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leahsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
CONTENT WARNING: sexual abuse of minors, disordered eating, emotional abuse, use of a racist slur
After the summer Olympics, I figured this could be an interesting read. However, I wasn’t exactly prepared for how close to the real story this was going to be.
Rather than taking inspiration from the real-life scandal that played out in the news, the author simply grabbed the actual story and inserted two new characters into it, changing the names of Larry Nassar and the Karolyis. But she kept the names of the famous gymnasts the same, and it made me wonder if she had gotten their approval to rehash their stories.
I did like Sera’s character, and getting to know her internal struggle. Lucy was easy to empathize with, and it was also clear to see that Sera was torn between her only friend and dream and how she was raised to be obedient and trust the adults around her, even when they didn’t have her best interests at heart.
It’s easy to watch the glamorous gymnasts on our television, performing amazing and flashy moves, without realizing the pain and sacrifice that they go through on a daily basis. This book really made that clear:
“Gymnasts were trained to be silent. … We performed through pain. We were hungry, but we didn’t eat. We sucked it up. We didn’t complain. We didn’t listen to our bodies or our instincts. That’s why we had coaches. The adults were the experts. They knew better than we did. The movements were too dangerous to risk ignoring the advice of experts. They told us we could trust the doctor, so we did. Simple as that. We trusted him. We smiled for the judges.”
After reading this, I don’t think I’ll ever look at gymnasts the same way again. And it doesn’t just take a toll on the girls themselves, but on the families and people who love them. Sera’s family pays a heavy price for her dreams.
I can’t help but think that this story could have been great if the author had let her creativity flow a bit more. I wish that she had used the real story as inspiration rather than an outline, and I think I would have really been able to immerse myself more fully.
After the summer Olympics, I figured this could be an interesting read. However, I wasn’t exactly prepared for how close to the real story this was going to be.
Rather than taking inspiration from the real-life scandal that played out in the news, the author simply grabbed the actual story and inserted two new characters into it, changing the names of Larry Nassar and the Karolyis. But she kept the names of the famous gymnasts the same, and it made me wonder if she had gotten their approval to rehash their stories.
I did like Sera’s character, and getting to know her internal struggle. Lucy was easy to empathize with, and it was also clear to see that Sera was torn between her only friend and dream and how she was raised to be obedient and trust the adults around her, even when they didn’t have her best interests at heart.
It’s easy to watch the glamorous gymnasts on our television, performing amazing and flashy moves, without realizing the pain and sacrifice that they go through on a daily basis. This book really made that clear:
“Gymnasts were trained to be silent. … We performed through pain. We were hungry, but we didn’t eat. We sucked it up. We didn’t complain. We didn’t listen to our bodies or our instincts. That’s why we had coaches. The adults were the experts. They knew better than we did. The movements were too dangerous to risk ignoring the advice of experts. They told us we could trust the doctor, so we did. Simple as that. We trusted him. We smiled for the judges.”
After reading this, I don’t think I’ll ever look at gymnasts the same way again. And it doesn’t just take a toll on the girls themselves, but on the families and people who love them. Sera’s family pays a heavy price for her dreams.
I can’t help but think that this story could have been great if the author had let her creativity flow a bit more. I wish that she had used the real story as inspiration rather than an outline, and I think I would have really been able to immerse myself more fully.
basicbsguide's review against another edition
3.0
A look inside the dark side of competitive gymnastics. How far will an athlete, her coach and her parents go for a Gold medal? We all know that elite athletes sacrifice a lot but at what price is it worth? Dillon writes of young Sera and her fifteen year journey to the Olympic podium. This book is not the easiest to read at times. I did get a clear picture of the determination these young women have. Nonetheless, I’m left quite unsettled and felt a disconnect from the abuse involved. I had high expectations for this one but it missed the mark for me.
stvnskp's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was good overall. I think it’s worth a read. However, it kept going when it had many chances to end. By the end of book it was so predictable and left nothing to be desired.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder
autismreading_mom's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley. The Happiest Girl in the World tells the story of Sera Wheeler, a girl who is on the training path to become an Olympian gymnast.I really enjoyed it, the book does a good job of talking about the emotional aspect of the sport and not just the physical. Alena Dillon has a special way of telling a story using her grace, knowledge, and experience to bring you in while you learn.
geauxgetlit's review against another edition
4.0
This was the perfect read before the start of the Summer Olympics! If you love gymnastics as much as I do then this is a must read. This was a fictional novel, however it did resemble what closely happened in the real life US gymnastics. It also portrays just how much Elite athletes struggle with on a daily basis just to make it to the Olympics. There is no time to being a kid when you are an elite. Is it worth it?
eemolu's review against another edition
3.0
my mom would like this book and i think that if you know suzanne you know what i mean
marpaige's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Honestly, I would have liked this book a lot more if the author hadn’t insisted on using the names of real victims as part of her fictionalization. That part was so gross it made it difficult for me to enjoy the exploration of Sera’s experience and the fallout of what happened to Lucy and the other victims .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
kthomps1281's review against another edition
4.0
Sera Wheeler is a young, elite gymnast whose dream is to make it to the Olympics. As she gets more involved in the world of gymnastics, she's faced with difficult situations and situations, including taking sides when her friend accuses the team doctor of sexual abuse and deciding how much pain (both physical and mental) she can live with to achieve her dream.
This novel was a fascinating mix of reality (with mentions of actual Olympic gymnast and a sex scandal ripped from the headlines). I enjoyed getting into the heads of both Sera and her mother Charlene. It's a story about the price of glory and the toxicity of keeping silent to curry favor. It was a relatively fast read, and I would recommend it.
This novel was a fascinating mix of reality (with mentions of actual Olympic gymnast and a sex scandal ripped from the headlines). I enjoyed getting into the heads of both Sera and her mother Charlene. It's a story about the price of glory and the toxicity of keeping silent to curry favor. It was a relatively fast read, and I would recommend it.
hannarocs7's review against another edition
1.0
Listen, I finished this book, but I feel icky about it. There's something so wrong using the real victim's names and experiences in a fictional setting. The writing also reads as stilted in some places, and the flashes to the mother's POV reads surface level when it should have been more of an in depth. I didn't really like these characters that much, and feel like there were other issues that could have been addressed rather than focusing on the very real abuse and court cases that happened to real people and using their names.
Originally an ARC provided by NetGalley (but I fell behind)
Originally an ARC provided by NetGalley (but I fell behind)