Beautyland

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Science Fiction / Bertino, Marie-Helene	4-week checkout	On Hold Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Science Fiction / Bertino, Marie-Helene	4-week checkout	Due 12-31-2025
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / General / Bertino, Marie-Helene	4-week checkout	Due 02-07-2026
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / General / Bertino, Marie-Helene	4-week checkout	Due 01-07-2026
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / General / Bertino, Marie-Helene	4-week checkout	Due 02-09-2026

"Originated as a story in Bertino's first book, Safe as Houses, called 'Sometimes You Break Their Hearts, Sometimes They Break Yours' (University of Iowa, 2021)"--Publisher.
"A tender, deeply wise novel of a young woman who doesn't feel at home on this earth, by the author of Parakeet"-- Provided by publisher.
"At the moment when Voyager 1 is launched into space carrying its famous golden record, a baby of unusual perception is born to a single mother in Philadelphia. Adina Giorno is tiny and jaundiced, but reaches for warmth and light. As a child, she recognizes that she is different; she also possesses knowledge of a faraway planet. The arrival of a fax machine enables her to contact her extraterrestrial relatives, beings who have sent her to report on the oddities of earthlings. For years, as she moves through the world and makes a life for herself among humans, she dispatches transmissions on the terrors and surprising joys of their existence. But at a precarious moment, a beloved friend urges Adina to share her messages with the world. Is there a chance she is not alone?"-- Page 2 of cover.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Magical coming-of-age story submitted by magg2185 on June 15, 2024, 7:16am This is a beautiful coming-of-age story written from the perspective of a young girl who believes she is an alien sent by her superiors to report on Earth. Is Adina an alien or not? I suppose that's up for the reader to decide.

Amazing submitted by berkleya on June 11, 2025, 11:39am I loved this book. Flawed mom character who you nevertheless root for, seeing her as u do thru the eyes of her sensitive narrator daughter. But it's really the narrator's story. Not really sci fi! Kind of a fragmented very short chapter style that might not be for everyone but I liked it!

A treat submitted by avandeusen on June 12, 2025, 9:20am A little bit sci-fi, but completely human. I was pleasantly surprised by how warm and funny this book was!

Memorable and engrossing submitted by aminarce on June 16, 2025, 10:01am Beautifully written, thought provoking— this book is worth reading slowly and savoring. It stayed with me.

I loved it! submitted by lizgiessner on July 26, 2025, 6:02pm I thought the story was imaginative and compelling. The characters were interesting, and the writing was great. I also enjoyed the time setting of the 1970's thru 90's, lots of nostalgia.

Not a fan submitted by edaviscraig on August 5, 2025, 11:41am I wished that it was weirder. The ambiguity of the scifi elements was not a bad choice but I’m a scifi lover so it didn’t hit for me. I would have preferred a character who was 100% confirmed to be an alien.

Odd submitted by Marian on August 6, 2025, 6:51am Alienated or alien?