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emilypendleton's review against another edition
3.0
…moving on doesn’t mean never talking about it, never crying about it.
I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a main character so deeply insecure that all of their inner dialogue focuses on weight and viciously tearing other women down. The second half of the book was much better than the first, but the first half was so bent on writing a cold-hearted protagonist that it was difficult to move past it during the moments that talked about such heavy topics.
I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a main character so deeply insecure that all of their inner dialogue focuses on weight and viciously tearing other women down. The second half of the book was much better than the first, but the first half was so bent on writing a cold-hearted protagonist that it was difficult to move past it during the moments that talked about such heavy topics.
breese's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
curiousfox's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I resort to murder or crime thrillers as palate cleansers in between readings since they're easy to digest and are usually fun - for me, at least - no-stakes stories. They seldom leave an impression but you can't reinvent the wheel nor should you expect it.
The Luckiest Girl Alive fits in those molds and, yet, leaves an aftertaste. Maybe it's because it is based on the author's own life, or because it is actually realistic in some plot points - more than can be said about plenty of crime novels. It's the story of a girl, now a woman, who went through hell and is desperate to prove to everyone that it only changed her for the better. She is not likeable, which is an interesting aspect of the plot, since she could be seen as the author's insert and I wonder how well the audience would react if the author painted herself as the perfect character. And she doesn't try to be or to sugarcoat her behavior. She doesn't expect you to endear to her as so many people haven't before and it is almost a wall break how we are treated like one of her classmates, ready to despise her (I'm sure I'm reading too much into it). And yet, while you read and discover what happened in her past, you can't help but understand why she behaves like this. I've seen plenty of reviews mention her as shallow, deceitful, or elitist and she is all that, she's not the perfect victim and that was interesting to me.
Again, this is not a reinvention of the wheel but it's a somewhat smooth drive.
The Luckiest Girl Alive fits in those molds and, yet, leaves an aftertaste. Maybe it's because it is based on the author's own life, or because it is actually realistic in some plot points - more than can be said about plenty of crime novels. It's the story of a girl, now a woman, who went through hell and is desperate to prove to everyone that it only changed her for the better. She is not likeable, which is an interesting aspect of the plot, since she could be seen as the author's insert and I wonder how well the audience would react if the author painted herself as the perfect character. And she doesn't try to be or to sugarcoat her behavior. She doesn't expect you to endear to her as so many people haven't before and it is almost a wall break how we are treated like one of her classmates, ready to despise her (I'm sure I'm reading too much into it). And yet, while you read and discover what happened in her past, you can't help but understand why she behaves like this. I've seen plenty of reviews mention her as shallow, deceitful, or elitist and she is all that, she's not the perfect victim and that was interesting to me.
Again, this is not a reinvention of the wheel but it's a somewhat smooth drive.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, and Gun violence
beautynbks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I feel like I have been lied to, by whom I’m not sure. This book was on my TBR for a long time and I had the time to give it a listen.
Ani Fanelli was not a sympathetic character. She survived a traumatic event in high school but her survival was polarizing to her community. Ani reinvented herself but she was shallow and deceitful. The woman needed THERAPY. The Luckiest Girl Alive didn’t seem that lucky to me.
Ani Fanelli was not a sympathetic character. She survived a traumatic event in high school but her survival was polarizing to her community. Ani reinvented herself but she was shallow and deceitful. The woman needed THERAPY. The Luckiest Girl Alive didn’t seem that lucky to me.
lisayates's review against another edition
4.0
This is not a light read! It takes you on twists & turns telling the story of Ani, who at first seems to have it all, but as you find out about her past you see all is not as it seems. I found this book was not as expected & even though at first I didn't like the main character as her story unfolds you begin to feel for her & the choices she makes. For any fan of gone girl this is a must read. All in all a very good read & would highly recommend.
bribwriter's review against another edition
3.0
I want to preface this with the TW of this book: sensitive content, SA, trauma, school shootings.
I also want to note: Jessica Knoll is a strong woman who told her story through the lens of a fictional character. Reading her note at the end made so viscerally emotional. I don’t know how she had the strength to write something so grueling and sad. This has never happened to me and I had to put the book away a few times to take a deep breath. I can’t say enough about this. It’s heartbreaking to read and I know it was even worse to write.
To the review:
This started off well for me but I think the pacing was off. I think there were so many moments I didn’t really care about at all. I wish we could have started with teenage Ani instead of having flashbacks here and there. The structure of the novel was not good and the part of the story we were facing with Ani and her marriage was just boring because Luke was unlikeable as hell. And I know that’s important but still. I do think this would have done well if the story of her younger self was on the forefront and then at the end we had a flash forward bc that was what was interesting.
I think they gloss pass a lot of trauma Ani had. Everyone does and I found myself just angry about how she was treated by everyone except Mr. Larson. I know it’s realistic but it is insane that she didn’t put more likeable characters in the novel. I hated everyone honestly. I even disliked Ani a lot. I also think that with the amount of trauma she went through…. idk idk. Her mom made everything about her, her dad was never present. Like it was just so bad. And I also didn’t like that her only friend in high school after everything was someone she no longer spoke to or about. She didn’t even think to reach out to her when they were doing the documentary to see if she was doing the documentary as well.
Overall, a lot lacked for me here and it’s just an average book.
I also want to note: Jessica Knoll is a strong woman who told her story through the lens of a fictional character. Reading her note at the end made so viscerally emotional. I don’t know how she had the strength to write something so grueling and sad. This has never happened to me and I had to put the book away a few times to take a deep breath. I can’t say enough about this. It’s heartbreaking to read and I know it was even worse to write.
To the review:
This started off well for me but I think the pacing was off. I think there were so many moments I didn’t really care about at all. I wish we could have started with teenage Ani instead of having flashbacks here and there. The structure of the novel was not good and the part of the story we were facing with Ani and her marriage was just boring because Luke was unlikeable as hell. And I know that’s important but still. I do think this would have done well if the story of her younger self was on the forefront and then at the end we had a flash forward bc that was what was interesting.
I think they gloss pass a lot of trauma Ani had. Everyone does and I found myself just angry about how she was treated by everyone except Mr. Larson. I know it’s realistic but it is insane that she didn’t put more likeable characters in the novel. I hated everyone honestly. I even disliked Ani a lot. I also think that with the amount of trauma she went through…. idk idk. Her mom made everything about her, her dad was never present. Like it was just so bad. And I also didn’t like that her only friend in high school after everything was someone she no longer spoke to or about. She didn’t even think to reach out to her when they were doing the documentary to see if she was doing the documentary as well.
Overall, a lot lacked for me here and it’s just an average book.
emilianordland's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5