Disclaimer: I was given a copy of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Bryn Greenwood and Thomas Dunne Books. 
 2 stars 
 So I am completely astounded by this book - I cannot understand how it has got the reception that it has. It has such a high average rating on goodreads and everyone seems to be singing its praises but I just don't get it. I can appreciate that it is very well written - the characters are diverse, they have depth and multitudes, they aren't written in black and white. At no point in the book was I bored, the writing is compelling and intriguing. These reasons are what pushes my rating up to 2 stars, the concept and plot alone would have got it a half star. 
 I do not understand how the guy who rapes the main character when she's 13 can be presented as the good guy. Oh, maybe he has regrets, and she wanted it, and she defends him, and he claims to 'love her all the way' but she is 13. She is a child. Not only that but, to me, Wavy seems very young for her age. I get that her refusal to eat in front of people, speak or be touched aren't her being childish - they're learned behaviours that she probably needs therapy to help with but surely most 13 year olds would understand why they can't get married? Would be able to figure out for herself that telling a teacher will result in intervention from police/CPS? Would know that having a sexual relationship with an adult is very illegal and could result in him going to prison? Her failure to really comprehend this suggests to me that she is very young for age. She a child who gets besotted with an adult - as some children do - and he takes advantage of that, rather than doing the adult thing and leaving her the hell alone. 
 In my books, paedophilia is not something I can forgive, no matter how much he loves her and looks after her and promises to marry her. It's just wrong and the way that he's presented as the good guy, them as the loving couple being kept apart and her aunt - who fights to send him to prison - as the prissy annoying bad guy who's keeping everyone from being happy. I'm sorry but I think that's disgusting. 
 I did keep reading to the end of the book - mainly because I had some hope that Wavy would eventually grow up and come to her senses, realise that what was done to her was wrong and move on (view spoiler)[ but I was disappointed - they got a 'happy ending' to their 'love story' (hide spoiler)]. 
 I think that I will give Bryn Greenwood another go in the future - I think she has a lot of potential as a writer but I don't understand why she decided to do what she did here. I don't understand what she was trying to say - is she implying that grown adults should be able to have sexual relationships with children if they're 'really in love'? Maybe I'm really missing something but I just don't get it.