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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ani FaNelli desperately wants to show everyone how perfect her life is now, and on the surface she seems to have it all. There’s the adoring fiancé, the prestigious career in a popular magazine and of course the beauty that Ani preens on the outside. What many don’t know is the darkness lurking within, the Ani who is actually called TifAni and her past that she can never escape.
I had mixed feelings about this read, on one hand, I enjoyed the fast-paced story, Ani and her split personality really keeps the reader guessing. Though on the other hand, I found it a tad predictable and as much as I tried, I couldn’t get myself to like the main character-she was just too much for me. It’s a decent read, but not a favorite.
I had mixed feelings about this read, on one hand, I enjoyed the fast-paced story, Ani and her split personality really keeps the reader guessing. Though on the other hand, I found it a tad predictable and as much as I tried, I couldn’t get myself to like the main character-she was just too much for me. It’s a decent read, but not a favorite.
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The ending was fantastic and was intriguing. The rest of the book was disjointed and jumped all over the place. I found myself aggravated at the main character and wanted to yell at her to hurry it up. After I read it, I read the author’s note at the back and it makes sense why the book reads this way. While it is fiction, there are autobiographical elements in it where she is reliving her trauma. And it reads as such.
I’m giving this 4 stars because it was so enjoyable, not because it’s such a genius book. There are issues with the writing and the narrative structure but it’s a really fun read.
*TW* This book contains sexual assault & gun violence descriptions.
3.5 ⭐️ An absolutely wild ride that takes you inside the mind of someone who has experienced horrible tragedy - but who is not a sympathetic character. Ani experiences horrible treatment from her fellow students, intense bullying, treatment no 14-year-old should ever have to deal with, and two pretty terrible parents - all while she grapples with males taking advantage of her and a horrific crime she gets partially blamed for.
The thing I found most interesting was that… she’s not likable. She is not the perfect victim. She’s not the person you identify with, or see yourself or your friend or loved one in, that would make her a more sympathetic character. She’s cold, brazen, cruel and calculating. Being inside her mind is more akin to being inside the mind of the villain, not the victim. At the end of the day though, she’s a human being who is imperfect and has suffered tragedy - and you find yourself rooting for her to save herself.
3.5 ⭐️ An absolutely wild ride that takes you inside the mind of someone who has experienced horrible tragedy - but who is not a sympathetic character. Ani experiences horrible treatment from her fellow students, intense bullying, treatment no 14-year-old should ever have to deal with, and two pretty terrible parents - all while she grapples with males taking advantage of her and a horrific crime she gets partially blamed for.
The thing I found most interesting was that… she’s not likable. She is not the perfect victim. She’s not the person you identify with, or see yourself or your friend or loved one in, that would make her a more sympathetic character. She’s cold, brazen, cruel and calculating. Being inside her mind is more akin to being inside the mind of the villain, not the victim. At the end of the day though, she’s a human being who is imperfect and has suffered tragedy - and you find yourself rooting for her to save herself.
I HATED this book at first. I could not STAND the main character, and thought she was a stuck up, pretentious, rich bitch. About 1/4 of the way through I was going to stop reading, I hated her THAT MUCH. But the further I read, the more intrigued I became, and I began to understand her. If you choose to read this, don't give up on it. keep going. It's worth it in the end.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
So I finished this book last night, gave it a 4-star rating, but I kept coming back to the story and couldn't stop thinking about it. This morning, I had to change that 4 to a 5.
This book tells the story of Ani (formerly known as TifAni), a have-it-all writer whose claim to fame is oral sex articles in a fiction women's magazine that bears super similarity to the author's own previous workplace - Cosmopolitan. You kind hate Ani. You're meant to hate her. She's a bitchy, narcissistic, rude person who you don't want to cheer for. You want to slap her across the face. From the geto-go, you know that Ani has a secret - something dark in her past that is being stirred up again via a anniversary documentary all set for interviews and filming. As present-day narrative weaves with that of a 14-year old Ani, secrets become exposed and we learn the reasons for her hardness - shocking, raw, and brutal.
There's parts of Ani that I could identify with - the 14-year old girl desperate to fit in, scared of rejection and lacking in self-worth. I could also identify with adult Ani, as shameful as that may be, preoccupied with meaningless measures of worth so as not to be perceived as the scared, traumatized person that she is. Above all, Ani is a survivor, and when you look at the story with that lens, it becomes hard to just think of her on the surface.
I absolutely loved this book and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to my female friends who don't mind a little grittiness with their adult lit - and can stick with a difficult character long enough for them to find redemption. It's worth it in the end.
This book tells the story of Ani (formerly known as TifAni), a have-it-all writer whose claim to fame is oral sex articles in a fiction women's magazine that bears super similarity to the author's own previous workplace - Cosmopolitan. You kind hate Ani. You're meant to hate her. She's a bitchy, narcissistic, rude person who you don't want to cheer for. You want to slap her across the face. From the geto-go, you know that Ani has a secret - something dark in her past that is being stirred up again via a anniversary documentary all set for interviews and filming. As present-day narrative weaves with that of a 14-year old Ani, secrets become exposed and we learn the reasons for her hardness - shocking, raw, and brutal.
There's parts of Ani that I could identify with - the 14-year old girl desperate to fit in, scared of rejection and lacking in self-worth. I could also identify with adult Ani, as shameful as that may be, preoccupied with meaningless measures of worth so as not to be perceived as the scared, traumatized person that she is. Above all, Ani is a survivor, and when you look at the story with that lens, it becomes hard to just think of her on the surface.
I absolutely loved this book and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to my female friends who don't mind a little grittiness with their adult lit - and can stick with a difficult character long enough for them to find redemption. It's worth it in the end.
The connection to Gone Girl is weak - completely different story. I don't know how I feel about it. There were moments I loved and elements about the protagonist I hated. I need to think about it.