Watch Ling Ling Huang at The Epigraph Literary Festival

About Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang follows a young musician in an elite, beauty-obsessed world where perfection comes at a staggering cost.

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Sly, surprising, and razor-sharp, Natural Beauty follows a young musician into an elite, beauty-obsessed world where perfection comes at a staggering cost.

Our narrator produces a sound from the piano no one else at the Conservatory can. She employs a technique she learned from her parents—also talented musicians—who fled China in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. But when an accident leaves her parents debilitated, she abandons her future for a job at a high-end beauty and wellness store in New York City.

Holistik is known for its remarkable products and procedures—from remoras that suck out cheap Botox to eyelash extensions made of spider silk—and her new job affords her entry into a world of privilege and gives her a long-awaited sense of belonging. She becomes transfixed by Helen, the niece of Holistik’s charismatic owner, and the two strike up a friendship that hazily veers into more. All the while, our narrator is plied with products that slim her thighs, smooth her skin, and lighten her hair. But beneath these creams and tinctures lies something sinister.

A piercing, darkly funny debut, Natural Beauty explores questions of consumerism, self-worth, race, and identity—and leaves readers with a shocking and unsettling truth.

About The Epigraph Literary Festival

The Epigraph Literary Festival is a free virtual celebration that introduces readers to authors with new and upcoming books and hosts reading and lifestyle-themed sessions. Join us for 3-days of literary fun and topple your reading list!

Learn more and attend our next event: https://festival.bibliolifestyle.com

Watch the festival replays on demand: https://festival.bibliolifestyle.com/festival-replays

What do you think?

Have you read Natural Beauty?  Is it on your TBR?  Let’s talk in the comments below.

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