Reviews Making Faces by Amy Harmon
When I first picked up “Making Faces” by Amy Harmon, I had no idea the journey I was about to embark on. It had been recommended to me by a dear friend who knows my taste well – she understands my love for stories that are not only emotionally resonant but also challenge me to see the world in a new light. Despite her glowing recommendation, the book sat on my shelf for longer than I’d like to admit. As someone who spends most of my days writing SEO-optimized blog content, I often find it difficult to carve out time for leisure reading. But something about this book kept calling to me, and finally, during a rare moment of downtime, I decided to take the plunge.
From the moment I cracked open the first page, I was transported to the small, close-knit town that serves as the backdrop for this incredible story. Harmon has a gift for world-building, for creating a sense of place that is so vivid, you feel as if you could step right into it. Through her words, I walked the quiet streets alongside Fern, felt the warmth of Bailey’s smile, and understood the weight of expectation that rested on Ambrose’s broad shoulders.
One of the things I admire most about Harmon’s writing is her ability to take a seemingly simple story and infuse it with such depth and meaning. On the surface, “Making Faces” might appear to be a tale we’ve heard before – the pretty, popular boy and the shy, overlooked girl. But Harmon takes these archetypes and turns them inside out, revealing the complex, flawed, and utterly human characters beneath.
As I journeyed alongside Fern, Bailey, and Ambrose, I found myself underlining passage after passage, marveling at Harmon’s profound insight into the human condition. Her words have a way of crystallizing universal truths, of giving voice to the fears, hopes, and desires that we all carry within us. One line that particularly struck me reads: “True beauty, the kind that doesn’t fade or wash off, takes time. It takes pressure. It takes incredible endurance. It is the slow drip that creates the stalactite, the shaking of the Earth that creates mountains, the constant pounding of the waves that breaks up the rocks and smooths the rough edges. And from the violence, the furor, the raging of the winds, the roaring of the waters, something better emerges, something that would otherwise never exist.”
In a world that often feels obsessed with the superficial, with quick fixes and instant gratification, these words felt like a balm to my soul. Harmon reminds us that true beauty, true strength, true love – these things are not easily won. They require time, patience, and often, great struggle. As someone who often feels pressure to constantly produce, to chase after success as defined by metrics and algorithms, this message felt both challenging and deeply reassuring.
Another aspect of “Making Faces” that I found particularly powerful was the inclusion of Bailey’s storyline. Living with muscular dystrophy, Bailey could have easily been reduced to a mere plot device, a means to inspire pity or make the other characters look good by comparison. But Harmon gives Bailey a story all his own, one that is just as compelling and transformative as Fern’s or Ambrose’s.
Through Bailey, we see that heroism takes many forms. He may not be able to charge into battle or save lives in the traditional sense, but his unwavering spirit, his determination to live life to the fullest despite the hand he’s been dealt – that is a kind of bravery that is rarely celebrated but so deeply needed in this world. Bailey’s story is a reminder that each of us has the power to be a hero in our own way, that strength is not just about physical might but about the resilience of the human spirit.
As I turned the final page of “Making Faces,” I felt as if I had been on a journey not just with these characters but with myself. Harmon’s words had wormed their way into my heart, forcing me to confront long-held beliefs and patterns of thought. I found myself questioning what really matters in this life, what true beauty and success look like. I felt inspired to be more like Fern, to extend compassion and kindness even when it’s difficult. To be more like Bailey, to choose joy and gratitude in the face of adversity. And to be more like Ambrose, to shed the labels and expectations placed upon me and forge my own path, scars and all.
“Making Faces” is the kind of book that doesn’t just entertain you for a few hours – it changes you. It becomes a part of you, a story you carry with you long after you’ve closed the cover. It’s a testament to the power of words to heal, to inspire, to challenge us to be better versions of ourselves.
In a world that often feels increasingly fractured and superficial, “Making Faces” is a reminder of the ties that bind us, of the fundamental human experiences that unite us all. It’s a celebration of the quiet, unsung heroes – the ones who love deeply, who fight for joy, who see beneath the surface to the beauty within.
To say that this book moved me would be an understatement. It shook me to my core, reawakening parts of myself I didn’t even know had gone dormant. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel in ways I hadn’t in a long, long time.
And for that, I am deeply grateful. Grateful to Amy Harmon for sharing her incredible gift with the world. Grateful to my friend for recommending this treasure of a book. And grateful to myself, for finally taking the time to step away from the constant demands of work and allow myself to be transported, to be changed.
If you’re looking for a book that is so much more than just a story – a book that will make you feel, make you think, make you see the world in a new light – then I cannot recommend “Making Faces” highly enough. It is a true gem, a masterpiece of storytelling that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
In a world that often feels like it’s moving too fast, “Making Faces” is an invitation to slow down, to savor the beauty and the pain, the joy and the sorrow that make up this messy, wonderful thing we call life. It’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope, always light to be found if we’re brave enough to look for it.
So if you find yourself at a crossroads, if you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed or just in need of a story that will touch your soul, pick up “Making Faces.” Allow yourself to be swept away, to be transformed. I promise you, it will be a journey you won’t soon forget.
And to Amy Harmon, if by some chance you ever read this – thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for sharing your gift with the world. Your words have left an indelible mark on my heart, and I know I am not alone in that. You have reminded me of the power of stories to connect us, to heal us, to change us. And for that, I will be forever grateful.
