Reviewed by Sonia

The story opens with beautiful imagery, Lavina is presented as content and serene - the Goddess of the Sea. As the reader is presented with some memories from Lavina�s childhood, and the full scene on the beach the beauty fades.

Lavina�s tragedy is born of her parentage and the time she inhabits. The social expectations of the time and a lack of opportunity make Lavina accept her lot, and live in a state of existence. For although she is called ugly, it is clear from the text that she is not.

In fact her beauty is a little too clear from the text, I think the lines �her lovely face a mask... was truly ugly� and �Her body had all the ....� hit the reader over the head with what was already apparent, and presented in a more subtle manner.

The confrontation between mother and daughter is poignant, but I think the line �Like mother, like daughter, ....Mama� needs to include a tone, it is too easy to read this line in several different tones, altering the reader�s perspective and ultimately the level of sympathy for Lavina.

There has already been much debate in the guestbook about the ending, and the use of suicide in fiction, and the writer�s responsibility. I won�t go into it again, but I do think the end fits the tone of the story. A happy ending would not have had the desired impact, and would not have done justice to the story of Lavina�s life.