When browsing, Luckiest Girl Alive claimed that fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train would fall for this page turner. When a publishing house feels their book is worthy enough to measure up the writing standards of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, and then proceed to slap that claim on said book cover, I will more likely than not add it to my Amazon order. (I know, I’m totally a sucker for marketing, sigh)
What it’s all about…
The story is told solely in the point of view of Ani FaNelli, written in a fractured narrative, between past and present. In the present, Ani appears to have it all, she is a 28 year old successful magazine writer, beautiful, thin, has that glorious Upper East Side zip code, a wealthy fiancé, and a killer wardrobe. She is desperately grasping on to anything she can to overcome a horrific, and very public incident that occurred in her past. Back then, she was TifAni FaNelli, before she changed her name. She was the new girl, as an incoming freshman at an elite private school. One where she so badly tried to fit in, and through many failed attempts, made a series a painful mistakes, all revolving around a popular (read: horrible) crowd of teenagers, that let to a jaw-dropping incident, guaranteed to give you shivers.
Why I liked it.
I personally felt connected to this book, as the writing captured the pain of not only what it was like to be a 14 year old girl in high school, but also to be new girl, at a snotty private school. Both of which I can fully empathize with, as I lived through it. I made some of TifAni’s cringe worthy mistakes of trying so desperately to fit in, that perhaps if taken a wrong turn could’ve let me down a similar path…
I can’t say too much without spoiling what the incident was, but let me assure you, it’s good.
Verdict: READ