Review: Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer

Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer

Published by Amulet Books
Released on 21 April 2020
ISBN 9781419740848

Read: 5 – 7 February 2020

This is a timely release in terms of the #metoo movement. Although protagonist Zelda is not sexually abused, there is a lot of misogynistic behaviour which is ignored by others, to the point where Zelda’s self-doubt and second-guessing leads to her keeping secrets and avoiding others while she blames herself for what’s happening to her. Her path from passive sufferer to outspoken survivor is a trip worth going on, not least of all because of its fresh backdrop.

Zelda is a wannabe comedian. She’s been invited to be part of a highly sought-after improvisation camp, where young people from all over the US congregate to learn from professional comedy writers. Zelda is joined by her brother Will, his (recently declared) boyfriend Jonas, and meets other girls, self-named The Gildas, Sirena, (who loves) Emily, Hannah and Paloma. It is these friends who make it possible for Zelda to finally open up and confess her treatment by the objectively gorgeous, but aggressively narcissistic Ben.

The story takes place over the two-week period of improv camp. Zelda is excited to be chosen as one of the varsity team (Ben’s ‘top’ group of course), but as time passes, and the boys, most especially mentor and leader Ben treat her in vile and underhanded ways, she starts to wonder whether she is talented at all, or if she is only picked because they need a girl (to play all the undesired parts, such as the dead prostitute, the nagging girlfriend, and so on). She is not given any platform to perform her own material, nor is she allowed to criticise the teams’ choices of her roles. It’s pretty terrible to watch, particularly when, in private, Ben shows a different side, one which is focused in on Zelda as a potential sexual conquest.

Zelda’s innocence explains why she puts up with this treatment for as long as she does. Ben is gorgeous and can be charming, so it’s fortunate Zelda is also introduced to another group of boys from the neighbouring Scout camp – Jesse, Murph and Ricky—who show her the ways boys can and should behave. At all times, these young men are thoughtful, careful, and responsible. Jesse is also attracted to Zelda, and his manner is respectful and compassionate. She spends as much time with him, walking trails, helping the younger scouts, as she does with Ben, and the disparity in attitude could not have been more extreme.

As well as the romantic plot line, the comedy thread is interesting, and it seems clear the author has a lot of insight into this world. There are many stories of the way female comedians have struggled to break into the industry. Misogyny apparently begins early when people are just starting out. The camp managers themselves display appalling judgement when confronted with Zelda’s claims of mistreatment, and this is familiar to those of us who have watched the way society and the media have vilified some victims of organisations like the Church or individuals like Harvey Weinstein.

By the time we observe Zelda’s exposure of Ben, her triumphant performance on stage, and honest discussions about being attracted to Jesse, we have seen how much she has been put through, and how much she persisted, and we cheer her on with applause and laughter.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet books for the advanced copy. It’s out in the US on April 21^st and here in Australia in June. Check release dates for other countries. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a thoughtful yet fun exploration of the way girls can be marginalized and made to conform to expectations. Zelda often reflects on the other Gildas, aware of how much harder it might be for them – as black women (Sirena and Paloma), as lesbians (Sirena and Emily) and as an albino woman (Hannah). It’s a small but significant conscious acknowledgement of one’s own privilege. As just mentioned, there is great diversity and inclusivity, and honest discussions about sex and trust. I found it an extremely engaging and welcome narrative, as well as a lovely romance.

Review: No Barriers: A Blind’s Man Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon (the young adult adaptation)

No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon (The Young Adult Adaptation) by Erik Weihenmayer

Published by: St Martin’s Press

Released on: August 27, 2019

ISBN: 9781250247728

Read on 26 – 27 August 2019

Those of you who visit my blog regularly will know this is pretty much a fiction-only zone. And a young adult fiction only zone to boot. But I have found myself reading a few of these YA editions of books for adults recently, and they tend to be memoirs or biographies. Which is okay, yeah, but for sure, I would rather be reading fiction.

I asked for this one because we want to (and are going to) give it out in our standing orders. It’s a terrific account of a person who lives life to the fullest, who demands a lot of his body and his mind, and who seems keen to ensure other people reach their potential too.

It doesn’t really matter if you don’t know anything about this man. The first chapters takes readers through Erik’s early years, when and why he loses his sight, and his triumphant conquest of Mt Everest. We discover the importance of family, and recognise the admiration and affection he has for the team who surround him, and support his endeavours.

For me, it was difficult to read about the way he throws himself into danger since I am generally a cautious and lazy person. But Erik is always heading directly into situations that not only challenge his blindness, but also open him up to a multitude of wondrous natural beauty. The mountains, the ski slopes and the river rapids are easily visualised by readers, by the language and emotion used to describe them.

Erik’s attempts to kayak down the entire river of the Grand Canyon is thrilling and inspiring. He meets every obstacle with thought and precision, but he doesn’t ever let us think he does this alone. Always there is a team around him, providing access to expert knowledge, equipment, and support. Nor does he shy away from showing us when his fears try to suppress his courage, and there are times when he fails. But he picks himself up, learns from the mistakes, and continues to move ahead. Very inspirational.

His own understanding of what scares him is a strong aspect of the story. To be able to accept what might stop him from pushing on is well documented. As is his ability to work through the mind blocks. We see him consciously force his brain to ignore instinct, and to listen to the instructions of the guides to ensure he navigates the terrifying and unpredictable rapids. The feelings of success and achievement every time he overcomes adversity are a real highlight of the narrative. We cheer Erik on time and again.

I hope the actual copy includes images of Erik’s journey because reading about the glory of the river running through the Grand Canyon made me seek out YouTube videos of it. I know there’s a film called The Weight of Water that follows the whole journey. Based on the book, it would be an amazing visual experience.

Thanks to St Martins and to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. Out everywhere on August 27, which is already today here in Australia.

Recommended to readers who like true life stories about people overcoming adversity and challenging themselves to test the limits of human endurance. It’s a trip all right.

Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Published by: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781471161063
Released on: June 1 2018

Read: April 2 2018

This is only Jenn Bennett’s third contemporary young adult novel, and it’s clear she is on board with the current trends. Starry Eyes includes diversity of ethnicities and offers sex-positive representation in an organic and unpreaching way. MC, Zorie, is a serious astronomer and photographer, and it’s terrific to see the blend of science and art drive the plot and characterisation.

The romantic storyline is based on miscommunication, but fits in perfectly with the personalities of the two love interests. Zorie is a planner – anxious and tightly strung. Her comfort zone relies on safe, predictable and routine. When Lennon stands her up at Homecoming, then disappears and doesn’t talk to her when he returns, Zorie hides her heart-break and embarrassment behind silence and denial. Lennon is presented as a mysterious goth, a boy with wild parents, and his loner reputation allows him to walk away from Zorie with apparent ease.

But we don’t know the truth of Lennon, because everything is through Zorie’s narrative voice, which is funny and self-aware. She is constrained by her inability to be spontaneous, and she is constantly second guessing her thoughts and her actions, especially around other people. But she is also generous, smart and loyal. A flawed, sympathetic girl, and readers will love her from start to end.

Going ‘glamping’ with the popular crowd is certainly well outside her comfort zone, but Zorie finds herself talked into it by her step-mum, Joy, who reminds her to be careful not cautious with her life. Her decision is also spurred on by discovering her father is cheating on Joy, and by the sudden re-appearance of Lennon, who is still treating her with disdain. Zorie desperately wants her life to go back a year in time, and can only obsess about where everything went wrong. Imagine her surprise that Lennon is invited too, and suddenly the trip takes on an extra dimension of stress and torture (of course Lennon is gorgeously fit, and the only one who knows what he’s doing–such a turn on!)

Fortunately this summary only covers the first part of the book. The rest is the hiking trip (which goes gloriously wrong), and its aftermath, and Bennett doesn’t skip any details. We are given the highs and lows, and laugh and cry along with Zorie, as she re-connects with Lennon, and explores her own boundaries and feelings. It’s a terrific journey of self discovery and a little bit survival, when the rest of the crew abandon Zorie and Lennon to find their own way through the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. I can’t wait to see the full sized maps, attributed to Lennon in the book—my kindle didn’t do them justice at all.

Thankfully Zorie and Lennon spill their secrets long before the end, and we are witness to their very healthy and joyful intimate encounters (all off-page, I assure you), and what’s really good is how Zorei expresses herself sexually. She’s funny and clumsy and honest. It’s adorable, really. Lennon proves to be a person she can trust, and their love is clear.

One aspect of the novel that takes us out of the bubble of Zorie and Lennon is the sub-plot involving Zorie’s dad, ‘Diamond Dan’. His cheating had  repercussions for the whole family, but notably his relationship with Zorie. I am interested that in the father in her previous book, Approximately, Alex, was one of the best I have read, and here is Dan, an unapologetic womaniser, who refuses to own any his bad behaviour, and is prepared to risk his relationship with his daughter. I wonder if Bennett has been shocked and upset by some of the #metoo revelations and has found a way to present a part of that in this book.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advanced copy of Starry Eyes. I loved it so much, and recommend it highly to young adult readers who love realistic contemporaries that allow the romance to build slowly. Lennon and Zorie have known each other forever, so their relationship is founded on friendship. The hiking and bushwalking means we think about nature, about getting away from our devices, and of course, offers a bit of danger that challenges Zorie’s instinct to shut herself away. There are lessons here for all of us. Already released in the US, Starry Eyes is out in Australia and the UK on June 1.

Future Leaders of Nowhere by Emily O’Beirne

Published by: Ylva Publishing
ISBN: 9783955338213
Released: 15 March 2017

Read: 26 April 2017

This is my second Emily O’Beirne book, and I wish more people would discover her. Her characters are well developed, and the situations, setting, and plots are interesting and fresh. In Future Leaders of Nowhere, a collection of over-achieving high school seniors are selected to spend four weeks in a rural camp, playing leadership games and participating in outdoor activities. I’m pretty sure we have all experienced a camp like that. The first half of the book is seen through the eyes of Finn, the intermediary captain of her public school, leading the laziest and slackest group of smart kids ever, and the second part by Willa, a scholarship student at an elite private girls’ college, where the aim main is to win. There are several other groups who, while often relegated to the background, still play their part to showcase diverse and eclectic teenagers.

While the majority of the plot focuses on a game in which each group becomes a country directed to keep their people alive and their nation thriving, of course, we have additional scenes of abseiling ridiculous cliff faces, competitive orienteering and who are we kidding, everything is a competition, as well as personal relationships, pranks, and secret parties and gossip. It’s a glorious celebration of being young, and treading that fine line between following the rules and being compliant, knowing experiences like these will help for the future, and wanting to break out, live in the moment which may result in reckless behaviour, say like, oh, falling in love. Of course, it also has something to say about how much pressure there is on teenagers to strive, to excel, and to put themselves above others to succeed.

Willa and Finn’s attraction is handled with ease and care. Initially Willa acts, and it’s up to Finn to take the second step once Willa makes her feelings and intentions clear. Both girls have extraordinary talents—both clever academically, street smart (in their own ways), and filled to the brim with innate goodness. Finn is constantly described as, or told she is, kind, a person who always stands up for her beliefs, but in the first part of the book, she loses confidence in herself, and second guesses her decisions. Watching her burden the responsibility for her slack group is both fascinating and difficult. Her admiration for Willa shines through, and their friendship keeps Finn grounded. By the time we switch to Willa’s point of view, Finn has rediscovered her mojo, and for the final two weeks of the camp, she never falters in her quest to be the best leader she can be, and to prove her commitment to Willa. It’s a lovely piece of character growth.

Willa’s perspective reveals a sad backstory. Her mother died, and  an absent father means she and her younger siblings live with their grandmother, who naturally is getting on and physically isn’t able to look after the two young children. Willa’s kept herself cut off from her peers, partly because she’s feels inferior and partly because she doesn’t have time to socialise. She has placed tremendous pressure on herself to excel at everything she can. These facts are explained slowly, and just as Finn’s team strive towards success, Willa feels her own team’s position slipping. But her fellow students prove their worth, and Willa’s defenses come down. A  lot more happens, particularly with another leader, Drew, but part of the story’s fun is to go on this journey with the two girls as they try to work out what’s the best course of action, both in terms of the camp, and in their own personal situation.

Copy provided by Ylva publisher, via Netgalley and read with thanks. Highly recommended for readers who like their novels full of details of strategic manipulation, and getting the better of narcissistic jerks. The romance starts sweet, and grows in intensity and affection. All the secondary characters have something to contribute, camp hi jinks are kept to a minimum, girls stick up for each other, and the dialogue is snarky and real. Apparently there will be another book about Finn and Willa, so don’t be too dismayed by its open ending. Future Leaders of Nowhere was released all the way back in March, and I urge you to find yourself a copy. It’s an excellent example of quality Australian young adult writing.