Ambrose Young was beautiful. He was tall and muscular, with hair that touched his shoulders and eyes that burned right through you. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.
Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.
“If God made all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?
Does he make the legs that cannot walk and eyes that cannot see?
Does he curl the hair upon my head 'til it rebels in wild defiance?
Does he close the ears of a deaf man to make him more reliant?
Is the way I look a coincidence or just a twist of fate?
If he made me this way, is it okay, to blame him for the things I hate?
For the flaws that seem to worsen every time I see a mirror, for the ugliness I see in me, for the loathing and the fear.
Does he sculpt us for his pleasure, for a reason I can't see?
If God makes all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?
There were so many great lines and quotes in this story I was a highlighting fool wanting to remember them all!! I can honestly say this is one of my favorite books this year!!!
The first Amy Harmon book that I read was A Different Blue and I loved it so much that she pretty much became an auto buy or me. So when I saw this one out I was all over it!
I fell instantly in love with these characters. Fern Taylor in all of her ugly awkwardness, Bailey Sheen in all of his unique quirkiness and amazing outlook on the world, given his circumstances, and of course Ambrose Young with his beautiful face and body and even more beautiful heart!!
This is a story of growing up, discovering who you are and loving yourself and others no matter what the outside looks like. Being able to find the beauty and love in people that you may not see on the surface but believe me is there in spades!!
Fern has loved Ambrose since they were children and that love has never wavered. Even though Ambrose never really looked at Fern that way he knew she was around and genuinely liked her. Bailey and Fern are cousins and two peas in a pod. Bailey is confined to a wheelchair so Fern is his right hand gal for the most part. But they really are best friends first and foremost.
This story spans a long period of time. We start with the kids at the end of high school, although there are a lot of flashbacks to help the story along. As school ends Ambrose and his buddies move on and join the Army instead of going off to college and this is where we see Ambrose grow up fast!!
Oh, and I have to mention this all takes place during and the years after the attacks on 9/11. That plays a huge roll in this story as well.
I could go on and on and on, but I won’t! I will say YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!! I MEAN IT!
This booked moved me like really great stories do, I know this because I was in a book funk for almost a week while these characters continued to live in my head. They won’t leave you easily, I swear!!
This is how my Ambrose & Fern now start everyday....not to spoil but there is a HEA!! I require it!! :)
FIVE++ STARS!!
If God makes all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?
Does he make the legs that cannot walk and eyes that cannot see?
Does he curl the hair upon my head ‘til it rebels in wild defiance?
Does he close the ears of the deaf man to make him more reliant?
I need a moment to catch my breath.
I need a moment to catch my breath.
This story was absolutely beautiful.
Just. Beautiful.
Easily one of the best reads of the year.
Easily one of the best reads of the year.
My heart is in complete euphoria after all the emotions it went through. I ached, I loved, I smiled, I cried and after I read the words The End I felt…alive. No matter what curveballs life throws at you, you always have to believe that there is "a bigger purpose, a bigger picture that we only can contribute a very small piece to."
Is the way I look coincidence or just a twist of fate?
If he made me this way, is it okay, to blame him for the things I hate?
For the flaws that seem to worsen every time I see a mirror,
For the ugliness I see in me, for the loathing and the fear.
Fern
I absolutely love Fern. She’s one of the sweetest, most loyal, & most genuine heroines you’ll ever encounter. I cannot find one single mean thing to say about her. She’s not the prettiest girl and is often overlooked; almost like a wallflower. She’s so loving and loyal to her best friend, Bailey. The way she takes care of him, it makes her shine so brightly. When she loves someone, it’s real and it’s lasting. Bailey is a testament to that. As for Ambrose Young, well she’s loved him since they were young and he helped bury a spider (Yes, I admit, I cried at this part, too, and I'm not ashamed :) It didn’t matter if he was the best looking guy, or if his face was damaged beyond repair – she just loved…him.
Ambrose
Gorgeous, quiet, popular, yet reserved. He’s the star of the high school wrestling team. He’s far from cocky, and he is extremely smart. He’s got a full scholarship to Penn State after he graduates, but he wants a break from the pressures of being who he is. After the events of 9/11, he decides to join the Army and convinces his four closest friends to join with him. But when the time comes and the town is preparing for the return of the five boys, only Ambrose comes back alive – scarred and forever changed. He shuns any attention, only wanting to hide and be left alone. However, when he accidently runs into Fern, he’s left with mixed emotions. Gone is the awkward girl with glasses and untamed flaming red hair. In her place is a girl who’s unassumingly pretty. She turns his world upside down, especially when it becomes apparent that she doesn’t care about his scarred face.
Bailey
Oh Bailey, I don’t know how adequately describe how I feel about you. Life throws you a BIG curveball and no matter how many times you fall, your positive outlook in life is the stuff inspirations are made of. You make me want to live life to the fullest & be thankful for everything positive thing in my life. You are kind, loyal, loving & and your friendship with your cousin, Fern, is one of the strongest bonds I’ve ever read. You made me cry, both happy and sad tears, which as I type these words are threatening to spill again. I love you, Bailey. You are a true Hero in my book.
Does he sculpt us for his pleasure, for a reason I can’t see?
If God makes all our faces, did he laugh when he made me?
Just like Amy Harmon’s Running Barefoot, this story is utterly beautiful & perfectly written. It doesn’t have steam, but I couldn’t care less. The story is perfect just the way it is. I love all the relationships happening in the story. Fern & Bailey, Ambrose & his teammates - they were all so heartbreakingly real and emotional. And let's not forget the relationship between Fern & Ambrose. These two broken characters are so different, but are so alike; together they are sweet and so beautiful. I couldn’t put their story down. I was so sad when it was all over and will definitely be reading this again. Highly, HIGHLY recommend.
Just like Amy Harmon’s Running Barefoot, this story is utterly beautiful & perfectly written. It doesn’t have steam, but I couldn’t care less. The story is perfect just the way it is. I love all the relationships happening in the story. Fern & Bailey, Ambrose & his teammates - they were all so heartbreakingly real and emotional. And let's not forget the relationship between Fern & Ambrose. These two broken characters are so different, but are so alike; together they are sweet and so beautiful. I couldn’t put their story down. I was so sad when it was all over and will definitely be reading this again. Highly, HIGHLY recommend.
Favorite quotes
Fern had been reading romance since she was thirteen years old. She had fallen in love with Gilbert Blythe from “Anne of Green Gables” and was hungry to fall in love like that over and over again. (Ummm…this made me smile like a loon because I am EXACTLY the same way. I love Gilbert Blythe!)
“You are still beautiful,” Fern said softly, her face turned to his. He was quiet for a moment, be he didn’t pull away or groan or deny what she’d said.
“I think that statement is more a reflection of your beauty than mine”
“I think that statement is more a reflection of your beauty than mine”
He was a jock with a poet’s soul, and the heroes in Fern’s novels had nothing on him. Nothing.
“Ambrose Young! I have waited my whole life for you to want me. If you don’t hold me tight I won’t believe you mean it, and that’s worse than never being held at all. You’d better make me believe you mean it, Ambrose, or you will most definitely break me.”
