones.

Living in harsh poverty, Jack Dahl is holding his breath. He and his younger brother have nothing—except each other. And now Jack faces a stark choice: lose his brother to foster care or find the drug money that sent his father to prison.

He chooses the money.

Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father, a merciless man, has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Now Victor Bardem is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up on Jack’s trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or speak, and help the brothers survive.

Choices. They come at a price.

A Macmillan Audio production from Roaring Brook Press

Highly recommend this gritty read!

What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson and narrated by Dan Bittner and Emma Galvin has to be one of the better books I have read or listened to this year. This dark book follows teenager Jack and his little brother Matty who try to survive without being sent to foster care and separated after their father is sent to prison and their mother is gone. With the help of a girl from Jack's school, Ava, Jack and Matty fight to escape their dark family history and to survive a cold and dark winter with only a brothers love and their determination with the help of a friend. But even Ava has a dark family history she is trying to escape and they find it isn't so easy to leave some things behind and sometimes the Boogey Man are sometimes those closest to us.

This book was definitely a dark, gritty, and emotional read as it deals with the dark and ugly side of people that should be there to care for us, our family and parents. The writing and narration of this book keeps you ensnared and has you emotionally invested in the characters of Jack, Matty, and Ava. It is definitely one that doesn't let up on the dark and gritty though, but the read and emotional rollercoaster is worth it.

Really Good

Dan Bittner is a great narrator as his voice moves the story along nicely. I didn't especially like Emma Galvin's voice though as I thought Ava sounded too childlike and took away from the story. The action moves quickly but it is easy to follow; I was invested in the storyline and wanted a good outcome for Jack and Matty.

Highly recommend!

gritty YA story with amazing characters. I was so invested in their plight and it was hard to step away from the story. Fantastic narrators and all around audio experience.

beautiful book. So cold, dark, sad, and wonderful

this was such a wonderful book that made feel the brutality of the northern winter while feeling so deeply for the characters and their journey.