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True Beauty
"The world is a beautiful place. It is the people living in it that are ugly."For centuries it has been tradition for the child of a noble to receive a Noye, a slave, as their coming of age present for their 21st birthday. Although it is only Hana Acacia's 18th birthday, her father has deemed it appropriate to grant her with the one thing she dreads the most, a Noye. Hana has lived her life categorizing everything she has ever encountered into either being beautiful or hideous - but with an exceptional twist; she doesn't judge on appearance, but instead by what each individual holds within. That is why, despite his rough hair, harsh eyes, and faded scars, Sean Ambrosia is the most beautiful thing Hana has ever laid her eyes on.
188 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2014
16 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Priscilla Wu
2 books5 followersPriscilla has been writing short stories and novels ever since she was seven years old. She began writing True Beauty when she was 16, and finished it a year later at age 17. Her interests are comprised of binge eating, night blogging, and watching back to back episodes of Criminal Minds. She currently resides in California with a family of seven: her parents, her older sister Cecelia, her younger brother Nathan, and the two loves of her life, her dogs Ru and Skye.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 1, 2014
I'm so proud to have read the fan fiction version of this and then witness its transition into a novel. Priscilla's done such a fabulous job in editing & changing it up for its debut as a novel and the AFF community are all so proud of her! \( ^ u ^)/
This imaginative dystopian world is so well thought out; I really loved the concepts she has explored and the strong & independent female protagonist. Just couldn't get enough :")
This imaginative dystopian world is so well thought out; I really loved the concepts she has explored and the strong & independent female protagonist. Just couldn't get enough :")
June 13, 2020
If you were a KPOP fan during 2014, you may be familiar with True Beauty. At the time, it was the biggest EXO fanfics out there and one of the first to be published from the website, asianfanfics. As a young teenager, I loved this story. It was unique and nothing from the previous fanfics I've read before. When it was first published, it was only available for purchase in America so when I saw that it was going to be picked up by ABS-CBN books, I jumped at the opportunity and grabbed my copy to reread the story that made my heart break all those years ago.
I would like to preface this review by first saying that this story is not perfect and that it has a lot of room for growth and improvement; however, with that said, the author was 16 years old when she wrote this. For someone to write something like this that young is amazing, which is why many of the mistakes the author made will be forgiven.
The biggest problem I had with this book was how flat the characters had become. From someone who read the original fanfic, I was very disappointed to see so many chapters removed from the published version. Those chapters would have fleshed out the cast and helped the readers understand their motives and perspectives better. Because from the beginning of the story up until the end I could not see much character growth and development. And that's a huge problem for a story so character-driven as this one.
Today was Hana's 18th birthday; and as a reward for being the "absolute perfect daughter," Hana's father decided that she was old enough to follow the customs of the upper class.
She was finally mature enough to receive a Noye-a slave.
I would like to preface this review by first saying that this story is not perfect and that it has a lot of room for growth and improvement; however, with that said, the author was 16 years old when she wrote this. For someone to write something like this that young is amazing, which is why many of the mistakes the author made will be forgiven.
The biggest problem I had with this book was how flat the characters had become. From someone who read the original fanfic, I was very disappointed to see so many chapters removed from the published version. Those chapters would have fleshed out the cast and helped the readers understand their motives and perspectives better. Because from the beginning of the story up until the end I could not see much character growth and development. And that's a huge problem for a story so character-driven as this one.
January 16, 2019
An amazing fan-fiction-turned-novel by a 17 year old author who addresses several topics in her book that are still relevant to some parts of today's society. Priscilla Wu weaves in a perfect combination of romance, comedy and character development with issues of slavery and social hierarchy in her book- "True Beauty".
I, personally, fell in love with the characters portrayed in her book; it's definitely interesting to visualize these singers (who inspired the characters in the book) as slaves who have gone through mental and physical trauma. Another intriguing point about Wu's book, is how it is a girl-saves-the-boy sort of story rather than the typical damsel in distress plot line.
I definitely recommend this book! You will surely get butterflies from the puppy love between the protagonists :)
I, personally, fell in love with the characters portrayed in her book; it's definitely interesting to visualize these singers (who inspired the characters in the book) as slaves who have gone through mental and physical trauma. Another intriguing point about Wu's book, is how it is a girl-saves-the-boy sort of story rather than the typical damsel in distress plot line.
I definitely recommend this book! You will surely get butterflies from the puppy love between the protagonists :)
January 3, 2026
In this romance set in a world where nobles receive a Noye (a slave) as a coming-of-age gift, Hana Acacia lives believing the world is beautiful but the people in it are “ugly” until what they hold inside reveals true beauty. On her 18th birthday, her father gives her a Noye — Aden, a scarred, rough-looking man whose inner beauty surprises her and changes her perceptions forever. Their journey challenges societal expectations of beauty, privilege, and human worth.
This is a quiet, gentle, but also very sad book. At first, I thought it would be a romance, but it turned out to be more about slavery, friendship, and what beauty really means. The story shows how beauty is not about the face or status, but about kindness, courage, and what a person carries inside their heart.
What really stayed with me was how cruel the world in the story can be. Slavery is treated as something normal, and many characters just accept that people are unequal because of their status. That part was painful to read, because it reflects how power and wealth often decide how people are treated. Still, despite all the cruelty, there are characters who choose to be kind and humane, and those moments felt like small lights in a very dark place.
I also liked how the book focused on friendship more than romance. The connections between characters felt sincere, even if the story itself was short. Because of its length, some parts felt a bit rushed, and I wished certain scenes were explored more deeply. The ending is open-ended, which may frustrate some readers, but it also allows you to imagine what happens next on your own.
This is a quiet, gentle, but also very sad book. At first, I thought it would be a romance, but it turned out to be more about slavery, friendship, and what beauty really means. The story shows how beauty is not about the face or status, but about kindness, courage, and what a person carries inside their heart.
What really stayed with me was how cruel the world in the story can be. Slavery is treated as something normal, and many characters just accept that people are unequal because of their status. That part was painful to read, because it reflects how power and wealth often decide how people are treated. Still, despite all the cruelty, there are characters who choose to be kind and humane, and those moments felt like small lights in a very dark place.
I also liked how the book focused on friendship more than romance. The connections between characters felt sincere, even if the story itself was short. Because of its length, some parts felt a bit rushed, and I wished certain scenes were explored more deeply. The ending is open-ended, which may frustrate some readers, but it also allows you to imagine what happens next on your own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 19, 2020It's so beautiful
May 27, 2022
dude i remember reading this as a fanfic!!! the only fanfic that stuck w me tbh because the FMC actually had a backbone and intelligence.
February 29, 2024
I love the story, the world and the characters and I remember loving the fanfic too I just wish there was more to it I don’t like how it just ends
April 2, 2024
the way this was written reminds me of a child trying to tell a story but they keep repeating themselves
November 2, 2014
It's an amazing story! I read this initially as a fanfic and now as its current novel.
The story is unique and I love that I gained a new perspective on life through the novel.
It's great take on the idea of good and evil without throwing in the supernatural is amazing. The
simplicity of using humans and the main character's extreme moral compass, keeps you entranced and immersed into the world Priscilla has created.
The only reason that I even dare give a 4 star rating is due to some grammatical errors.
I am not the best at being grammatically correct either but I know it'd be unfair to leave it out of my review.
The story is unique and I love that I gained a new perspective on life through the novel.
It's great take on the idea of good and evil without throwing in the supernatural is amazing. The
simplicity of using humans and the main character's extreme moral compass, keeps you entranced and immersed into the world Priscilla has created.
The only reason that I even dare give a 4 star rating is due to some grammatical errors.
I am not the best at being grammatically correct either but I know it'd be unfair to leave it out of my review.
November 21, 2015
When I found out this was once written on a fanfiction site, I was intrigued. I was hesitant at first to read it because some fanfiction writers are over the top and just not good writers. However,Ms.Wu is amazing and I found myself loving this book. The word choice and the plot go hand in hand and I totally recommend this to any age.
December 24, 2014
I absolutely loved this fanfiction, become a book. It's really motivating for the authors who have yet to publish. It's a beautiful story and I'm more than glad to have witnessed its growth and development.
January 31, 2015
Amazing book, really... . I've read it more than 5 times probably and i can't get tired of it. As a part of the AFF community I'd say that we are so proud of you, Priscilla! Thank you for giving us this amazing novel!
April 26, 2017
I hated this book from beginning to end. So many good reviews for a bland story with so much lack of structure. It's a waste of money.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews