The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty

A modern and irreverent tale to get over with the cult of beauty!

A witty feminist fable that examines the thrills and pitfalls of beauty from the perspective of two polar opposites: Barb, an attractive and talented costume designer who, in hopes of finding true love, makes herself ugly via an elaborate costume; and Lily, an unfortunate-looking composer who uses her magical musical gift to make herself irresistible to the man who has rejected her. To complicate matters, Barb and Lily discover their close-knit circle of friends includes a murderer with a plan to strike again.

Set in modern-day New York City, it’s a novel that satirizes society’s obsession with beauty and its “unfortunate importance” in the aspects of life that should be least superficial: friendship and love.

With biting wit and offbeat charm, Filipacchi illuminates the labyrinthine relationship between beauty, desire, and identity, asking at every turn: what does it truly mean to allow oneself to be seen?