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Is Beauty Good by Rosalind Belben review
Combining hilarious detail with harsh observation, this rediscovered novel takes the reader on an exhilaratingly strange journey

TL;DR
- Rosalind Belben's "Is Beauty Good" (originally published 1989) is an eccentric novel exploring dreams and the state between sleeping and waking.
- The novel is divided into three sections and features 30 vignettes, some connected by recurring characters and themes.
- Belben's writing style is unconventional, employing unique spellings, unfinished sentences, and a blend of hilarious detail with harsh observation.
- Key themes include the loss of the natural world, human folly, and a challenge to the concept of beauty.
- The narrative captures the slippery, hypnagogic state, often featuring first-person narration that is uncertain and fragmented.
- The book includes commentary on dying, deafness, depression, and the experience of being a woman.