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Natural Beauty (2023)

2023 · Ling Ling Huang · 273 p. · United States of America

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Synopsis

Sly, surprising, and razor-sharp, Natural Beauty follows a young musician into an elite, beauty-obsessed world where perfection comes at a staggering cost. Our narrator produces a sound from the piano no one else at the Conservatory can. She employs a technique she learned from her parents—also talented musicians—who fled China in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. But when an accident leaves her parents debilitated, she abandons her future for a job at a high-end beauty and wellness store in New York City. Holistik is known for its remarkable products and procedures—from remoras that suck out cheap Botox to eyelash extensions made of spider silk—and her new job affords her entry into a world of privilege and gives her a long-awaited sense of belonging. She becomes transfixed by Helen, the niece of Holistik’s charismatic owner, and the two strike up a friendship that hazily veers into more. All the while, our narrator is plied with products that slim her thighs, smooth her skin, and lighten her hair. But beneath these creams and tinctures lies something sinister. A piercing, darkly funny debut, Natural Beauty explores questions of consumerism, self-worth, race, and identity—and leaves readers with a shocking and unsettling truth.

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Étiquettes 36

Pourquoi la voir ?

Une proposition de 2023 centrée sur A mix driven, Animal cruelty et Beauty industrial complex. Réalisée par Ling Ling Huang.

Pour qui est-ce ?

Vous aimerez si vous aimez

Déconseillée si vous cherchez

  • Paranormal
  • Horreur corporelle
  • Sorcellerie
  • Bestiaire

Influences

  1. 1975
    'Salem's Lot
  2. 1991
    American Psycho
  3. 1996
    Dead Silence
  4. 1997
    Audition
  5. 2009
    The Dangers of Smoking in Bed: Stories
  6. 2023
    Natural Beauty

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