Death by Beauty

Numerous books address beauty and body image concerns as they relate to media and culture. But what if those issues exist under an additional layer of shame and distortion, namely sexual abuse? In Death by Beauty, Kara Rodriguez tells of her confusions and struggle with insecurity. She elegantly combines her prose with detailed research. Her prose is lucid, with early events narrated from the perspective of a child, giving her story a stark authenticity and immediacy.

To feel like the ugliest person on the planet and also be convinced that beauty and sex determine worth is without a doubt overwhelming and heart-breaking. This coming together of two very opposite poles-this performance-based paradox-is poison to a woman's soul. These poles that are similar in nature have distinct origins and opposite pulls, one magnetism being sexualization and shame, the other draw being a mixture of sexualization and pride. One tug is to hide the body in all circumstances; the other is to reveal more of the body at all costs, but neither is what God intended.

In Death by Beauty, Rodriguez evaluates the complexities of sexual abuse, body image, and insecurity. She explores the convolution of shame, pride, and sexualization, and considers God's Word to define real beauty.