Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

“That would be the most surprising lesson I'd learn... You only scream when you're finally safe.”

Title: Luckiest Girl Alive

Author: Jessica Knoll

Publication: May 12th, 2015 by Simon Schuster

At a Glance:

HER PERFECT LIFE IS A PERFECT LIE.

As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani 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?

My Thoughts:

In an interview, Jessica Knoll reveals that she wanted her novel to have "a strong female character with a polarizing voice, a headline-grabbing catastrophe, and most importantly, a heart." I believe Knoll delivered on all three points with Luckiest Girl Alive.

I did not go into Luckiest Girl Alive with any preconceived notions - to be honest, I was interested in the book because I had heard there was going to be a film adaptation and I prefer to read the book before the movie. In the first few chapters, I enjoyed the narrator's wit and dark humor, but still didn't know where the book was headed. This quickly changed as the novel developed and even evolved after I finished the novel, when I learned the backstory behind the events that occur with Ani, the main character. Suddenly, the harsh sarcasm of the narrator grew from an unlikable trait to a coping mechanism and my feelings completely changed about Ani as my understanding about her deepened. The line between a fictional character and a real person became hazy because I realized this happens all the time: a person is considered "unlikable" until you learn their backstory.

And once you learn Ani's backstory, you won't want to stop learning. I was surprised to learn that this was Jessica Knoll's debut novel, because her addictive writing seemed so effortless. I listened to the audiobook and the twists really got me - just when I thought one was over, another one came. I really think it's important to read the inspiration for some of the events that occur in Ani's life after reading the novel, because it truly helped me appreciate the content more. When Jessica Knoll wanted "a heart" to be a part of her novel, she didn't disappoint.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Book Club of One:

Ani tells the reader “I’m no plucky heroine.” Do you agree? Why or why not? Did your opinion of Ani change as you learned more about her past? If so, why?

As I said in my review, my opinion of Ani did a complete 180 after I learned more about her past. I think that any time a reader discovers the backstory of a character, they become more of a "real" person and you can sympathize with them more. Especially with Ani, who came off as unlikable and pretentious at the beginning of the novel, the knowledge of her past provided a reason for this behavior from the walls that she built up around her. As an individual that experienced so much trauma, I am not surprised that she would want to reinvent herself and find "success" in any way that she could. If that makes her unlikable, then so be it -- she would deserve some slack for everything that she's been through in her life.

I do not agree with Ani defining herself as not a "plucky heroine." I think agreeing to be on a documentary that relives every traumatic moment you've ever been through for an audience to judge would be considered extremely brave. Coupled with the fact that she was a fifteen-year-old when these events occurred, she can't be blamed for not being traditionally "plucky." It was even more realistic to me because a girl at that age just wants to fit in and not bring any unnecessary attention to herself. Ani dealt with these events on her own, with minimal help from others, which I would consider even more courageous.

Explain the significance of the title of the book. When Ani is called the “‘luckiest girl alive,’” the phrase is used derisively. Who describes her as such and why? By the conclusion of the book, did you think Ani was lucky? If so, in what way?

I hated when the police officer called her the "luckiest girl alive." In what world would Ani be considered lucky for having two traumatic events happen to her? The police officer says this because she lived during the event at the school, but I can't believe anyone would say this to someone about such a tragedy. By the conclusion of the book, I still don't think I would use the word lucky to describe Ani. I believe her choice at the end of the novel was much more self-directed than a lucky getaway. Again, I think it took a lot of courage for Ani to leave the idea of security from wealth because she knew she would be unhappy. Especially after being so focused on attaining that vision of the perfect life, it was a powerful choice to turn her back on that.

(Discussion Questions from Simon & Schuster)

If You Like This, Read This:

The Last Mrs. Parrish - Liv Constantine

I would say these two novels have a similar tone at times. I enjoyed Luckiest Girl Alive more than The Last Mrs. Parrish, but I recognized a similar dry, sarcastic voice in both.

Who Inspires the Author?