BeautylandBeautyland
What it's about
Adina Giorno is born in Philadelphia in 1977, on the night the Voyager probe is launched into space, and from early childhood she knows she is an alien, sent to observe life on Earth. She reports back to her people by fax. Growing up with her single mother, through friendship, loss and a career as a comedian, she tries to explain humans, and to become one.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It's a funny, tender novel about feeling out of place on Earth.
You'll love it if you liked
The Sirens of Titan
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Death of the AuthorGood to know
Whether Adina is really an alien is left for the reader. It deals with poverty and a parent's death.
By the numbers
- Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz51 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #174 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #258 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #303 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1758 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Moving
If you like this, read next
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Babel
The Dispossessed
Sea of Tranquility
Bliss Montage
AnathemExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Beautyland worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Goodreads Choice Award. It ranks #1,758 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Beautyland about?
Adina Giorno is born in Philadelphia in 1977, on the night the Voyager probe is launched into space, and from early childhood she knows she is an alien, sent to observe life on Earth. She reports back to her people by fax. Growing up with her single mother, through friendship, loss and a career as a comedian, she tries to explain humans, and to become one.
How long does it take to read Beautyland?
About 8 hours (336 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Beautyland?
If you liked it, try The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin or Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor.