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A Face for Picasso: Coming of Age with Crouzon Syndrome
I am ugly. There's a mathematical equation to prove it.
At only eight months old, identical twin sisters Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome -- a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. They were the first twins known to survive the disease.
Growing up, Ariel and her sister endured numerous appearance-altering procedures. Surgeons would break the bones in their heads and faces to make room for their growing organs. While the physical aspect of their condition was painful, it was nothing compared to the emotional toll of navigating life with a facial disfigurement.
Ariel explores beauty and identity in her young-adult memoir about resilience, sisterhood, and the strength it takes to put your life, and yourself, back together time and time again.
At only eight months old, identical twin sisters Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon syndrome -- a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. They were the first twins known to survive the disease.
Growing up, Ariel and her sister endured numerous appearance-altering procedures. Surgeons would break the bones in their heads and faces to make room for their growing organs. While the physical aspect of their condition was painful, it was nothing compared to the emotional toll of navigating life with a facial disfigurement.
Ariel explores beauty and identity in her young-adult memoir about resilience, sisterhood, and the strength it takes to put your life, and yourself, back together time and time again.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published November 2, 2021
91 people are currently reading
4954 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
December 29, 2022
Review This is an amazing book, one of the few auto/biographies I have given 10 stars to. It is about identical twins with a facial deformity navigate the world amidst its often despicable and bullying reactions to them. It calls to mind the soliloquy in Hamlet,
The pain, the pain, the pain of the sniggering, the staring, the bullying, the physical pain of the operations - such protracted soreness and the agony of healing and scarring. Scarring of their minds as well as their little, children's bodies all because they had different faces. They were judged as mentally challenged because of their not-such-good academics given they were away from school so long recovering from the latest operation. Teachers made them fools in front of the class and other teachers. The sniggering behind their backs and the constant stares and being pointed at must have been the worst or so it seemed to me.
The writing is so good that it really makes you understand the pain of not being allowed to define themselves but always having,like all minorities, to accept the definition of others. That is the real heart of white privilege. That White Christians get to define everyone else and self-definition falls by the wayside for all those 'othered'. And these girls were othered as ugly, mentally-defective girls that for some of the less-strong minded kids at school, to be friends with might mean losing other friends.
In the end, they don't look alike anymore, neither in face nor body, and choose to go to different universities. The author wins 13 scholarships and changes from an education major to seeing that writing is her future. How she tied Picasso's art and life to the faces of the women whose beauty he ripped apart, as he did their lives, and how his Cubist ideas related to her looks, is quite clever, and the overarching theme.
I really hope that she can write more than about her own experiences, because I look forward to reading another book by her. Ariel Henley, you are a star.
__________
Reading notes I am interested in how children with a facial disfigurement, ugliness some might see, are treated by other children. I grew up feeling I was ugly because my mother didn't love me and was never happy with my appearance. When I got to 14 and was allowed to go the local club with a live band (bus there, picked up by parents) and the girls who had previously excluded me all wanted to go with me, I put it down to them liking me, that I was now popular! They even linked arms with me at lunchtime.
It was many, many years later when the same thing happened again, I was separated and had lost 75lb. But I realised it was because of my looks that men liked, not me at all. But that second time I knew it. I didn't delude myself.
Looks are nothing. I only see them usually morning and evening. Brushing my teeth, putting on makeup, taking it off again. I'm me behind the face, as we all are, and it is so weird that we all want to be loved for ourselves but judge others on how they look.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to sufferThey took up arms, all the endless operations, described not so much in detail but in the pain and suffering afterwards and especially when the results of the facial surgery were not as desired. Their parents had them participating in everything, trying out for Cheerleader squad, dancing, whatever they wanted to do, and they were mostly rejected. But not always. They did have friends, they had a very supportive family, there were teachers who supported them. Small green islands in a sullen sea of rejection.
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them
The pain, the pain, the pain of the sniggering, the staring, the bullying, the physical pain of the operations - such protracted soreness and the agony of healing and scarring. Scarring of their minds as well as their little, children's bodies all because they had different faces. They were judged as mentally challenged because of their not-such-good academics given they were away from school so long recovering from the latest operation. Teachers made them fools in front of the class and other teachers. The sniggering behind their backs and the constant stares and being pointed at must have been the worst or so it seemed to me.
The writing is so good that it really makes you understand the pain of not being allowed to define themselves but always having,like all minorities, to accept the definition of others. That is the real heart of white privilege. That White Christians get to define everyone else and self-definition falls by the wayside for all those 'othered'. And these girls were othered as ugly, mentally-defective girls that for some of the less-strong minded kids at school, to be friends with might mean losing other friends.
In the end, they don't look alike anymore, neither in face nor body, and choose to go to different universities. The author wins 13 scholarships and changes from an education major to seeing that writing is her future. How she tied Picasso's art and life to the faces of the women whose beauty he ripped apart, as he did their lives, and how his Cubist ideas related to her looks, is quite clever, and the overarching theme.
I really hope that she can write more than about her own experiences, because I look forward to reading another book by her. Ariel Henley, you are a star.
__________
Reading notes I am interested in how children with a facial disfigurement, ugliness some might see, are treated by other children. I grew up feeling I was ugly because my mother didn't love me and was never happy with my appearance. When I got to 14 and was allowed to go the local club with a live band (bus there, picked up by parents) and the girls who had previously excluded me all wanted to go with me, I put it down to them liking me, that I was now popular! They even linked arms with me at lunchtime.
It was many, many years later when the same thing happened again, I was separated and had lost 75lb. But I realised it was because of my looks that men liked, not me at all. But that second time I knew it. I didn't delude myself.
Looks are nothing. I only see them usually morning and evening. Brushing my teeth, putting on makeup, taking it off again. I'm me behind the face, as we all are, and it is so weird that we all want to be loved for ourselves but judge others on how they look.
Read
December 25, 2024picked this up because i enjoyed the author's essay in "disability visibility". this memoir not only introduced me to crouzon syndrome, but it also made me think deeply about how PTSD becomes a part of a disabled person’s experience and the pain and trauma that comes with having so many surgeries so young. i also really liked how the author interweaves picasso’s misogyny against women with her own experience claiming her beauty - it was a great way of adding a metaphorical framework and conclusion to the book.
March 18, 2023
Henley has written a raw and beautiful memoir that made me forget the world around me. Henley knows how to write and she choose memories from her childhood that made you feel it was a continuous recollection without holes in it. It was hard to read about her and her twins operations, and the issues she had to work through. But I learnt a lot from her journey, and won’t forget this memoir easily.
May 23, 2021
I've long admired Ariel's writing. She strikes the perfect balance between pushing you to reconsider your views while making it feel as though you're reading a letter from a friend. Her book is a masterclass in this style.
There was so much nuance and depth in how Ariel conveyed her past that it unearthed some of my own deep-seated memories as a physically disabled woman. I found myself aching right alongside Ariel as she reflected on her past, remembering my own similar experiences with physical and emotional pain. And when she reflected on hard-won moments of joy, I actually cheered out loud.
Our world is so fixated on narratives of overcoming that are tied up neatly with a bow--the kind you see as inspirational stories on the evening news--but Ariel doesn't play that game. She is raw and real, and gives readers the kind of honest look at physical differences that I wish more people would take the time to read and understand.
I specifically appreciated how Ariel framed her story through the lens of Picasso's art and the women he created so cruelly. The way she interweaves her learning about his story with her own really sets this book apart from other disability/difference-related memoirs I've read, because it adds a layer of cultural context, highlighting that society's perceptions of what's "beautiful" have complicated historical roots.
People made such a fuss about "Wonder," both the film and the movie, as being a good teaching tool, but honestly, I'd like to see every copy of "Wonder" replaced with "A Face for Picasso" instead. Ariel's words have the power to make truly meaningful change.
There was so much nuance and depth in how Ariel conveyed her past that it unearthed some of my own deep-seated memories as a physically disabled woman. I found myself aching right alongside Ariel as she reflected on her past, remembering my own similar experiences with physical and emotional pain. And when she reflected on hard-won moments of joy, I actually cheered out loud.
Our world is so fixated on narratives of overcoming that are tied up neatly with a bow--the kind you see as inspirational stories on the evening news--but Ariel doesn't play that game. She is raw and real, and gives readers the kind of honest look at physical differences that I wish more people would take the time to read and understand.
I specifically appreciated how Ariel framed her story through the lens of Picasso's art and the women he created so cruelly. The way she interweaves her learning about his story with her own really sets this book apart from other disability/difference-related memoirs I've read, because it adds a layer of cultural context, highlighting that society's perceptions of what's "beautiful" have complicated historical roots.
People made such a fuss about "Wonder," both the film and the movie, as being a good teaching tool, but honestly, I'd like to see every copy of "Wonder" replaced with "A Face for Picasso" instead. Ariel's words have the power to make truly meaningful change.
Read
November 24, 2021Henley approaches her story with such raw honesty, re-examining and reflecting on beauty through the problematic life of Picasso, gruesome surgical procedures that shadowed parts of her childhood, mental strain at the ever-shifting self-image that takes a toll on her family and worldview.
Infused with such empathy, this journey of self-acceptance was a wonder to experience.
Infused with such empathy, this journey of self-acceptance was a wonder to experience.
April 17, 2022
Format: audiobook
Author: Ariel Henley ~ Title: A Face for Picasso ~ Narrator: Ariel Henley
Content: 5 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
I don’t read a lot of memoirs. But when I saw this, I knew I had to read it. I listened to the audiobook version. Here the author, Ariel Henley, is also the narrator.
A Face for Picasso is a coming-of-age story of twins: Ariel and Zan, two girls born with Crouzon syndrome. This is a rare condition where a person needs multiple face surgeries at different stages of childhood. Most of us can’t imagine what they went through. Especially in today’s world, so obsessed with beauty. And what is today’s perception of beauty? Who is beautiful? For most, this is a person with a symmetrical face and some standard body features.
Throughout this memoir, we read about their life, operations, and school years. In addition, we learn about the psychological burden of being different, especially in their teen years. Ariel is very open about her childhood memories. She speaks honestly about the negative side, too. The author also explores beauty standards. Her reflections on art and Picasso contribute a lot to the story.
The narration speed was faster than usual, but for me, it was perfect. I also like the fact that Ariel narrates her own memoir.
Thanks to Recorded Books for the ARC and the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.
Author: Ariel Henley ~ Title: A Face for Picasso ~ Narrator: Ariel Henley
Content: 5 stars ~ Narration: 5 stars
Complete audiobook review
I don’t read a lot of memoirs. But when I saw this, I knew I had to read it. I listened to the audiobook version. Here the author, Ariel Henley, is also the narrator.
A Face for Picasso is a coming-of-age story of twins: Ariel and Zan, two girls born with Crouzon syndrome. This is a rare condition where a person needs multiple face surgeries at different stages of childhood. Most of us can’t imagine what they went through. Especially in today’s world, so obsessed with beauty. And what is today’s perception of beauty? Who is beautiful? For most, this is a person with a symmetrical face and some standard body features.
Throughout this memoir, we read about their life, operations, and school years. In addition, we learn about the psychological burden of being different, especially in their teen years. Ariel is very open about her childhood memories. She speaks honestly about the negative side, too. The author also explores beauty standards. Her reflections on art and Picasso contribute a lot to the story.
The narration speed was faster than usual, but for me, it was perfect. I also like the fact that Ariel narrates her own memoir.
Thanks to Recorded Books for the ARC and the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.
December 26, 2021
I've never known about Crouzon Syndrome before listening to this memoir and I'm glad I learned about it in this format. Very emotional, educational and fascinating memoir that was heard to stop listening to. I loved the way she told her story That made it feel like the most honest and unique memoir I've ever read. From explaining the way looking different has shaped her life, to operations and to using Picasso's paintings to tell her story it's not something I'll soon forget
February 11, 2022
While many books have made me emotional, very few have hit me as deeply as a Face for Picasso did.
Ariel writes her story with breathtaking honesty, raw emotion, and immense empathy. She writes responsibly, intelligently, and educates you while making you question both your own, and society’s, “norms”.
I highly, highly suggest that whether you read memoirs or not you add this to your list this year. I will recommend this to anyone and everyone!!!
Ariel writes her story with breathtaking honesty, raw emotion, and immense empathy. She writes responsibly, intelligently, and educates you while making you question both your own, and society’s, “norms”.
I highly, highly suggest that whether you read memoirs or not you add this to your list this year. I will recommend this to anyone and everyone!!!
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October 14, 2022A compelling memoir about finding identity while growing up with a rare condition, constant operations, physical pain, a twin sister, and more.
November 8, 2021
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
When I started A Face For Picasso, I wondered "how exactly can I review someone's life?". Which, valid, right? But it turns out that it isn't so hard when what you plan to say about the book can be summarized as "I recommend this to all people everywhere". More than recommend, I wish I could require this book for all people everywhere. It's beautifully written, and the story itself is absolutely heartfelt. You can tell that the author poured her soul into telling the world her story, and I wish I could properly express how much it moved me.
The author does a tremendous job of writing her story in a way that is beyond engaging. Add to it, she is such a fantastic storyteller that I felt immersed in each moment she tells us about, each feeling she's experiencing. I bought this book as soon as it was released, to share with my whole family. For my son with a craniofacial syndrome of his own, and for my daughter who is often unsympathetic to his struggles. The book also made me realize how imperative it is that I am my son's advocate. That I follow his lead when it comes to surgical procedures, that I always, always keep lines of communication open.
As you read Ariel's story, you'll be enraged at how she and her sister were treated, far too often. People can be cruel- not just kids, people, because make no mistake, there are many adults who let these women down along the way. I also loved how insightful the author was- not just about the world around her, but her own traits that she needed to work on. Truly, this story blew me away, and I am so, so thankful to have read it- and to be able to share it with my kids.
Bottom Line: Every single human should read this book, full stop. Truly the best memoir I have ever read, by a large margin.
P.S.: Did you know that Picasso was the worst? Cause wow, that guy was the worst. Thanks to the author for all of the info so I can properly hate that dude.
When I started A Face For Picasso, I wondered "how exactly can I review someone's life?". Which, valid, right? But it turns out that it isn't so hard when what you plan to say about the book can be summarized as "I recommend this to all people everywhere". More than recommend, I wish I could require this book for all people everywhere. It's beautifully written, and the story itself is absolutely heartfelt. You can tell that the author poured her soul into telling the world her story, and I wish I could properly express how much it moved me.
The author does a tremendous job of writing her story in a way that is beyond engaging. Add to it, she is such a fantastic storyteller that I felt immersed in each moment she tells us about, each feeling she's experiencing. I bought this book as soon as it was released, to share with my whole family. For my son with a craniofacial syndrome of his own, and for my daughter who is often unsympathetic to his struggles. The book also made me realize how imperative it is that I am my son's advocate. That I follow his lead when it comes to surgical procedures, that I always, always keep lines of communication open.
As you read Ariel's story, you'll be enraged at how she and her sister were treated, far too often. People can be cruel- not just kids, people, because make no mistake, there are many adults who let these women down along the way. I also loved how insightful the author was- not just about the world around her, but her own traits that she needed to work on. Truly, this story blew me away, and I am so, so thankful to have read it- and to be able to share it with my kids.
Bottom Line: Every single human should read this book, full stop. Truly the best memoir I have ever read, by a large margin.
P.S.: Did you know that Picasso was the worst? Cause wow, that guy was the worst. Thanks to the author for all of the info so I can properly hate that dude.
Read
September 5, 2021I was not expecting this to be as riveting as it was, but I read the entire thing in a single day. Even as someone whose main reading diet consists of YA, memoir is not an area I'm ever particularly excited about in that vertical, as I think a lot of authors have trouble figuring out what voice, approach, and focus is appropriate for the genre and they either come off as obnoxiously all-knowing or very remedial and patronizing. Henley is a fantastic writer, and I think she successfully focused the narrative through her teen mind while still being the sort of older sister adult guiding the reader through, and I really appreciated how she managed things she didn't understand at the time but does now--things that gen Z does already understand, because they are just more comfortable with calling out racism, sexism, prejudice, internalized stereotypes, and more, while Henley, though a few years younger than I am, is a millennial, and we were not given that freedom. That perspective, I think, is one of the reasons I felt so engaged--reassessing your memories with a new understanding but not punishing, hating, or holding your past self to a standard she couldn't possibly have reached is hard!
I think the Picasso thread is also amazingly well rendered. I think readers will (and she sets her readers up to) expect the reference to end after
I think the Picasso thread is also amazingly well rendered. I think readers will (and she sets her readers up to) expect the reference to end after
May 21, 2021
As a person with a visible physical disability, so much of Henley's book hit home. Her post-op descriptions especially brought to mind some of my own experiences such as my eyes being swollen shut from a surgical procedure. On each page, in this beautifully written memoir, you feel her pain (and that of her twin sister) whether they are in physical pain from their extensive surgeries to make their faces more "normal" or when they are being bullied at school. The relationship she had to the art and meaning of Picasso's catalog of work and his abysmal behavior toward women complimented her writing so well and added depth to her story.
Highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with body image and/or to anyone who needs to be reminded that there is no normal when it comes to appearance or functional abilities
July 16, 2021
4.5 stars. This book was absolutely beautiful. Really really stunning. Incredible writing, and I love how she weaved art history and Picasso (I knew nothing about him but he sounds like an absolute TRASH CAN human) alongside her surgery journey and struggle to fit in and be “normal” in a world that is so cruel to any deviation. Kids are so mean sometimes, my god. It’s not the same, but both my siblings have medical challenges as well (one more severe) and the blatant stares we’d get as children (and even now) are just so obnoxious and make me want to fight people. I think it’s how I developed my best stink eye lol like LEAVE MY SIBLINGS ALONE, PEOPLE, and don’t be dicks.
The way she writes about her physical and emotional trauma, and that of her twin sister, Zan, was just heartbreaking. I wouldn’t wish for anyone to go through what they have gone through, but I am glad that they had each other to really go through this with, as well as the support of their close-knit family. I really did appreciate the art history bits, as I felt they gave more of a cultural context on what society has typically seen as “beautiful” through the ages, and all of the baggage and complicated historical roots that come with that.
This memoir is a deep reflection on what it means to be “normal/typically beautiful,” societal expectations, and one woman’s journey toward self-love and acceptance and making a life for herself.
The way she writes about her physical and emotional trauma, and that of her twin sister, Zan, was just heartbreaking. I wouldn’t wish for anyone to go through what they have gone through, but I am glad that they had each other to really go through this with, as well as the support of their close-knit family. I really did appreciate the art history bits, as I felt they gave more of a cultural context on what society has typically seen as “beautiful” through the ages, and all of the baggage and complicated historical roots that come with that.
This memoir is a deep reflection on what it means to be “normal/typically beautiful,” societal expectations, and one woman’s journey toward self-love and acceptance and making a life for herself.
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January 5, 20232023 reads: 5/350
content warnings: graphic medical procedures, bullying, ableism, eating disorder
in this memoir, the author recounts her and her sister’s experiences as girls with crouzon syndrome. while the physical aspect of this condition was painful, the psychological aspect of living with a facial disfigurement was a lot worse. this book also mentioned picasso quite a bit, as one time the twins were referred to in a french article as having faces that “resemble the work of picasso.” henley calls out picasso and other classic artists many times throughout the novel, as they’re definitely not the best judges of beauty. this was a very well-written, tearjerking memoir that i think everyone should read.
content warnings: graphic medical procedures, bullying, ableism, eating disorder
in this memoir, the author recounts her and her sister’s experiences as girls with crouzon syndrome. while the physical aspect of this condition was painful, the psychological aspect of living with a facial disfigurement was a lot worse. this book also mentioned picasso quite a bit, as one time the twins were referred to in a french article as having faces that “resemble the work of picasso.” henley calls out picasso and other classic artists many times throughout the novel, as they’re definitely not the best judges of beauty. this was a very well-written, tearjerking memoir that i think everyone should read.
April 19, 2022
Powerful and full of deep honesty. Everyone should read this book.
January 26, 2022
An important memoir that delves into facial differences and toxic standards of beauty.
May 22, 2021
**I received an Advance copy of this from the publisher, because I am a librarian and librarians are awesome**
In my town, 8th graders have an assignment to read a memoir, so I'm always on the lookout for titles that may be suitable for that.
Good news: this is a very suitable title. Easy to read, with a strong focus on the author's middle school experience, without any of the simpering "people with disabilities are so inspirational" context. Even better, she talks about the challenges in crafting a memoir when memories and available documentation don't always match. Her depiction of her experiences with her cheerleading team were vividly written, and her experiences with incompetent/biased teachers will be especially poignant for middle schoolers. She also spared no punches when it came to the PTSD and anger she suffered from as a result of her surgeries and the way she was treated day-to-day by adults and her peers.
Bad news: the author's attempts to integrate Picasso in the memoir read like a stilted undergrad paper. And while body image struggles and disordered eating was discussed through the narrative, the label "bulimia" was only abruptly mentioned 95% through the narrative, when she was in college.
I read it in an afternoon, and I'd definitely buy it for my library and give it to a kid working on the memoir project. But in the end, I wish the writing were a little more polished.
In my town, 8th graders have an assignment to read a memoir, so I'm always on the lookout for titles that may be suitable for that.
Good news: this is a very suitable title. Easy to read, with a strong focus on the author's middle school experience, without any of the simpering "people with disabilities are so inspirational" context. Even better, she talks about the challenges in crafting a memoir when memories and available documentation don't always match. Her depiction of her experiences with her cheerleading team were vividly written, and her experiences with incompetent/biased teachers will be especially poignant for middle schoolers. She also spared no punches when it came to the PTSD and anger she suffered from as a result of her surgeries and the way she was treated day-to-day by adults and her peers.
Bad news: the author's attempts to integrate Picasso in the memoir read like a stilted undergrad paper. And while body image struggles and disordered eating was discussed through the narrative, the label "bulimia" was only abruptly mentioned 95% through the narrative, when she was in college.
I read it in an afternoon, and I'd definitely buy it for my library and give it to a kid working on the memoir project. But in the end, I wish the writing were a little more polished.
May 3, 2021
I LOVE this book. Ariel Henley is an incredibly talented writer, and the beauty of her writing shines in A Face for Picasso. She takes a very honest, straightforward approach to her facial difference and her emotional and medical experiences. Yet, the book is full of feeling. I found myself crying throughout the book but also not wanting to put it down.
Her writing exudes a maturity about her trauma. She calls it what it is. She is not saying that she is "over it," but she conveys a confidence that lets the reader know where she is in her journey as a woman with a facial difference who has experienced an inordinate amount of trauma.
Finally, in writing about her and her sister, she expertly balances sharing her own feelings and experiences as separate from those of her sister's. The reader is able to see them as individuals but also as twins (and what is shared between twins).
In reading A Face for Picasso I learned so much - and I felt so much. I highly recommend this book for those interested in gaining a unique perspective on the human condition and issues of equity. Thank you, Ariel Henley, for sharing your story.
Her writing exudes a maturity about her trauma. She calls it what it is. She is not saying that she is "over it," but she conveys a confidence that lets the reader know where she is in her journey as a woman with a facial difference who has experienced an inordinate amount of trauma.
Finally, in writing about her and her sister, she expertly balances sharing her own feelings and experiences as separate from those of her sister's. The reader is able to see them as individuals but also as twins (and what is shared between twins).
In reading A Face for Picasso I learned so much - and I felt so much. I highly recommend this book for those interested in gaining a unique perspective on the human condition and issues of equity. Thank you, Ariel Henley, for sharing your story.
October 23, 2021
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing for a free review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
A Face For Picasso is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Throughout the book we travel through Ariel's journey with her sister Zan who also has Crouzon Syndrome through Ariel's perspective. We learn of what she hoped for, what she was afraid of and the struggles that made her who she is today.
I was drawn into this book with its captivating writing and heart warming story. I found it read like fiction in the best way. I was completely captivated by this story of two loving sisters dealing with this horrible condition and they had no one to understand what they were dealing with but each other. I can honestly say I have never loved a memoir the way I love this one. There are so many reasons to read this book. There is so much hope and strength held within its pages despite all the pain and suffering Ariel and Zan suffered through.
If you only read one nonfiction book this year, I recommend it be this one.
A Face For Picasso is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Throughout the book we travel through Ariel's journey with her sister Zan who also has Crouzon Syndrome through Ariel's perspective. We learn of what she hoped for, what she was afraid of and the struggles that made her who she is today.
I was drawn into this book with its captivating writing and heart warming story. I found it read like fiction in the best way. I was completely captivated by this story of two loving sisters dealing with this horrible condition and they had no one to understand what they were dealing with but each other. I can honestly say I have never loved a memoir the way I love this one. There are so many reasons to read this book. There is so much hope and strength held within its pages despite all the pain and suffering Ariel and Zan suffered through.
If you only read one nonfiction book this year, I recommend it be this one.
November 4, 2021
This book is just fantastic. Ariel Henley is a gifted writer, and A Face for Picasso exemplifies the elegance of her work. She discusses her facial difference, as well as her emotional and medical struggles, in a very open and honest manner. The book, on the other hand, is brimming with emotion. Throughout the novel, I found myself crying and unable to put the book down.
Her writing about her trauma emanates maturity. It’s what she calls it. She doesn’t declare she’s “over it,” but she does communicate a sense of assurance that the reader can understand where she is on her path as a woman with a facial difference who has been through a lot.
Finally, she expertly crafted a piece about herself and her sister. I loved this book and I’m just so happy I was able to experience it.
Her writing about her trauma emanates maturity. It’s what she calls it. She doesn’t declare she’s “over it,” but she does communicate a sense of assurance that the reader can understand where she is on her path as a woman with a facial difference who has been through a lot.
Finally, she expertly crafted a piece about herself and her sister. I loved this book and I’m just so happy I was able to experience it.
February 2, 2022
A unique book on a rare topic. I got the impression this book was more cathartic for the author than anything else. While informative (and sad) it teetered on redundant and tiresome. In no way is the authors story invalid or not worth learning but I felt it could have been told in half the length as the “before” and “after” sections were identical other than title.
December 7, 2021
If you have purchased a copy of Wonder, you are legally obligated to also purchase a copy of A Face for Picasso. I don't make the rules, sorry!
(Seriously though, buy this book.)
(Seriously though, buy this book.)
November 16, 2023
Author Ariel Henley and her twin Zan were born with Crouzon Syndrome, which is a rare condition that causes facial deformities. She shares in her memoir the discrimination she endured and details the many surgeries she and Zan had to go through during their childhood. At times the chapters are bleak, and the PTSD she developed because of the ongoing torment is evident, but it is also an enlightening look at what some people go through when they don't meet an ideal beauty standard. It's not an easy read- but isn't that the point, to push readers to try to understand what others are going through? (Actual review 3.5/5)
August 30, 2021
Thank you to Teen Ink and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unflinching and insightful, Ariel Henley’s A Face for Picasso weaves a memoir of beauty, identity, and pain unlike any I have read before. Born with Crouzon syndrome, a condition where the bones of the head fuse prematurely, Ariel and her twin sister grow up with a twofold burden: the ceaseless hostility of a society with strict and rigid beauty standards, and the never-ending stream of facial surgeries necessary just to keep them alive. Told in three segments, the memoir follows Ariel from her vague understanding of the impact of her condition in early childhood to a middle school experience marked by cruelty and trauma as well as resilience, and finally to later teenage years and college as she begins to take control of the influence it has over her life. With the theme of Picasso a unifying thread through it all, Henley explores the immense societal importance of striving toward unreachable female beauty standards and the very real consequences for those who fall so short as to be considered disfigured. The book also touches on eating disorders, PTSD, and anger issues.
Henley’s experiences are truly not ones that the majority of readers will understand before reading this book, and they are recalled with striking candor. The physical realities of the major surgeries Ariel and her sister had to undergo every few years – immense pain, long recoveries, reactions to medications – are laid bare in matter-of-fact detail, and she is equally open about the emotional pain and trauma this leads to over the years. Though the novel certainly deals with heavy themes, the reading experience is neither overdramatized nor depressing – though Ariel and her sister have to deal with hardships their peers simply never will, they still navigate the same triumphs and challenges of growing up.
Certainly, though, Henley’s is a life the genre of memoir is designed for. As she mentions in the introduction, there are very few – if any – stories about people with extreme facial differences by people with extreme facial differences, who have lived through and understand just how thoroughly it impacts one’s life. The pairing of Crouzon syndrome and western beauty standards for women ensures that there is no part of Ariel’s life unaffected by her appearance, and whether at school, in another country, or walking down the street, there is no reprieve from the difference in treatment.
A Face for Picasso also manages to adapt the messiness of life gracefully to the format of a novel. It can be difficult to make a memoir feel coherent and follow a satisfying pacing, but Ariel’s story is thoughtfully centered and organized by the recurring theme of Picasso, the ideas of beauty and ugliness in his works, and the way his life reflects social values around beauty and art. With this underlying thread, A Face for Picasso fits into a beginning, middle, and end without feeling forced.
Striking and honest, A Face for Picasso does what memoir is meant to do: provide a vivid glimpse into a life truly unlike the reader’s own and give voice to a narrative missing from the public eye. With astute analysis of the way beauty standards shape the most basic social values and a fascinating coming-of-age story, Ariel Henley’s memoir is not to be missed.
Unflinching and insightful, Ariel Henley’s A Face for Picasso weaves a memoir of beauty, identity, and pain unlike any I have read before. Born with Crouzon syndrome, a condition where the bones of the head fuse prematurely, Ariel and her twin sister grow up with a twofold burden: the ceaseless hostility of a society with strict and rigid beauty standards, and the never-ending stream of facial surgeries necessary just to keep them alive. Told in three segments, the memoir follows Ariel from her vague understanding of the impact of her condition in early childhood to a middle school experience marked by cruelty and trauma as well as resilience, and finally to later teenage years and college as she begins to take control of the influence it has over her life. With the theme of Picasso a unifying thread through it all, Henley explores the immense societal importance of striving toward unreachable female beauty standards and the very real consequences for those who fall so short as to be considered disfigured. The book also touches on eating disorders, PTSD, and anger issues.
Henley’s experiences are truly not ones that the majority of readers will understand before reading this book, and they are recalled with striking candor. The physical realities of the major surgeries Ariel and her sister had to undergo every few years – immense pain, long recoveries, reactions to medications – are laid bare in matter-of-fact detail, and she is equally open about the emotional pain and trauma this leads to over the years. Though the novel certainly deals with heavy themes, the reading experience is neither overdramatized nor depressing – though Ariel and her sister have to deal with hardships their peers simply never will, they still navigate the same triumphs and challenges of growing up.
Certainly, though, Henley’s is a life the genre of memoir is designed for. As she mentions in the introduction, there are very few – if any – stories about people with extreme facial differences by people with extreme facial differences, who have lived through and understand just how thoroughly it impacts one’s life. The pairing of Crouzon syndrome and western beauty standards for women ensures that there is no part of Ariel’s life unaffected by her appearance, and whether at school, in another country, or walking down the street, there is no reprieve from the difference in treatment.
A Face for Picasso also manages to adapt the messiness of life gracefully to the format of a novel. It can be difficult to make a memoir feel coherent and follow a satisfying pacing, but Ariel’s story is thoughtfully centered and organized by the recurring theme of Picasso, the ideas of beauty and ugliness in his works, and the way his life reflects social values around beauty and art. With this underlying thread, A Face for Picasso fits into a beginning, middle, and end without feeling forced.
Striking and honest, A Face for Picasso does what memoir is meant to do: provide a vivid glimpse into a life truly unlike the reader’s own and give voice to a narrative missing from the public eye. With astute analysis of the way beauty standards shape the most basic social values and a fascinating coming-of-age story, Ariel Henley’s memoir is not to be missed.
November 28, 2021
This is one of those books I'm so grateful it was written and I had the chance to read it. After only about 25 pgs in, I sent my mom a copy. She's an art teacher and I knew she'd enjoy sharing the journey of reading this intersection of growing up with a disability with an overlaying analysis of art (most focused on Picasso).
Henley's writing is magnificent. The feelings she evokes-even in a memoir-are deep and real. I felt her anger, frustration, and at times hopelessness with our cruel world. As I listened to her description of facing anesthesia as a child, I found my heart pounding and realized I was holding my breath-just as I did no matter how hard I tried not to as I also went under anesthesia multiple times as a child. I also resonated with her hard-to-explain descriptors of subtle but painful exclusion from certain aspects of growing up or peer acceptance. There's this experience-before you even have words for it-where people will discuss things, like marrying someday or having children someday, and they awkwardly pass over you in these discussions. Sometimes the intention is kindness. They don't know examples of disabled adults who embody these roles and often we, as the disabled kids, don't either. There aren't easy answers or solutions to many of the complex situations Henley faced. As she said, her parents did the best they could in making hard medical decisions for/with her. I hope Henley also deeply knows that she also did the best she could. Her vulnerability and courage to share her own darker moments are admirable. I sometimes wondered if she was a harsher critic of herself than others who had caused her such pain.
While I'm sure I related deeply to this book because of our shared coming of age as visibly disabled women, I wish everyone would read this book. I couldn't agree more with Emily Ladau's review that THIS is the book our world, our children need-more so than Wonder, which de-centers the disabled character and mostly exists to make nondisabled people feel good. I hope Henley follows with another memoir about her later adulthood. She's a powerful storyteller and I can't wait to see where she goes from here.
Henley's writing is magnificent. The feelings she evokes-even in a memoir-are deep and real. I felt her anger, frustration, and at times hopelessness with our cruel world. As I listened to her description of facing anesthesia as a child, I found my heart pounding and realized I was holding my breath-just as I did no matter how hard I tried not to as I also went under anesthesia multiple times as a child. I also resonated with her hard-to-explain descriptors of subtle but painful exclusion from certain aspects of growing up or peer acceptance. There's this experience-before you even have words for it-where people will discuss things, like marrying someday or having children someday, and they awkwardly pass over you in these discussions. Sometimes the intention is kindness. They don't know examples of disabled adults who embody these roles and often we, as the disabled kids, don't either. There aren't easy answers or solutions to many of the complex situations Henley faced. As she said, her parents did the best they could in making hard medical decisions for/with her. I hope Henley also deeply knows that she also did the best she could. Her vulnerability and courage to share her own darker moments are admirable. I sometimes wondered if she was a harsher critic of herself than others who had caused her such pain.
While I'm sure I related deeply to this book because of our shared coming of age as visibly disabled women, I wish everyone would read this book. I couldn't agree more with Emily Ladau's review that THIS is the book our world, our children need-more so than Wonder, which de-centers the disabled character and mostly exists to make nondisabled people feel good. I hope Henley follows with another memoir about her later adulthood. She's a powerful storyteller and I can't wait to see where she goes from here.
July 15, 2021
Wow this book was a lot to take in. Very well written.
This is about Ariel Henley who, along with her twin Zan, were born with Crouzon syndrome - a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. This book is in three parts. It first talks about when she was born, and her first early years when they had to undergo many surgeries to save their lives and their recovery. Second part is more focused on middle school to high school years and what they experienced going to school and how people treated them. Then the third part was life after high school.
This is a heart wrenching story. I did not know about this syndrome until I read this, and I feel a lot more educated about it. It not only talked about the syndrome the girls were born with, but it also talked a lot about people and their views, about body image, and what others think beauty and ugly is. It even talked a lot of about Picasso and the kind of person he really was and how distorted his view was of beauty and women.
Reading this took me back to my childhood and when I went to school. Kids are mean, and I had my fair share of bullying and how much everyone viewed beauty as the norm. It’s sad to read this and remember when I was kid how focused everyone is on body image and beauty. And if you’re ugly(to them) then you’re frowned upon. I could never imagine what these girls exactly went through or how they felt, but I do understand how someone may judge someone by their looks rather than the person they are. I don’t think I’ve ever truly recovered from school and how I thought I needed to look because others thought something or someone was ugly or beautiful. It’s sad that people do that. No one should judge a book by its cover. And I think Ariel’s story really emphasizes that and I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a free digital copy to read and review.
This is about Ariel Henley who, along with her twin Zan, were born with Crouzon syndrome - a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. This book is in three parts. It first talks about when she was born, and her first early years when they had to undergo many surgeries to save their lives and their recovery. Second part is more focused on middle school to high school years and what they experienced going to school and how people treated them. Then the third part was life after high school.
This is a heart wrenching story. I did not know about this syndrome until I read this, and I feel a lot more educated about it. It not only talked about the syndrome the girls were born with, but it also talked a lot about people and their views, about body image, and what others think beauty and ugly is. It even talked a lot of about Picasso and the kind of person he really was and how distorted his view was of beauty and women.
Reading this took me back to my childhood and when I went to school. Kids are mean, and I had my fair share of bullying and how much everyone viewed beauty as the norm. It’s sad to read this and remember when I was kid how focused everyone is on body image and beauty. And if you’re ugly(to them) then you’re frowned upon. I could never imagine what these girls exactly went through or how they felt, but I do understand how someone may judge someone by their looks rather than the person they are. I don’t think I’ve ever truly recovered from school and how I thought I needed to look because others thought something or someone was ugly or beautiful. It’s sad that people do that. No one should judge a book by its cover. And I think Ariel’s story really emphasizes that and I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a free digital copy to read and review.
June 24, 2022
This book was a work of art. This was probably one of the first memoirs I’ve ever read, and it was definitely a good one. It was truly eye opening, hearing how gruesome some of her experiences were. In some parts, when she was younger, I wish there had been someone who wasn’t her family that viewed her as what Ariel called ‘normal’ - and respected her no matter what. The fact that this society will only accept people if they have a “normal” appearance is truly disappointing. Ariel shouldn’t have had to live with the weight on her shoulders of what society thought of her. She should not have had to feel like she didn’t belong. We shouldn’t care what people look like, it’s plain and simple. Ariel had to live with people staring at her and judging her by her appearance. Life shouldn’t be about what you look like, it should be about what kind of person you are. This book showed me that when people say don’t sweat the small stuff, they really mean it.
November 15, 2021
All I ever wanted was permission to take up space. To be seen fully.
I've never really thought about Picasso and cubism in the context of ableism. I've honestly never spent much time thinking about Picasso in general, but this wasn't a privilege Henley had growing up with Crouzon Syndrome.
This memoir goes through Henley's young adult life, from the trauma of numerous surgeries to the struggle with societal expectations of beauty to the cruelty she experienced from both children and adults.
This was beautifully written and heartbreakingly honest. I don't think my words can do justice to how eloquently Henley writes about her trauma.
I recommend the audiobook, which was narrated by the author herself.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
I've never really thought about Picasso and cubism in the context of ableism. I've honestly never spent much time thinking about Picasso in general, but this wasn't a privilege Henley had growing up with Crouzon Syndrome.
This memoir goes through Henley's young adult life, from the trauma of numerous surgeries to the struggle with societal expectations of beauty to the cruelty she experienced from both children and adults.
This was beautifully written and heartbreakingly honest. I don't think my words can do justice to how eloquently Henley writes about her trauma.
I recommend the audiobook, which was narrated by the author herself.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
November 17, 2021
"In that moment I rephrased the line that haunted me."- From A Face for Picasso
5 stars
Easily one of the best memoirs I have read this year. I loved how she told her story through the lens of Picasso's art and history of mistreatment of woman. She was honest and had a way of sharing her story in a way that made you feel like you were living it with her. I started crying early, (while on my commute on the T) at the fact she kept apologizing in kindergarden for being ugly. There were many sucker punches just like that. I wished this book had existed while I was in school still, and it should definitely be required reading.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
5 stars
Easily one of the best memoirs I have read this year. I loved how she told her story through the lens of Picasso's art and history of mistreatment of woman. She was honest and had a way of sharing her story in a way that made you feel like you were living it with her. I started crying early, (while on my commute on the T) at the fact she kept apologizing in kindergarden for being ugly. There were many sucker punches just like that. I wished this book had existed while I was in school still, and it should definitely be required reading.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2021
Many of the disability and chronic illness memoirs that I have read seem inauthentic at best. The author always paints themselves as either a saint with a few tantrums to make them relatable, or a "too fragile for this life" tragic heroine. Ariel Henley is one of the few authors who seems like she's recounting the experiences of an actual human. If I was in 7th grade having major surgeries and dealing with intense bullying from kids and adults then I'd be a bit prickly as well. I'm so glad she left in the parts where she was misdirecting her anger. I'm glad that she left her anger in general. This book was amazing and I highly recommend it.
Also fuck that shop teacher AND Picasso.
Also fuck that shop teacher AND Picasso.
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