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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
Moderate violence — the explosion backstory; the investigation; confrontations
Language
Some
Moderate profanity
Sexual Content
Some
Moderate — some adult romantic content
Substance Use
None
No meaningful substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The transformation — physical and psychological; the revenge as a structure for healing; the man she becomes capable of confronting
What this book is about
Nell Calder survives an explosion that kills her family and leaves her badly injured. During her long recovery, she undergoes extensive plastic surgery — emerging transformed. With a new face and a new identity, she pursues the man who ordered her family's deaths. The Ugly Duckling is Iris Johansen's most beloved standalone — a revenge narrative built on genuine transformation.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
A woman rebuilt after devastating loss
Plastic surgery and identity transformation
A revenge narrative with emotional depth
Iris Johansen standalone
Reader Verification
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