Rating 4 out of 5
Pros Keeps you guessing, movie was phenomenal (even though there are differences, they can’t always make an exact replica on screen)
Cons Does not come with any trigger warnings but definitely should [SPOILERS/TRIGGERS rape, school shooting, gun violence, eating disorder, etc]
Synopsis from Goodreads Her perfect life is a perfect lie. As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, TifAni FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve. But Ani has a secret; there’s something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything. With a singular voice and twists you won’t see coming, Luckiest Girl Alive explores the unbearable pressure that so many women feel to “have it all” and introduces a heroine whose sharp edges and cutthroat ambition have been protecting a scandalous truth, and a heart that’s bigger than it first appears. The question remains: will breaking her silence destroy all that she has worked for—or, will it at long last, set Ani free?
How did I hear about this book I had picked this book up at the bookstore a couple years ago, but it had sat on my TBR bookshelf for far too long (similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses). My friend recently finished the book and told me that there are a lot of triggers within the book (for her and for the general population), but that it was a great story and it was worth it, especially since it was in production to be aired on Netflix. Once I saw the movie was available to stream, I figured I better get to reading (since my fiancé was interested in watching the movie and I requested that we watch it together).
Review The book was amazing – and that fact can be validated by my fiancé (who started after I had read him a few funny lines, read the book while I was in the middle of it, and proceeded to finished the book before I finished it). And that’s saying something, since he doesn’t often get pulled into books and read non-stop like I do. Knoll kept you guessing throughout, and even though had an idea of what was about to take place [SPOILER Ani getting attacked by the boys from her new school], the writing was something you couldn’t tear your eyes away from. The only downfall I experienced (second-hand) was the lack of trigger warnings. Luckily this was a non-issue for me personally, but knowing people who have experienced some of these things first-hand, it would be very helpful to have an idea of what they are signing up for.
Book compared to TV show or movie While the movie was very close to the book, a viewer (unfortunately) always has to treat the movie as its own separate entity. In today’s world, producers are going to try and keep the story as close to the book as possible, however writers aren’t looking to use an already-created script, but rather take the book and make it their own. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, though the big twist in the book was lost in the movie because you knew one of the major events from the get-go. Otherwise, I thought the movie was fantastic – Mila Kunis was perfectly cast (since in my mind, she was TifAni from when I picked up the book), it stayed pretty close to the source material, and they kept all the major events in place.
The Box Office Book Club 