Book review: Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

There are some books that amuse you. Then, there are books that confuse you. Ms. Knoll’s debut novel manages to do both.

Set in two time periods in the protagonists’ life, Luckiest Girl Alive manages to both shock you and make you smile at times. One good thing about it is the topic it touches. Themes of sexual abuse, school shootings, teenage school culture in modern day America, parental expectations, peer pressure are some of the touchpoints. In this regard, Ms. Knoll does a fairly interesting job of fabricating a story from such diverse yet related topics.

While the subjects addressed are fairly serious in nature, the way they are presented lacks the depth that they deserve. For example, the author talks about the gang rape of the protagonist. However, it is quickly presented with the lens of “drunken behavior of teenagers”. Such a serious crime and activity being brushed aside in narration as something that occurs frequently in teenage parties is concerning. There has been no effort made to present the devastating impact such a heinous activity would have on the victim who in this case is the protagonist. Even the aftermath of such an activity is presented in a slightly comical fashion. Thus, it is easy for one to believe that sufficient amount of research wasn’t conducted by the author on relevant topics.

This lack of research into the psychology of the protagonist(s) is compensated by good insights pertaining to the second major topic covered: school shootings.

School shootings in America have gained notoriety globally. They have even started affecting schools and cultures in countries with strict gun control laws. While America as a country remains divided on various aspects of gun ownership and gun control, no one can deny that school shootings are an appalling crime requiring interventions at the highest levels. The author has done a fairly decent job of inter-weaving various aspects of different undercurrents visible in the modern education system.

One aspect where the author could have laid more emphasis is on the depiction of the rise of the protagonist. The early pages of the book give us an inclination that the protagonist has taken efforts to reach where she is while coming from a place where she was initially. However, the follow-up to this line of reading is not presented in a controlled manner. Words about someone who has achieved a lot make for an interesting read. This could have been presented better.

The protagonists’ relationships are presented in myriad lights. They are relatable at times, while they make you cringe/ laugh at others. There is a constant mention of a ‘documentary’. It plays a crucial role in the book. However, the origins of the same are not clear. Why was it being created? What does it intend to uncover or discover? While guessing the answers to these depends upon the reader, some background on the same would have helped those who do not particularly come from related vocations.

A movie based on the book is coming out soon. To those who have not read the book, the trailer may be confusing regarding the actual plot. Ms. Mila Kunis is an artist of repute. It remains to be seen if she is able to do justice to the character given the way in which the story is originally written.

“Luckiest Girl Alive” is a good attempt by the author for a debut. Her work-experience has definitely helped her. She shows promise off fine tuning which can only come with practice. If you are picking it up, do spend some dedicated time reading and thinking about it. And if you have read this book, send us a message and let us know your views.