The Ugly One

by Leanne Statland Ellis

“[A] quiet, deeply moving story.” — The Bulletin Twelve-year-old Micay walks around her fifteenth-century Incan village shielding the scarred side of her face that inspired the cruel name Millay, or “Ugly One.” She escapes to her huaca rock, avoiding the villagers who shun her. Her world shifts dramatically when a stranger gives her a sorry-looking baby macaw. The bird becomes her dear companion on a journey that ultimately leads her to a new role as shaman in Machu Picchu’s Sacred Sun City. Told in an engaging storyteller’s voice, this is a stirring tale of a girl who finds her own strength.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Young Adult, School, Childrens, Coming Of Age

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Leanne Statland Ellis teaches middle schoolers in the Chicago area. She was inspired to write The Ugly One by her travels in Peru, including two visits to Machu Picchu. She lives near Chicago with her family. You can learn more about her and her books at http://www.LeanneStatlandEllis.com and connect with her on Twitter @Leanne_S_Ellis.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 71/244 pages (Chapter 7)

I had to stop reading this book because I was about throw my Nook across the room. Unfortunately, this title has authentic voice and narrative issues that I just couldn't get past. I wanted to like a book that should appeal to middle grade readers and is multicultural in scope (Incas/Peru) but it has too many flaws to recommend.

Authentic voice issues:
-The author is a white woman that has no connection to the Incan culture beyond a trip to Machu Picchu and a one time "research" trip. Parts of the Incan past are given a white-wash that I cannot get past. And the author chose to write about a time period with little historical information to back up her ridiculous narrative choices - she doesn't infuse the setting with anything that feels authentic and natural. It's been done by other authors, but not this one.
-While the city at Machu Picchu doesn't have a name/has been lost to history, rather than simply calling it the sacred city on MP, the author gives it a really generic name that she chose to make up. Surely there is a better way?

Narrative issues:
-As most tween & teen fiction these days feature an issue du jour, it wasn't unexpected to find the protagonist with self-esteem issues related to the scar on her face. However, the narrative line is one I cannot get behind: Micay bases her feelings of self-worth on taunts by 3 or 4 boys in her village. There is no other indication that ANYONE in the village doesn't like her otherwise. Also, she rejects her family completely when they clearly love her. I just couldn't take it. Even though I didn't finish it, I can predict that by the end, something amazing and/or miraculous will happen and Micay will learn to love herself, which given the clear self-loathing evident in the first 6 chapters is completely unrealistic.

ARC supplied by publisher via NetGalley

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good book but the book doesn’t really talk about when the setting is in incan village in machu picchu. The historical conflict in the book is micay getting bullied about her scar. Micay's relationship to historical conflicts are almost the same as segregation. People in the book are treating Micay like she’s a little animal and say things like you can’t touch those seeds you will make them not grow. Like the movie hidden figures a white guys were staring at a black women for using the so called white people only coffee machine, and nobody used the coffee machine anymore because white people thought it was dirty. A threat in the book to Micay is pachamama. Pachamama is a bully to Micay for example in the book it says that she said earth mother is offended that the ugly one would plant seeds into her that won’t grow and they are saying to not waste them by contaminating the seeds with her hands.
The protagonist’s personal backstory is that she got a scar on her face and how she got a scar on her face but it doesn’t say how she got the scar. The historical backstory in “The ugly one” is that Micay is known as the Ugly One in her Incan village, thanks to a disfiguring facial scar she received in her youth. A stranger passing through her village sees her differently. However and leaves her a gift: a scrawny baby macaw, named Sumac Huanacauri . Caring for Sumac is the beginning of a transformation for Micay, as the bird eventually leads her to the house of the local shaman, the Paqo, who takes Micay on as a student, teaching her to see "Beyond," to heal, and to become more confident in herself.
The new experiences in Micay’s life are negatively affecting her life by making her more self confident in things she does. A role that Ucho plays in The ugly one is one of the bullies to Micay he’s been calling her the ugly one and laugh some.

A trouble moment in Micays life was when she first got her scar. Micay reacts like she is nothing to nobody because she is always so called ugly to some people. Micay is a very self confident about the way she looks to some people. She reveals that she has a scar on her face. I know this because i read chapter 2 of The ugly one.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in nearly one sitting, captivated early on by the author's rich description of the community's traditions and by the arrival of two strangers whose presence in Micay's life helps launch her journey of self-discovery. Quechua words have an important, almost character-like presence in Micay's development, as does the interplay between past and present, dreams and consciousness, community and self. Each chapter is layered with descriptions of the land and of Incan beliefs and rituals; readers learn from and with Micay, reveling both in her transformation and in our deepening understanding of Incan culture.

As a history teacher, I would recommend this book for use in classes through the early high school grades. The author has skillfully crafted a narrative that will draw in younger and older readers and has provided a glossary and a list of resources for further study. I am also very pleased that this is a book and story that I can share with my 10 and 12 year old daughters; many of Micay's internal challenges and conflicts with other people are issues that will resonate with them, and I hope they will be inspired by the strength they'll see developing in Micay through her patience and through the care of the community around her.

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*****I won this book on Goodreads in exchange for my honest review*****

What a lovely story! I really enjoyed "The Ugly One", though it is a children's book, targeted age of probably 8-12. It is the tale of Micay, a young Incan girl whose face is badly scarred as a child. A boy in her village calls her Millay, The Ugly One, and she feels like an outcast, insignificant, and is embarrassed by her face which she tries to keep hidden with her long hair. Micay's life changes after a stranger from the jungle arrives and gives her a baby macaw to take care of. Soon after, she becomes the student of her village's shaman, and her self confidence begins to improve, and she finds her voice and discovers who she really is. I really enjoyed being submerged in the Incan Culture, and also sharing Micay's journey to self-acceptance. This is a great book for young tween girls, showing them that looks aren't all that matter, and they can be beautiful and successful, no matter what they look like.

[Ronni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always liked historical fiction. The blending of truth and imagination can be very satisfying, and in The Ugly One the balance of the two feels right. I know the book targets a younger audience (mainly eight to twelve years of age) but
the beautiful writing weaving stories of the Incan Culture with such universal themes as love, regret, shame, hostility, responsibility, fear, and self discovery had this older reader spellbound. I was instantly drawn to the main character (Micay-Millay) and to Sumac, her companion throughout the story. This is a fast read and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be transported to a different time and a different culture.

[In Search of the End of the Sidewalk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ugly One by Leanne Statland Ellis

The young adult book genre has expanded rapidly over the last decade, creating reading niches for a variety of teenage interests, from the currently ubiquitous choices that include vampires and werewolves to the popular dystopian series. But, one of my favorite growing topics in the world of YA literature is cultural/travel fiction. I think it is outstanding when kids sitting in their suburban American homes can open and book and be suddenly transported to Southeast Asia, South Africa or South America. Leanne Statland Ellis’ soon-to-be-released book does just that- taking readers on a journey to Peru and the thriving Incan civilization.

Names are an important part of this tale, with the narrator going by several different ones, depending on who is addressing her. (Tale is a fitting label for this book, as it reads like a mystical tale from the ancient oral traditions, tying the reader up in the story as pages fly by.) She is called by her given name, Micay, by her loving older sister, but mocked as The Ugly One by a young bully in her village. As her story progresses, she gains other monikers, more fitting to her changing situation, but at heart, she remains the same strong young woman.

Read the rest of this review (and more!) at www.insearchoftheendofthesidewalk.com

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micay has a scar down the right side of her face and believes that she is not just unlucky but cursed. She hides from the people of her village, and accepts that she will be teased and bullied for the rest of her life. All of that changes when a stranger gives her a baby macaw. Suddenly she has something outside of herself to worry about. Set at the time of the Incan empire, this is a timeless story of rising above one's destiny, following one's heart, and making a brighter future. Recommended for grades 5-8.

[Yanelie Manzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this book is kind of a good book. It doesn't interest me a lot and yea... I stilled finished reading it though. This book is about a girl who has a big scar on the right side of her face. She doesn't like the scar because they make fun of her. I would recommend this book my teacher's I think they might like it! Maybe not sure!

[Liv · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d give this 2.5. It was enjoyable but definitely a younger read which is ok. I enjoyed the characters but nothing super memorable. But if I was 13 reading this I definitely would have enjoyed it a lot!

[David Ciccarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read from Ms. Ellis (Treehuggers) and I was again impressed. I'm a sucker for historical fiction and a big fan of the MG/YA books, and this satisfies on both count. If you have a daughter/niece/cousin/friend in this age range, get it for them. And get a copy for yourself.

[Anisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little hard for me to get into at first and all of the native american names were a bit confusing, but it ended up catching my attention and was a good book. Not really my type, but I did enjoy it.

[Mrs. Preziosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ugly One is a very deep, thought provoking book which could be challenging to many fourth grade readers. It takes place in the time of the ancient Inca tribes and the mythical and spiritual aspects could be difficult to grasp.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book for young girls, written by my friend and teaching partner!

[Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story takes place in the Incan village in Machu Picchu sometime in the 1500s. The Incan
village and their beliefs were the historical part of the story. Micay's relationship to this was the
fact that they along with the other citizens of the Incan village believed in this as well.
When Micay was just a little girl a Jaguar gave her a long deep scar from her right eye to her lip.
As a result, not only was Micay bullied by Ucho but most of the adults ignored her. The new
experiences in Micay's life positively affects her life because Micay is finally being respected by
the people of her village. Ucho plays the role of the bully who looks down on others because of a
personal issue, in this case, was accused of distracting Micay's older brother Hatun
which caused a Permanent scar on Micay's face.
Because of the scar on her face, Micay gets often and copes with the bullying by sitting on her
Huaca and drawing comfort from her family. Micay reacts to this by covering the scar with her
long hair.I can imply Micay's very self-conscious about herself to support this, according to the
text, it says Micay would never even let her Mom kiss her on the cheek because Micay feared
once her Mom saw the scar she would never kiss her again.
I didn't like the book because of the slow character development, and the lack of historical
elements in the book. The theme of the story is just because your ugly doesn't mean you can’t
achieve big things. I think a reader who is a die hard fan of historical fiction and Peruvian culture
would enjoy this novel.

[✨anna jane✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.8

If I had to sum up how I feel about it would be I liked some elements - there were some redeeming elements that saved it from being a total disaster. It’s a good book, I found it a little weird, and boring.
1) it’s written by a non-Peruvian person, who has no ties to Peru except going there as a tourist. I get that she interviewed auctual modern day Peruvian shamans, but still. It made it harder for me to believe the elements, so at the end I felt like I didn’t learn a lot about the incans, because it was all so much harder to believe.

2) nothing happens until about 40% through the book. At least. I’ve read reviews where people quit this book because nothing happened, and honestly I was about to to.

3) her scar. Yeah, I get that it’s ugly, but literally nobody besides 3 or 4 stupid boys Teases her. She blocks out her family, even though they love her so much. And nobody else is making fun of her. I find it a little ridiculous. Then she suddenly starts getting teached by the paqo in the village, and OH MY GOSH ALMOST ALL HER SELF ESTEEM PROBLEMS ARE GONE!!! 🙄🙄🙄

But there were some elements that saved it. Obviously I can’t say them here bc that would be spoiling, but anyways they were pretty fine. Spoilers: 1. Chasca gets to be a sun maiden, which is pretty cool. 2. She gets chosen to be the marked one, and gets to see a bunch of futures and the behind at the very end. I’m kind of disappointed to say that there’s only two./

[mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book is made and targeted for kids, the story is good enough to keep you invested in it not being a kid. The first chapters could definitely be better, it is probably the way of writing or the repetitiveness in them but those really give a very different emotion and sense of what the whole book was; it is very easy to stop reading in those. Despite this, I found this book amazing. It is easy to read and the way everything comes to place is simply fascinating. I wasn’t expecting anything when I started reading it but it definitely surprised me and overpassed my expectations.

[Stephanie Gillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Very quick read and a nice change of pace from the usual settings many young adult books take place in. Not necessarily the most factual as it is a fictional story, something I think other reviewers forget, but it’s clear that research was done and in the effort to create the story’s atmosphere, changed for the journey. I thought micay’s journey was a good lesson for young readers and would recommend this for a classroom read.

[Cheryl]

Not anywhere near OwnVoices, and besides which I'm not interested in the themes, so I'm going to skip. I'd rather read authentic historical fiction, or the other two that I have that don't pretend to be all specially enlightening, the Peruvian entries in the Addison Cooke and the Thea Stilton series'.

Considered for theme of Peru in Children's Books group, Oct. 2023.

[Rebecca van den Ham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed a look at a historic setting not often tackled. The story was well told, and the main character's motives are relatable and believable.
Since this is meant for middle-graders, the human sacrifice aspect of Inca worship had to be kept very PG. So it is mentioned, but the MC is very far removed from it's actuality. At least for the duration of the story!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle grades historical fiction set in the Inca Empire. Our narrator is a 12 year old girl who yearns for spiritual connection and perhaps a bit of self worth. 3 stars because I feel like very few kids would actually enjoy this book. You can tell it was written by a teacher for educational purposes.

[Brige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was young, and it impacted me greatly to the point I remember it. Something about it had infringed it to my memory, hence a 5 star. Maybe I’ll read it again one day to re-rate it. But for now, with no concrete memory of the plot and book, I’ll rate it 5 stars.

[Kristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

1. Pretty disappointing. Everything feels off with this one. Plus, the plot moves much slower than it needs to. Maybe the author should have made this a mythical place rather than a shallow representation of Incan past.

[Shanae Teuscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud with my 12 year old. This is a story about an Incaan girl finding strength, confidence, and gifts in herself - despite insecurities. I've added this to a list of books for my youngest to read when she is 11+ years old.

[Prema · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story, something like a Disney story but with a sad though uplifting end.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by M.F. : "I love how you find out how important she is. Great book!"

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great. Really interesting.

[Elise White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved everything about the book except the ending. I was confused about the ending, I couldn’t tell if the ending was trying to tell me she died or not.
Other than that, the book was great.

[Hannah Loertscher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jane Penderwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I wish that the author had included more description and info about Incan's everyday life. It just didn't seem quite historical enough.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book, takes place in South America. Rich with cultural information, but with out gory details for young readers.