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El Rostro de Sara
Jonathon Heat es la estrella de rock más grande del planeta. Como parte de su espectáculo altera su rostro mediante intervenciones quirpurgicas con resultados impresionantes: lobo, demonio, ángel... Pero tantas operaciones no vienen sin un precio, y corre el rumor de que Jonathon necesita un transplante de rostro. Y sólo quiere el de Sara...
205 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2006
28 people are currently reading
609 people want to read
About the author
Melvin Burgess
92 books434 followersMelvin Burgess is a British author of children's fiction. His first book, The Cry of the Wolf, was published in 1990. He gained a certain amount of notoriety in 1996 with the publication of Junk, which was published in the shadow of the film of Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting, and dealt with the trendy and controversial idea of heroin-addicted teenagers. Junk soon became, at least in Britain, one of the best-known children's books of the decade.
Burgess again courted predictable controversy in 2003, with the publication of Doing It, which dealt with underage sex. America created a show based on the book, Life As We Know It. In his other books, such as Bloodtide and The Ghost Behind the Wall, Burgess has dealt with less realist and sometimes fantastic themes. In 2001 Burgess wrote the novelisation of the film Billy Elliot, based on Lee Hall's screenplay. Polyphony is typical for his most famous novels.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/melvin...
Burgess again courted predictable controversy in 2003, with the publication of Doing It, which dealt with underage sex. America created a show based on the book, Life As We Know It. In his other books, such as Bloodtide and The Ghost Behind the Wall, Burgess has dealt with less realist and sometimes fantastic themes. In 2001 Burgess wrote the novelisation of the film Billy Elliot, based on Lee Hall's screenplay. Polyphony is typical for his most famous novels.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/melvin...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 14, 2013
Strange book. Written partly as a faux-true crime book, Sara's Face is about Jonathan Heat (a Michael Jackson expy if ever there was one, with a dash of Bowie for good measure) and a teenager named Sara, who has a tenuous grip on reality, a manipulative streak, destructive tendencies, and a deep dislike of her own appearance. Bad combination. From the start of the book, the reader knows that something terrible will happen, but not the specifics. I think that's supposed to add tension and mystery, and it does, to a degree, but it's so plainly obvious what will happen that it's only the how and the why that remains mysterious.
I do like the idea of a novel written in the style of true crime, but sadly, Burgess doesn't stick with it. He includes far too many specific conversations (nonfiction would have the basic gist of the conversation, with maybe a few specific lines) and sometimes includes Sara's (very detailed) thoughts at exact moments when he would have no way of knowing exactly what she'd seen, thought, and felt. Sticking with the true crime novel would have cut some scenes that he was obviously very fond of, but it would have made a better book.
Of course, the basic premise is far fetched enough that I considered marking this book science fiction. Or fantasy, since the book hints at supernatural elements in a very underdeveloped way. There are a lot of unanswered questions, which is intentional, but it didn't feel necessary to me.
I have to make note of a scene that happens at the beginning of the book that really took me aback. At Sara's high school, there's a gang of boys who regularly drag girls into a bathroom to feel them up. When they do this to Sara, she calls the police, the local news station, and informs the school. My personal reaction is to be proud of her and cheer her on in this. So when the narrative voice dismisses this as just more of her attention seeking behavior, I'm honestly stunned. Wow, really? Now, because of the style of the book, there's the question of whether the narrative voice reflects the author's voice, so I can't necessarily blame Burgess entirely for this. But it was offensive (if not exactly surprising) for me to read.
I do sometimes like books that experiment with style, and I love a good, creepy read, but Sara's Face fell a little flat for me.
Also reviewed at Shelf Inflicted
I do like the idea of a novel written in the style of true crime, but sadly, Burgess doesn't stick with it. He includes far too many specific conversations (nonfiction would have the basic gist of the conversation, with maybe a few specific lines) and sometimes includes Sara's (very detailed) thoughts at exact moments when he would have no way of knowing exactly what she'd seen, thought, and felt. Sticking with the true crime novel would have cut some scenes that he was obviously very fond of, but it would have made a better book.
Of course, the basic premise is far fetched enough that I considered marking this book science fiction. Or fantasy, since the book hints at supernatural elements in a very underdeveloped way. There are a lot of unanswered questions, which is intentional, but it didn't feel necessary to me.
I have to make note of a scene that happens at the beginning of the book that really took me aback. At Sara's high school, there's a gang of boys who regularly drag girls into a bathroom to feel them up. When they do this to Sara, she calls the police, the local news station, and informs the school. My personal reaction is to be proud of her and cheer her on in this. So when the narrative voice dismisses this as just more of her attention seeking behavior, I'm honestly stunned. Wow, really? Now, because of the style of the book, there's the question of whether the narrative voice reflects the author's voice, so I can't necessarily blame Burgess entirely for this. But it was offensive (if not exactly surprising) for me to read.
I do sometimes like books that experiment with style, and I love a good, creepy read, but Sara's Face fell a little flat for me.
Also reviewed at Shelf Inflicted
November 24, 2015
2,5/5
Προσωπικά,η σύλληψη της ιδέας από τον συγγραφέα μου φάνηκε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα και πρωτότυπη. Τι τραγικές επιπτώσεις μπορεί να επιφέρει η ματαιοδοξία ενός ανθρώπου στη ζωή του; Ο εθισμός στις πλαστικές επεμβάσεις,με φανταστικό τόνο,αναφέρεται εντονότατα,όπως επίσης και η τραγική καθημερινότητα των εθισμένων σε αυτές.Όπως πολύ χαρακτηριστικά αναφέρεται στο βιβλίο: "...το πρόσωπο σου είναι ο εαυτός σου.Αν αλλάξεις πρόσωπο,αλλάζεις και εαυτό."
Ενώ λοιπόν αρχικά είχα ενθουσιαστεί με το βιβλίο,από ένα σημείο και έπειτα το βρήκα αρκετά κουραστικό και επαναλαμβανόμενο.
Παρόλα ταύτα,το προτείνω,μιας και μέσω αυτής της φανταστικής ιστορίας,με κεντρικό πρόσωπο τη Σάρα,μπορείς να πάρεις αρκετά μηνύματα,βασικότερο όλων,πως πρέπει να αγαπάμε και να εκτιμάμε τον εαυτό μας,με κάθε του ψεγάδι. Άλλωστε,αν δεν υπήρχαν τα ψεγάδια,τι θα ήμασταν;Μια όμοια μάζα!
Προσωπικά,η σύλληψη της ιδέας από τον συγγραφέα μου φάνηκε αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσα και πρωτότυπη. Τι τραγικές επιπτώσεις μπορεί να επιφέρει η ματαιοδοξία ενός ανθρώπου στη ζωή του; Ο εθισμός στις πλαστικές επεμβάσεις,με φανταστικό τόνο,αναφέρεται εντονότατα,όπως επίσης και η τραγική καθημερινότητα των εθισμένων σε αυτές.Όπως πολύ χαρακτηριστικά αναφέρεται στο βιβλίο: "...το πρόσωπο σου είναι ο εαυτός σου.Αν αλλάξεις πρόσωπο,αλλάζεις και εαυτό."
Ενώ λοιπόν αρχικά είχα ενθουσιαστεί με το βιβλίο,από ένα σημείο και έπειτα το βρήκα αρκετά κουραστικό και επαναλαμβανόμενο.
Παρόλα ταύτα,το προτείνω,μιας και μέσω αυτής της φανταστικής ιστορίας,με κεντρικό πρόσωπο τη Σάρα,μπορείς να πάρεις αρκετά μηνύματα,βασικότερο όλων,πως πρέπει να αγαπάμε και να εκτιμάμε τον εαυτό μας,με κάθε του ψεγάδι. Άλλωστε,αν δεν υπήρχαν τα ψεγάδια,τι θα ήμασταν;Μια όμοια μάζα!
August 28, 2016
Şöhret olmak için herşeyi göze alan 17 yaşında bir kız.. Ve ondan farklı bir amaçta yararlanmak için onu himayesine almış, geçirdiği ameliyatlarla yüzünü kaybetmiş bir pop yıldızı.. Olaylar tahmin edilebilirdi.. Ama buna rağmen etkileyiciydi..
Tek sevmediğim nokta.. Olaylar sırasıyla yazılmamıştı.. Bazı yerler röportaj havasındaydı bunlar hikayeyi biraz kopuk yapıyordu o kadar.
Gerilim sevenlere önerebileceğim güzel bir kitap :)
Tek sevmediğim nokta.. Olaylar sırasıyla yazılmamıştı.. Bazı yerler röportaj havasındaydı bunlar hikayeyi biraz kopuk yapıyordu o kadar.
Gerilim sevenlere önerebileceğim güzel bir kitap :)
October 4, 2011
Sara's Face was an amazing book. I thought it was disturbing and twisted and beautiful all at the same time. I felt like I was actually reading about something that happened in real life and that was what made it so scary. I really enjoyed this book.
October 10, 2015
It's so creepy I love it !!
September 21, 2011
Sara's face is a story that gets you to see the life of a girl who has identity problems. She's pretty, but she doesn't feel like the way she sees herself in the mirror is her true self, so she always wears a mask to hide behind it.
Sara wants to become immortal, she wants to be famous, unforgettable, just like all the important and famous people that become legends. She says that they become so famous that they almost don't seem real, and that's what she wants.
She also has some serious issues about lying, she has many personalities that she sometimes becomes one person, and then another, so when she's saying something you don't get to know the truth, you can't know if she's pretending, or if what she says is real. That might get you a little confused, but that's also kind of the plot, that you have to decide whether you believe one thing or the other, or everything as the truth.
In this story she meets a very famous rockstar, and he has some of the problems Sara has, so they can immediately relate, and he tells her that he will make her a legend, unforgettable for the world, but she has to do something that later will scare her so much, and will put her and her friend in danger.
while you read this book, you basically know since the beginning what's going to happen in the end, so some things are very predictable, and you don't really get a lot of suspense out of it. But it's really interesting, because it feels like it's real, like maybe it's a real story and you are reading the investigation someone made about that case, and you found yourself wondering what the truth may be, if they're all lying, or what's really going on.
Sara wants to become immortal, she wants to be famous, unforgettable, just like all the important and famous people that become legends. She says that they become so famous that they almost don't seem real, and that's what she wants.
She also has some serious issues about lying, she has many personalities that she sometimes becomes one person, and then another, so when she's saying something you don't get to know the truth, you can't know if she's pretending, or if what she says is real. That might get you a little confused, but that's also kind of the plot, that you have to decide whether you believe one thing or the other, or everything as the truth.
In this story she meets a very famous rockstar, and he has some of the problems Sara has, so they can immediately relate, and he tells her that he will make her a legend, unforgettable for the world, but she has to do something that later will scare her so much, and will put her and her friend in danger.
while you read this book, you basically know since the beginning what's going to happen in the end, so some things are very predictable, and you don't really get a lot of suspense out of it. But it's really interesting, because it feels like it's real, like maybe it's a real story and you are reading the investigation someone made about that case, and you found yourself wondering what the truth may be, if they're all lying, or what's really going on.
August 19, 2014
As a huge fan of Burgess' Smack aka Junk I have to say I was disappointed in this book. It has an interesting topic, and I was sufficiently intrigued and curious about what was going to happen to keep reading, but I found the characters to be unlikeable and difficult to relate to. I never could "get" Sara, and I found her to be annoying more than anything else. I also thought that the way the book was written to be a sort of true crime story puts the reader at a greater distance, and it was used inconsistently. Since I personally prefer character-driven novels, I didn't like being held at arm's length, and I especially didn't like that I couldn't identify with the characters. I found myself near the end of the book just wanting it to be over so I could move on to the next book. Still, I gave it 3 stars because the concept was interesting and unique, and I did enjoy parts of it.
October 16, 2021
Quisiera que hubiesen dicho especificamente si ella sufre de síndrome de personalidades múltiples o bipolaridas o algo así.
June 23, 2011
I read this book a few years ago, but it's one that stood out in my mind, so I think I can remember enough to write a book review.
First of all, Burgess writes this book in a documentary fashion. It seemed so real that every time I started reading it, I wanted to go look up on the internet and see if it was based on a true story. I've read four of Burgess's books, and they are all so absorbing I become borderline obsessed while reading them. I can't think of another author who writes in such a consuming way.
The story is about a girl who wants to be famous. She's obsessed with fame, but she doesn't want to do anything to become famous. She just wants to be famous for being famous. It reminded me of Paris Hilton when I read it. The girl in the book, Sara, was pretty, but she didn't want to sing or model or act. She even scars her face so as not to be pretty. She's very weird and self-destructive.
Sara meets Jonathon Heat, a famous musician who has had so much plastic surgery his face collapses or is ruined (Michael Jackson, anyone?) He wears a mask of his own younger face and never lets anyone see the ruined mess that is his real face. Sara becomes obsessed with him and wears his mask all the time, too. He takes her under his wing, of sorts, because of the resemblance between her face and his younger, pre-surgery face.
About now the story gets weird and very creepy. Jonathon lives in a weird house with all these rooms, including a creepy plastic surgery center in his basement. Sara breaks with her parents and goes to live with Jonathon and begins to fall in love with him, or at least his fame. There is a scene that stands out in my mind where Jonathon goes to kiss her and she can smell this rotting smell from under his mask. Sara starts getting a little creeped out, but not nearly enough. Things start getting weirder and weirder, and you can feel Burgess dragging you to the horrifying climax that you have to read even as you cringe and don't want to...because you know Jonathon is going to steal her face. Or at least try.
The ending of the book confused me some, as it is much later. I wasn't too concerned with writing quality when I read this, so I didn't notice much. I believe Burgess is an extremely talented story-teller who can keep a reader rapt and panting towards the conclusion. This was an extremely timely book full of social commentary and disturbing circumstances that ring eerily familiar in our society. Along with Smack, this is Burgess's best book by far.
Recommended for anyone who loves a good satire, creep-fest, or gripping thriller. Must be able to handle disturbing material.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2023
1.5 stars rounded down
when i picked this up, i didn't realize it would be attempting a faux "true crime" style of writing. it made it a quick read, but it honestly isn't done well and doesn't hold up for huge portions of the book. it felt like it really needed to lean more into the nonfiction style of writing instead of relying so heavily on apparently perfectly-transcribed conversations. since it is meant to be a "true crime" style book, the author makes the assumption that the reader already knows many details of the crime in question. this kills any suspense the book tries to drum up, and especially falls flat when the actual incident the book has been building towards is barely touched upon. there are no grisly details, just a lot of chapters about planning an escape, going into too much detail about the security of the house and focusing on a truly boring love interest. the villains of the book are hardly present, either, which makes the middle part really drag.
there's a lot of dated stuff in here - one example meant to show sara as an attention-seeking type is her reporting a group of boys to the headmaster + news + police. these boys have been going around and grabbing random girls, dragging them into closets, then groping them/shoving their hands under the girl's clothes/etc. we're meant to see sara as being in the wrong for reporting these creeps (and also meant to believe that in the early 2000s a teen girl would be believed about her accusations + the boys would actually get in trouble for it - yeah right!) and like she's lying/exaggerating to get what she wants. it was a weird plot point and that tone towards consent is carried through the rest of the book.
sara also sometimes "becomes" other people, taking on personality traits + accents and no longer acting anything like herself. one of these characters is a filipino woman, and the way sara is described as starting to "look more filipino" when she's a typical white english girl was bizarre and inappropriate.
the only black woman in the book is very much a mammy stereotype - she's sara's nurse when sara moves in with the rich creep and her whole purpose is to dote on and take care of sara + dole out wisdom when necessary. she's not fleshed out very well and her role in the story is pretty unimportant.
i honestly don't know what i was expecting from this book - more body horror perhaps? some indulgence in the actual grisly idea of removing a girl's face without her true consent? instead i got a lot of chapters of meandering around a mansion and a "main" character that isn't given enough of her own screentime and interiority.
when i picked this up, i didn't realize it would be attempting a faux "true crime" style of writing. it made it a quick read, but it honestly isn't done well and doesn't hold up for huge portions of the book. it felt like it really needed to lean more into the nonfiction style of writing instead of relying so heavily on apparently perfectly-transcribed conversations. since it is meant to be a "true crime" style book, the author makes the assumption that the reader already knows many details of the crime in question. this kills any suspense the book tries to drum up, and especially falls flat when the actual incident the book has been building towards is barely touched upon. there are no grisly details, just a lot of chapters about planning an escape, going into too much detail about the security of the house and focusing on a truly boring love interest. the villains of the book are hardly present, either, which makes the middle part really drag.
there's a lot of dated stuff in here - one example meant to show sara as an attention-seeking type is her reporting a group of boys to the headmaster + news + police. these boys have been going around and grabbing random girls, dragging them into closets, then groping them/shoving their hands under the girl's clothes/etc. we're meant to see sara as being in the wrong for reporting these creeps (and also meant to believe that in the early 2000s a teen girl would be believed about her accusations + the boys would actually get in trouble for it - yeah right!) and like she's lying/exaggerating to get what she wants. it was a weird plot point and that tone towards consent is carried through the rest of the book.
sara also sometimes "becomes" other people, taking on personality traits + accents and no longer acting anything like herself. one of these characters is a filipino woman, and the way sara is described as starting to "look more filipino" when she's a typical white english girl was bizarre and inappropriate.
the only black woman in the book is very much a mammy stereotype - she's sara's nurse when sara moves in with the rich creep and her whole purpose is to dote on and take care of sara + dole out wisdom when necessary. she's not fleshed out very well and her role in the story is pretty unimportant.
i honestly don't know what i was expecting from this book - more body horror perhaps? some indulgence in the actual grisly idea of removing a girl's face without her true consent? instead i got a lot of chapters of meandering around a mansion and a "main" character that isn't given enough of her own screentime and interiority.
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by Dianna Geers for TeensReadToo.com
Jonathon Heat was a famous rock star who had his own compound, surgeons, and assistants. All of the things a rich and famous celebrity would have--and then some. In fact, due to so much cosmetic surgery and experimental procedures, somehow Jonathon's face was destroyed to the point that he wore a mask at all times. With his high celebrity status, wearing a mask became a widespread thing to do. There were all sorts of masks--some with snouts, some with real hair, half-masks, full masks.
Sarah was once an unknown and sometimes self-destructive girl. She had big plans to be famous and was saving for several forms of cosmetic surgery: new breasts, a better face, liposuction later on. It was part of her long-term plans. When Sarah's destructive behavior spiraled out of control, she burned her face with an iron and her mother had her placed in the hospital. Sarah claimed it was an accident, but not everyone was convinced. This is when she met Jonathon Heat. He came to visit children in the hospital, but somehow already knew a great deal about Sarah. He lured Sarah to his compound with the promise of free cosmetic surgery to fix the burn mark.
It was almost Michael Jacksonish the way Jonathon took Sarah in. Sarah moved into his mansion and was his constant companion. The two were constantly photographed together and speculation about their relationship was rampant. However, when readers were exposed to Sarah's video journals, we learn a completely different view of what was really going on. Secret rooms, security cameras covering every inch of the property, and maybe even ghosts. It's very difficult to tell what really happens, what Sarah might be imagining, and what she may even be making up. However, it is obvious there is more to Sarah being a guest at Jonathon Heat's compound than free cosmetic surgery.
The mood of the entire book is eerie. Creepy. There is always something going on that is just not right. It keeps readers wanting to read more because they have to know what is going on and what is going to happen. The whole world that the author, Melvin Burgess, has created will leave you wondering if this type of situation could actually happen in the not-too-distant future. If you want to read a book that will keep you wondering even after you have finished reading it, then you should definitely read SARA'S FACE.
Jonathon Heat was a famous rock star who had his own compound, surgeons, and assistants. All of the things a rich and famous celebrity would have--and then some. In fact, due to so much cosmetic surgery and experimental procedures, somehow Jonathon's face was destroyed to the point that he wore a mask at all times. With his high celebrity status, wearing a mask became a widespread thing to do. There were all sorts of masks--some with snouts, some with real hair, half-masks, full masks.
Sarah was once an unknown and sometimes self-destructive girl. She had big plans to be famous and was saving for several forms of cosmetic surgery: new breasts, a better face, liposuction later on. It was part of her long-term plans. When Sarah's destructive behavior spiraled out of control, she burned her face with an iron and her mother had her placed in the hospital. Sarah claimed it was an accident, but not everyone was convinced. This is when she met Jonathon Heat. He came to visit children in the hospital, but somehow already knew a great deal about Sarah. He lured Sarah to his compound with the promise of free cosmetic surgery to fix the burn mark.
It was almost Michael Jacksonish the way Jonathon took Sarah in. Sarah moved into his mansion and was his constant companion. The two were constantly photographed together and speculation about their relationship was rampant. However, when readers were exposed to Sarah's video journals, we learn a completely different view of what was really going on. Secret rooms, security cameras covering every inch of the property, and maybe even ghosts. It's very difficult to tell what really happens, what Sarah might be imagining, and what she may even be making up. However, it is obvious there is more to Sarah being a guest at Jonathon Heat's compound than free cosmetic surgery.
The mood of the entire book is eerie. Creepy. There is always something going on that is just not right. It keeps readers wanting to read more because they have to know what is going on and what is going to happen. The whole world that the author, Melvin Burgess, has created will leave you wondering if this type of situation could actually happen in the not-too-distant future. If you want to read a book that will keep you wondering even after you have finished reading it, then you should definitely read SARA'S FACE.
May 4, 2012
Sara's Face
If you struggle with your identity... you aint seen nothing yet until you have read this book!
This was a very gripping tale. It was a thriller mixed with comedy and it was just a very refreshing read!
Sara is a girl who struggles with her face. She doesn't think she's pretty and she thinks she is fat. When everybody else is in love with her or jealous of how gorgeous she is. So when there is a "accident" with an iron and her face is scarred is her career of becoming the biggest thing the world has ever seen in jeopardy? What is she willing to sacrifice for fame? Is Jonathan Heat the fairy godmother she think he is or the demon of her worse fears?
I loved this book!
Sara is a extrovert and a very unique girl. She loves changing who she is. One day she is a 20 year old woman trying to get an education the next day she is a girl from Ireland.
Jonathan heat is a very big celebrity who struggles with the same problem Sara does there fear for being ugly. Jonathan is famous for the changes he makes in his industry and later he is famous for his changes. For example when he appears in a music video with a dog nose it is an actual nose that a plastic surgeon added to his face.
=)
February 16, 2012
Sara's Face is a literary masterpiece. It had me turning pages faster than I could read. Melvin Burgess has created a world that is so believable, you can feel yourself slipping away as the story progresses.
The novel starts out with a preface about the author's reason to document this fictional event that has happened. Through the course of this book, Burgess attempts to define what self image is. The whole novel reads in an eerie manner, and Sara's unique character keeps you guessing at what is really going on throughout the whole novel.
I really enjoyed reading this novel, because I felt like I could identify with Sara. Although I don't have the same issues she does, I think on some level we all struggle with personal identity and attempt to redefine ourselves for others.
If you like a chilling mystery, you'll love this book. Even if you don't, Melvin Burgess' writing skills is impressive enough for you to take a look.
The novel starts out with a preface about the author's reason to document this fictional event that has happened. Through the course of this book, Burgess attempts to define what self image is. The whole novel reads in an eerie manner, and Sara's unique character keeps you guessing at what is really going on throughout the whole novel.
I really enjoyed reading this novel, because I felt like I could identify with Sara. Although I don't have the same issues she does, I think on some level we all struggle with personal identity and attempt to redefine ourselves for others.
If you like a chilling mystery, you'll love this book. Even if you don't, Melvin Burgess' writing skills is impressive enough for you to take a look.
June 1, 2012
This was disturbing, confusing and twisted, but it was oh so good! It's not the usual type of book I read (ahem--romance!) but it was fascinating--morbidly so! I just don't understand how the crazies always seem to find each other! It's like a special radar or something.
Anyway, I was only supposed to read a couple of chapters to get started, but I just couldn't put it down. I had to know how it ended but then to tell you the truth, I ended up being almost as in the dark as I was in the beginning! LOL
But, it was a great read. I highly recommend it to those people who a curious about those weird psychiatric conditions that people can be afflicted with. Also, to those people that have to look at the accident on the side of the road even though someone says, "don't look"! This book is definitely for you.
Anyway, I was only supposed to read a couple of chapters to get started, but I just couldn't put it down. I had to know how it ended but then to tell you the truth, I ended up being almost as in the dark as I was in the beginning! LOL
But, it was a great read. I highly recommend it to those people who a curious about those weird psychiatric conditions that people can be afflicted with. Also, to those people that have to look at the accident on the side of the road even though someone says, "don't look"! This book is definitely for you.
May 9, 2012
I am a big fan of Melvin Burgess. I think I would read anything by him. His novels always, no matter how strange and bizzare they might be, capture my imagination and take me on the ride of my life. For Sara's Face I had no idea of what really to expect because I did no research on it before buying it. I only knew it would be something different to what Ive read before. And I was right. I really enjoyed reading it. I really dont know where to begin in describing this story. All I can think of is to say imagine if Michael Jackson was the character Nickolas Cage played in Face/Off. Bizzare? I know but bare with me and Burgess and see for yourself.
July 10, 2013
Before reading this I had read 'Junk' by Melvin Burgess, which I enjoyed a lot more. Sara's face was alright, but certain parts really really freaked me out - it just wasn't what I was expecting. I think I will read it again as it was so long ago that I did read it, but the whole secretive and eerie elements in it really did put me off; if there is ever a film made of it I would probably give it a miss. But still, expertly written and very gripping.
September 6, 2016
3,5/5
Soon
Soon
February 11, 2018
I didn't really know what this book was about because i got it for 2 euros and i never research shit.this shit wasn't what i expected.it's suprisingly really good and weird.you should honestly check it out without knowing too much
May 28, 2013
The book had lots great moments as well has very graphic moments that were too detailed at times. The author Melvin Burgess, did an awesome job on showing the true side of Sarah. All her insecurities and deep thoughts that she thought about herself. She had convince herself that she wasn't ever good enough and had a dark side on how she wanted to become more "beautiful." The steps and support that she was getting for theses ideas were ridiculous and extremely harmful. Sarah best friend that she was head over heels for, Jonathan Heat had also gone through harsh procedures because he wasn't satisfied with his natural looks as well. However, Sarah wanted plastic surgery done where clothes would cover. Places where one would never even think of having something done to. "I don't know who I am , I don't even know what I am. That's how I can see into the future. That's how sensible i am!(Burgress 5). Sarah would record herself in her bathroom all locked up and pretend to be interviewed. "Sara is sitting in a chair looking off to the side of the camera, as if someone else is sitting there talking to her. But hers is the only voice we hear. In fact, she's pretending to be interviewed for the TV." (Burgress 4.) She would go on and on about how amazing her life is and how in love she was. However, when she pressed pause on her camera. Sarah would drop down and cry for hours about how horrible her life is. The ending leaves you absolutely speechless and wanting to read the book once more. Melvin Burgress does a spectacular job showing true emotion of how it feels for a young girl wanting to be at least "decent" for once. Having to do everything and anything to reach that fame she's been trying to strive for.
Personally I loved the book and felt to drawn into it. Melvin ways on writing about Sarah' story was great! You could picture every moment that was dramatic right in your head because his details and sense of words were outstanding. One thing that I didn't enjoy about the book was that at times it had some disturbing moments that kinda left you uncomfortable. However, it was understandable on why some of those parts were placed. It made the book that much more worth wild and at the end everything worked in its favor. The book reminded me of many models on the show "America's Next Top Model." Many of these models did the unthinkable to be signed with an agent to reach the fame. Sarah was also the same way. The way these models carried themselves and though about themselves was disappointing. Sarah was no different.
Overall, the book was amusing and I would strongly recommend it to any reader that wants to be on there toes and hoping for the next series to come out soon!
Personally I loved the book and felt to drawn into it. Melvin ways on writing about Sarah' story was great! You could picture every moment that was dramatic right in your head because his details and sense of words were outstanding. One thing that I didn't enjoy about the book was that at times it had some disturbing moments that kinda left you uncomfortable. However, it was understandable on why some of those parts were placed. It made the book that much more worth wild and at the end everything worked in its favor. The book reminded me of many models on the show "America's Next Top Model." Many of these models did the unthinkable to be signed with an agent to reach the fame. Sarah was also the same way. The way these models carried themselves and though about themselves was disappointing. Sarah was no different.
Overall, the book was amusing and I would strongly recommend it to any reader that wants to be on there toes and hoping for the next series to come out soon!
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May 20, 2022strange book. Partly written as a bogus crime book, The Face of Sara is about Jonathan Heat (a Michael Jackson scapegoat if ever there was one) and a teenage girl named Sara, who has a tenuous grip on reality. A manipulative streak, destructive tendencies, and a deep version of her very appearance. Bad match. From the beginning of the book, the reader knows that something terrible will happen, but not the details. I think it's supposed to add tension and mystery, and it does, to a degree, but it's so obvious what's going to happen that just how and why remains mysterious.
I like the idea of a novel written in the style of a true-crime, but unfortunately, Burgess does not stay with it. It includes too many specific conversations and sometimes includes Sara's (very detailed) thoughts at exact moments when he would have no way of knowing exactly what she had said. seen, thought, and felt. Sticking with the true-crime novel would have cut out some scenes that he obviously liked, but it would have been a better book.
Of course, the basic premise is so far-fetched that I considered marking this book as science fiction. Or fantasy, since the book hints at supernatural elements in a very underdeveloped way. There are a lot of unanswered questions, which is intentional, but I didn't feel it was necessary.
I have to take note of a scene that happens early in the book that really set me back. At Sara's high school, a gang of boys regularly drag girls into the bathroom to grope them. When they do this to Sara, she calls the police, the local news station, and informs the school. My reaction to her is to be proud of her and cheer her on. So when her narrative voice dismisses this as just more of her attention-seeking behavior, I'm honestly stunned. Wow, really? Now, due to the style of the book, there is the question of whether the narrative voice reflects the author's voice, so I can't necessarily blame Burgess entirely for this. But it wasn't very respectful (if not exactly surprising) for me to read it.
I like the idea of a novel written in the style of a true-crime, but unfortunately, Burgess does not stay with it. It includes too many specific conversations and sometimes includes Sara's (very detailed) thoughts at exact moments when he would have no way of knowing exactly what she had said. seen, thought, and felt. Sticking with the true-crime novel would have cut out some scenes that he obviously liked, but it would have been a better book.
Of course, the basic premise is so far-fetched that I considered marking this book as science fiction. Or fantasy, since the book hints at supernatural elements in a very underdeveloped way. There are a lot of unanswered questions, which is intentional, but I didn't feel it was necessary.
I have to take note of a scene that happens early in the book that really set me back. At Sara's high school, a gang of boys regularly drag girls into the bathroom to grope them. When they do this to Sara, she calls the police, the local news station, and informs the school. My reaction to her is to be proud of her and cheer her on. So when her narrative voice dismisses this as just more of her attention-seeking behavior, I'm honestly stunned. Wow, really? Now, due to the style of the book, there is the question of whether the narrative voice reflects the author's voice, so I can't necessarily blame Burgess entirely for this. But it wasn't very respectful (if not exactly surprising) for me to read it.
March 23, 2012
Melvin Burgess is well-known for his young adult, social realist fiction since the publication of his novel Junk in 1996. Sara’s Face carries on this trend, with Burgess looking at the culture of celebrity and of beauty.
I found Sara’s Face a very difficult book, not because I disliked it, not because it disturbed me, but precisely for the opposite reason: when I finished the book, I felt nothing. It’s not really the sort of book you want to walk away from feeling completely unaffected, but I did.
At its heart the book is about the quest for two things: the quest for identity, and the quest for beauty. These two quests are played out through the characters of Sara and of Jonathon Heat. Dr Wayland Kaye is a key player in their quests, and yet he barely exists on the page. There is no question that Sara, Heat and Kaye are enigmatic characters. They’re not easy characters either, and I think that’s the point.
There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn from this book, very few of which are comfortable. In many ways Sara’s Face can be read as a horror story, as it contains a lot of the horror archetypes – monsters, violence, fear. The story isn’t meant to be a comfortable one. It’s meant to make you think.
So why did I only find it okay? Well, I think I just may be too old for this book. I think this book is definitely aimed at its audience and I may know too much of the world, and the horrors it can hold because honestly for me the book didn’t go far enough to make it stick with me.
I found Sara’s Face a very difficult book, not because I disliked it, not because it disturbed me, but precisely for the opposite reason: when I finished the book, I felt nothing. It’s not really the sort of book you want to walk away from feeling completely unaffected, but I did.
At its heart the book is about the quest for two things: the quest for identity, and the quest for beauty. These two quests are played out through the characters of Sara and of Jonathon Heat. Dr Wayland Kaye is a key player in their quests, and yet he barely exists on the page. There is no question that Sara, Heat and Kaye are enigmatic characters. They’re not easy characters either, and I think that’s the point.
There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn from this book, very few of which are comfortable. In many ways Sara’s Face can be read as a horror story, as it contains a lot of the horror archetypes – monsters, violence, fear. The story isn’t meant to be a comfortable one. It’s meant to make you think.
So why did I only find it okay? Well, I think I just may be too old for this book. I think this book is definitely aimed at its audience and I may know too much of the world, and the horrors it can hold because honestly for me the book didn’t go far enough to make it stick with me.
November 16, 2011
All I can say is that I enjoyed this book. It is very hard for me to explain. I did a video review on YT and that was all over the place. I can say that it reminds of me of Bram Stokers Drakula in how it was written and the setting (sort of)....Sara goes to stay with a rock star named Johnathan, who has had numerous surgeries done on his face, just because, and because of all of them he has had done, his face literally collapses! He ends up wearing masks all the time to cover the gruesomeness of this.
Johnathan meets Sara at the hospital when she is there after an accident where an iron burned the whole side of her face. He automatically feels a connection with her and offers her to come stay with him in his huge house and to pay for her surgery (plastic surgery). She agrees and while at his house and awaiting the surgery (which is a few months down the road), she notices strange stuff going on, although she seems to be the only one that notices anything. She is very curious and afraid at the same time to find out what it is that is going on. This all leads us to discover quite a few things.
This story to me wasn't fast paced at all and there where no "aha" moments or intense points, but there were some disturbing points and there were some ghosts that make an appearance...it still was a good book. The end was disturbing especially....Especially after you realize what exactly is going on....
Johnathan meets Sara at the hospital when she is there after an accident where an iron burned the whole side of her face. He automatically feels a connection with her and offers her to come stay with him in his huge house and to pay for her surgery (plastic surgery). She agrees and while at his house and awaiting the surgery (which is a few months down the road), she notices strange stuff going on, although she seems to be the only one that notices anything. She is very curious and afraid at the same time to find out what it is that is going on. This all leads us to discover quite a few things.
This story to me wasn't fast paced at all and there where no "aha" moments or intense points, but there were some disturbing points and there were some ghosts that make an appearance...it still was a good book. The end was disturbing especially....Especially after you realize what exactly is going on....
July 13, 2012
Sara's Face is one of those books that I come back to every few years to read again because it was so very memorable the first time I read it. It's one of those stories that I think about when I have nothing else to do, something that I'll pull out of my hat when someone asks me what my favorite books are.
Sara should be, by the stereotypical standards, completely happy with her life. She's beautiful, she has a great boyfriend who loves her, and she has the social skills to rise to the top of the high school pack. But she feels out of place in her own skin. She wears masks all the time, painting new faces for herself every day, and she is constantly thinking about plastic surgery. She does things that are borderline self-destructive, 'accidents' that no one can specifically say were on purpose, but happened while no one was there to tell for sure.
And along comes Jonathon Heat, fantastically famous celebrity, promising to take her under his wing and pay for her surgeries if only she moves into his mega mansion. She will have everything she's ever wanted, including a new body. But as she explores the remarkable world of mega-celebrities, she starts to wonder what's really going on, and it seems like Jonathon wants something that she's not ready to give.
Sara's Face ends with such a bang that you can't get it out of your head. It left me with so much to think about that I couldn't sleep for days. Told in such an engaging manner, it's sure to keep you curious.
Sara should be, by the stereotypical standards, completely happy with her life. She's beautiful, she has a great boyfriend who loves her, and she has the social skills to rise to the top of the high school pack. But she feels out of place in her own skin. She wears masks all the time, painting new faces for herself every day, and she is constantly thinking about plastic surgery. She does things that are borderline self-destructive, 'accidents' that no one can specifically say were on purpose, but happened while no one was there to tell for sure.
And along comes Jonathon Heat, fantastically famous celebrity, promising to take her under his wing and pay for her surgeries if only she moves into his mega mansion. She will have everything she's ever wanted, including a new body. But as she explores the remarkable world of mega-celebrities, she starts to wonder what's really going on, and it seems like Jonathon wants something that she's not ready to give.
Sara's Face ends with such a bang that you can't get it out of your head. It left me with so much to think about that I couldn't sleep for days. Told in such an engaging manner, it's sure to keep you curious.
November 20, 2012
El rostro de Sara me llamo la atención desde que lo vi [en el blog de Itzel Library] y una ves que leí la trama dije que definitivamente tenía que leerlo.
La historia es tétrica y un tanto confusa, pero es lo que hace a este libro tan interesante.
Sara es una chica poco común; es hermosa y talentosa a pesar de tener una personalidad un tanto extraña. Su sueño es ser famosa, pero no por lo que puede hacer si no por ser ella. Todo el libro es narrado por varios personajes que estuvieron “implicados” en el caso de Sara, todos cuentan lo que saben, su versión y es como nos vamos enterando de todas y cada una de las anomalías de esta chica. La verdadera historia comienza cuando conoce a Jonathon Heat; un cantante que ha experimentado con su rostro en desmedida hasta verse obligado a usar una mascara todo el tiempo; el cual tiene sus propios problemas mentales que son ciertamente muy parecidos a los de Sara. Jonathon ofrece a Sara ayudarla a cumplir su sueño de fama, pero, ¿cuál podría ser el costo implícito en esa ayuda?
El libro me fascino, es tan extraño que no puedes evitar preguntarte si realmente existe alguien con todos esos “problemas”. Y si le sumamos lo tétrico que llega a ser, tenemos una excelente combinación de misterio psicológico que te deja preguntándote todo el libro que es real y que no.
La historia es tétrica y un tanto confusa, pero es lo que hace a este libro tan interesante.
Sara es una chica poco común; es hermosa y talentosa a pesar de tener una personalidad un tanto extraña. Su sueño es ser famosa, pero no por lo que puede hacer si no por ser ella. Todo el libro es narrado por varios personajes que estuvieron “implicados” en el caso de Sara, todos cuentan lo que saben, su versión y es como nos vamos enterando de todas y cada una de las anomalías de esta chica. La verdadera historia comienza cuando conoce a Jonathon Heat; un cantante que ha experimentado con su rostro en desmedida hasta verse obligado a usar una mascara todo el tiempo; el cual tiene sus propios problemas mentales que son ciertamente muy parecidos a los de Sara. Jonathon ofrece a Sara ayudarla a cumplir su sueño de fama, pero, ¿cuál podría ser el costo implícito en esa ayuda?
El libro me fascino, es tan extraño que no puedes evitar preguntarte si realmente existe alguien con todos esos “problemas”. Y si le sumamos lo tétrico que llega a ser, tenemos una excelente combinación de misterio psicológico que te deja preguntándote todo el libro que es real y que no.
February 9, 2009
I imagine the idea of the book either appeals to your morbid curiosity or not. Obviously it suckered me in.
Why would someone repeatedly go under the knife to the point of losing their face? Why would they recruit someone else to make the exact same mistakes they did? How far would they go to fix what they'd done to themselves, particularly at the expense of someone else? And how much money would it take to buy your loyalty enough to look the other way while someone destroys another human being for their own means?
There's at least one theory besides outright insanity that floats around in Sara's Face, and it's one I'm inclined to believe, although obviously the character who voices the opinion is probably one of the least credible in the story.
I was prepared to dislike the book for some reason. Maybe the slew of, at best, ho-hum reviews. Maybe the idea of a British Michael Jackson ruining someone didn't appeal.
The thing is, Sara's Face is disturbing in the best possible way.
Why would someone repeatedly go under the knife to the point of losing their face? Why would they recruit someone else to make the exact same mistakes they did? How far would they go to fix what they'd done to themselves, particularly at the expense of someone else? And how much money would it take to buy your loyalty enough to look the other way while someone destroys another human being for their own means?
There's at least one theory besides outright insanity that floats around in Sara's Face, and it's one I'm inclined to believe, although obviously the character who voices the opinion is probably one of the least credible in the story.
I was prepared to dislike the book for some reason. Maybe the slew of, at best, ho-hum reviews. Maybe the idea of a British Michael Jackson ruining someone didn't appeal.
The thing is, Sara's Face is disturbing in the best possible way.
July 21, 2012
I almost stopped reading in the first few pages, what with the F-words and scene of, and I quote, "boob adoration." I forced myself to continue because language was a problem in Smack/Junk too, and I persevered through that one to find one of the most definitive drug novels ever.
I was similarly rewarded here, though on a whole different plane. Intense characters and a gripping plotline full of terror thanks to unparalleled, just-barely-plausible-sounding medical horrors. I actually felt cold when I closed the back cover.
Furthermore, the format of this novel broke standard form in a good way. He wrote it as if it were a true story and he was merely novelizing what happened; his voice interjects from time to time, and it's also interspersed with clips from video diaries and such. But rather than being an annoying waste of space that novels which utilize e-mail/IM format often strike me as, this kept the novel-esque narration while simply handing off the voice.
I was similarly rewarded here, though on a whole different plane. Intense characters and a gripping plotline full of terror thanks to unparalleled, just-barely-plausible-sounding medical horrors. I actually felt cold when I closed the back cover.
Furthermore, the format of this novel broke standard form in a good way. He wrote it as if it were a true story and he was merely novelizing what happened; his voice interjects from time to time, and it's also interspersed with clips from video diaries and such. But rather than being an annoying waste of space that novels which utilize e-mail/IM format often strike me as, this kept the novel-esque narration while simply handing off the voice.
September 3, 2008
Johnathan Eat is a rockstar obsessed with beauryt. So obsessed that he lost hhis face due to too many experimental surgeries. When he meets Sara, who'se face bears a striking resemblance to his lost one, he gets her to move into his mansion telling her he will pay for all her needs and surgeries. But Sara sonn learns that he has another thing in mind than just helping her!
Once again, Melvin Burgess surprises us with a very weird novel! The telling is very surprising, Burgess speaking directly to the reader, telling us that he was commitioned to tell the famous story of Heat and Sara. The epilog even makes you think that maybe they really existed! Also, Sara is ambiguous : is she a victim, is she a willing participant? Even after reading the whole book, the answer is still not clear!
All in all, this was an excellent book by a very good author.
Once again, Melvin Burgess surprises us with a very weird novel! The telling is very surprising, Burgess speaking directly to the reader, telling us that he was commitioned to tell the famous story of Heat and Sara. The epilog even makes you think that maybe they really existed! Also, Sara is ambiguous : is she a victim, is she a willing participant? Even after reading the whole book, the answer is still not clear!
All in all, this was an excellent book by a very good author.
August 4, 2007
Written to read like a documentary, Sara’s Face sometimes reads with sometimes eerie similarity to the reality bending World War Z (bloody brilliant book as well!). Burgess goes well beneath the surface of beauty obsession and fleshes out a more accurate psychological sketch of Sara, giving some insight to what may be going on inside the heads of some plastic surgery addicts. Suspense and horror readers will enjoy the main plot and the subplot ghost story of the girl whose facial flesh is missing and vocal cords are intact, who calls out to Sara.
April 22, 2015
Sarah Carter es una chica hermosa, talentosa ,dueña de una personalidad extraña, su única aspiración en esta vida es ser famosa, pero no por alguna cosa en la que se destaque sino por simplemente ser ella misma.
Es narrado por diferentes personajes que cuentan desde su punto de vista los extraños comportamientos de Sarah, la historia comienza cuando conoce a Jonathon Heat una estrella de rock que se a hecho famoso por alterar su rostro, pero ya lo a alterado tantas veces que ya se a vuelto todo un monstruo sin rostro, en este thiller psicológico descubrimos que es lo que realmente paso con el rostro de Sarah
Es narrado por diferentes personajes que cuentan desde su punto de vista los extraños comportamientos de Sarah, la historia comienza cuando conoce a Jonathon Heat una estrella de rock que se a hecho famoso por alterar su rostro, pero ya lo a alterado tantas veces que ya se a vuelto todo un monstruo sin rostro, en este thiller psicológico descubrimos que es lo que realmente paso con el rostro de Sarah
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