Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Only the Beautiful

Only the Beautiful
Only the Beautiful
Author: Susan Meissner
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Hardcover
joann avatar reviewed on + 400 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


It is 1938 in California and Roseanne Maras is sixteen years old and her family (Mom, Dad & brother) have died in a tragic accident. She has been growing up on a vineyard owned by the Calverts. When her family dies, Truman & Celine Calvert take her in as custodians.
Rosie has a secret. She sees colors when she hears sounds. She promised her mother she would never tell anyone. But Rosie has told two people about this and, ergo, her life takes turns for the worse because of it.
It is Europe in 1947. Truman Calvert's sister Helen has been living in Europe and being a nanny to several families. She had been in contact with her brother and also with Rosie through the years.

This novel is a wonderful meshing of these lives. Horrible things go on that are part of history. World War II and all of the atrocities that were part of that are all part of this novel.