lyall_reads 's review for:

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Wren James
4.5
dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
I feel like the plot write up for this book misses the mark hard. This is a claustrophobic, creepingly horrifying book about a teen girl who has been put through some of the most horrible situations imaginable. Everything is handled in a YA appropriate way, but PLEASE check content warnings- I found this hard but cathartic as someone who’s dealt with a panic disorder, I think the same would apply for PTSD- but major heads up re: grooming, gaslighting, emotional abuse. I’m going to tag this as a spoiler, but I think for the aforementioned group, you’ll pick up on this going on early enough that it doesn’t really feel like a true spoiler (and I don’t think knowing it detracts from the experience):
The person doing these things is clearly evil, but the book is well written so it’s heartbreaking and scary to see Romy go through these things. I wish I’d read this book as a teen dealing with trauma and an unhealthy relationship dynamic. The author does a great job showing with Romy how we can fall into these unhealthy dynamics and Romy realizing the techniques Jeremy used to get her to rely on him how she did was both chilling and educational for a YA reader without feeling preachy (because it’s also TERRIFYING). Anyone complaining about the 16/23 age gap I fear may have not reached the end where it’s revealed he’s actually in his 30s- yes, this age gap is predatory but that’s the point.

I want to give Romy a hug so badly. I have trouble understanding people who saw this book as switching quickly from fluffy romcom to thriller- James makes Romy’s world deeply isolated and tense from the beginning. I think these people may be referring to the fact that Romy is 16 and cringe, but as someone who was also 16 and cringe- yeah, that’s what a nerdy 16 year old is like. The juxtaposition of her love for fanfiction and her celebrity crush with her responsibilities running a vessel along made everything hit even harder. She’s not a super hero- she’s a super smart but also super traumatized teenager and it made the whole “oops a teen is running the spaceship now” scenario feel as realistic as it could. This is a story about isolation, abuse, and mental illness. It’s also a story of finding joy in the most difficult situations and choosing to keep living even when things hurt. 

Devastating and hopeful. Impacted me emotionally big time. 
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