Staff Book Reviews
Andrea reviews THE LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE by Jessica Knoll (Simon and Schuster, 2015)
It would appear as though Ani FaNelli is one of those women who have it all. She works at a glamorous New York magazine, has the perfect body to accommodate her fabulous wardrobe, and also has an amazing and wealthy fiancé who adores her. But Ani (pronounced Ah-nee, not Ann-ee) has had to struggle to get to where she is now. After a disastrous experience with friends at her Catholic junior high involving marijuana when she was still TifAni, her mother decided it would be best if she started high school at Bradley, a very elite and prestigious school that would certainly fast-track her to an Ivy League university.
TifAni quickly finds out the crowd at Bradley is tougher and meaner than Catholic school because they all are richer and more entitled. After she goes through a severely devastating experience involving alcohol and older guys, freshman TifAni is completely ostracized. Her only friend is Arthur Finnerman, even though he is an outcast also. TifAni never would have dreamt of the revenge and repercussions Arthur would take to save her from the older guys who tormented both of them. Having to take a most extreme measure to save herself, TifAni commits a most heinous deed also.
Time has passed and Ani has emerged from TifAni’s ashes like the mythical Phoenix. Unfortunately, a production team wants to do a documentary of the events that happened at Bradley. Will this give Ani the chance to let go of the anger TifAni was consumed with fifteen years ago? Will Ani be able to come to grips with all she went through in high school?
This is a great roller coaster of a read, frightening and intense, and you will never know what lurks around the corner. Fans of Gillian Flynn and Wally Lamb will especially enjoy this most twisted tale.
Andrea King, Cordova Library