The Wonder of One

Suzanne Redfearn is one of my go-to authors. I've read 8 of her books and have been impressed with her writing, her characterization and her ability to jump between genres flawlessly.

In The Wonder of One, Redfearn has written a poignant and engaging story that follows the life of Vivien Kendall, a young girl from a small Minnesotan town who was born with a large birthmark (nevus) that covers much of her face. Despite a neglectful mother, bullying from classmates, and prejudice from others, Vivien finds her way through sheer determination, a resilient spirit and the support of her found family.

With its themes and coming-of-age vibe, I felt this book gave off vibes of two popular books - one of my all-time favourites, Wonder by R.J Palacio (coming-of-age with a main character who is visibly different) and The Favorites by Layne Fargo (figure skating, fame) with some added mystery surrounding a local murder t'boot. 

Told in multiple timelines, this is a story of adversity, cheering on the underdog in a judgmental world and the importance of finding your village. Redfearn successfully includes themes of themes of loneliness, injustice, resiliency and an array of interesting secondary characters in a story that will hit you in the feels and make Vivien a character who will stay with you for a very long time.  

Disclaimer: Thanks to the author for this digital advanced copy that was gifted to me in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Suzanne Redfearn

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Coming of Age

Type and Source: ebook from author via NetGalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

First Published: Sept 15, 2026

Read: Aug 31 - Sept 3, 2026

Book Description from GoodReads: From the #1 Amazon bestselling author of In an Instant comes an inspirational coming-of-age story about one extraordinary girl’s determination to chase a dream.

Vivien Kendall has always been different. Born with a birthmark covering much of her face, she’s been bullied, ridiculed, and mistreated as a child. But at the age of six, Vivien learns that in each of us there burns a spirit flame—a deep belief in oneself that must be nurtured and never allowed to go out.

Living by that wisdom and through the enduring friendships of her nanny, her mentor, and the legend who eventually becomes her coach, she chases her dream to someday become the greatest figure skater in the world.

Along the way, she faces a rapidly evolving world full of modern prejudice and injustice. She falls in love, has her heart broken, learns what it means to win or lose, and discovers the wonder of one, the power within each of us to change things.