Publication
Simon & Schuster, 2015.
Status
Available
Description
"In a riveting debut novel that reads like Prep meets Gone Girl, a young woman is determined to create the perfect life--husband, home, and career--until a violent incident from her past threatens to unravel everything and expose her most shocking secret of all. Twenty-eight-year-old New Yorker Ani FaNelli seems to have it all: she's a rising star at The Women's Magazine, impossibly fit, perfectly groomed, and about to marry Luke Harrison, a handsome blueblood. But behind that veneer of perfection lies a vulnerability that Ani holds close and buries deep--a very violent and public trauma from her past that has left her constantly trying to reinvent herself. And only she knows how far she would go to keep her secrets safe. When a documentary producer invites Ani to tell her side of the chilling incident that took place when she was a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, she hopes it will be an opportunity for public vindication. Armed with the trappings of success--expensive clothes, high-powered byline, a massive engagement ring--she is determined to silence the whispers of suspicion and blame from her past, and prove once and for all how far she's come since Bradley. She'll even let them film her lavish wedding on Nantucket, the final step in her transformation. But perfection doesn't come without cost. As the wedding and filming converge, Ani's meticulously crafted facade begins to buckle and crack--until an explosive revelation offers her a final chance at redemption, even as it rocks her picture-perfect world. Equal parts glitz and darkness, and with a singular voice and twisting plot, Luckiest Girl Alive reads like Sex & the City--if Carrie Bradshaw had a closet full of skeletons instead of shoes. In Ani FaNelli, Jessica Knoll has created a complex and vulnerable heroine who you'll be rooting for to the very last page"-- "This riveting debut novel follows a young woman striving to create the perfect life-- husband, home, career-- until a violent incident from her past threatens to unravel everything and expose her most shocking secret of all"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BrandieC
2.5 stars
I clearly am living on a different planet from the editors of Good Housekeeping and all the other reviewers who have favorably compared Jessica Knoll's Luckiest Girl Alive to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. I loved Gone Girl, but I found Luckiest Girl Alive so slow and uninteresting (at least
Once Knoll turned her attention from the minutiae of Ani's impending society wedding to the hackneyed "chilling and violent incident" which occurred when Ani was a teenager, her story gained some momentum, but Knoll never adequately integrated these experiences into Ani's adult persona so as to explain her present-day actions. On the very first page of the book, for example, Ani fantasizes about stabbing her fiancé in the stomach while they are shopping for kitchen knives, yet nothing we learn about her past (or, for that matter, her fiancé's behavior) accounts for this. Ani remains shallow, self-centered, and unlikeable from start to finish, without any hint of the cleverness which made Flynn's anti-heroine so fascinating.
I received a free copy of Luckiest Girl Alive through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I clearly am living on a different planet from the editors of Good Housekeeping and all the other reviewers who have favorably compared Jessica Knoll's Luckiest Girl Alive to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. I loved Gone Girl, but I found Luckiest Girl Alive so slow and uninteresting (at least
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for the first 11 chapters, which take up almost two-thirds of the book) that I would have given up on it had I not committed to review it.Once Knoll turned her attention from the minutiae of Ani's impending society wedding to the hackneyed "chilling and violent incident" which occurred when Ani was a teenager, her story gained some momentum, but Knoll never adequately integrated these experiences into Ani's adult persona so as to explain her present-day actions. On the very first page of the book, for example, Ani fantasizes about stabbing her fiancé in the stomach while they are shopping for kitchen knives, yet nothing we learn about her past (or, for that matter, her fiancé's behavior) accounts for this. Ani remains shallow, self-centered, and unlikeable from start to finish, without any hint of the cleverness which made Flynn's anti-heroine so fascinating.
I received a free copy of Luckiest Girl Alive through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member tipsy_writer
I'll be honest, I grabbed this book from the bookstore because I saw it on a blog I regularly read but had little to no idea what it was about. But thank goodness I picked it up because I totally loved it!
Having never actually been to New York before, I felt that the setting was a stand out in
I think off-hand I had heard this book be compared to Gone Girl...oh wait, it's on the cover. I really don't agree with that, but it's still totally worth your time. If you enjoyed Gone Girl, don't expect a similar story or style, but I still think you would enjoy it.
Sometimes I say not to run out and buy this book but if you find yourself looking for something to read then pick it up - for this one I might actually recommend that you make an effort to get out and get it. If you're anything like me you'll plow through it in a day or two.
Having never actually been to New York before, I felt that the setting was a stand out in
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this book. Having no clue the world that they lived in, I didn't feel that they held me back from understanding what they were looking at. And the characters were almost so much like some people I know, it was borderline creepy at times...but that made it an even more enjoyable read. I think off-hand I had heard this book be compared to Gone Girl...oh wait, it's on the cover. I really don't agree with that, but it's still totally worth your time. If you enjoyed Gone Girl, don't expect a similar story or style, but I still think you would enjoy it.
Sometimes I say not to run out and buy this book but if you find yourself looking for something to read then pick it up - for this one I might actually recommend that you make an effort to get out and get it. If you're anything like me you'll plow through it in a day or two.
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LibraryThing member skrouhan
I agree with a lot of the reviewers on this one. I despised the main character, Ani. She is shallow and self-obsessed, definitely not someone I would spend any time with in real life. And yet, I still ended up reading the book in a day. I absolutely do not think it deserves to be compared with Gone
One comment I'll make, although I don't know if others will agree, is that I felt like the ending was a little out of character. While Ani ultimately bettering herself and becoming a more worthwhile human being is a fabulous way to end her story, her sudden self-redemption during her wedding makes no sense to me. She has been obsessed with how people think of her from childhood, not to mention judgmental and superficial are engrained in her personality. It would be one thing if it was all an act, but as a reader I truly felt like deep down, this is who Ani is, and I just don't think it would be so easy or simple for her to completely turn her life around.
Overall, a fun summer read, if nothing else. I think Jessica Knoll certainly has what it takes - now we just have to wait for her to really give it some oomph!
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Girl, or Girl on the Train, but it is certainly an interesting, fast-paced debut novel. Although I ended up predicting most of the events/"twists," I still enjoyed reading them...although after the "secret" is revealed, the narrative lags a bit. One comment I'll make, although I don't know if others will agree, is that I felt like the ending was a little out of character. While Ani ultimately bettering herself and becoming a more worthwhile human being is a fabulous way to end her story, her sudden self-redemption during her wedding makes no sense to me. She has been obsessed with how people think of her from childhood, not to mention judgmental and superficial are engrained in her personality. It would be one thing if it was all an act, but as a reader I truly felt like deep down, this is who Ani is, and I just don't think it would be so easy or simple for her to completely turn her life around.
Overall, a fun summer read, if nothing else. I think Jessica Knoll certainly has what it takes - now we just have to wait for her to really give it some oomph!
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LibraryThing member lrhubble
Contemporary, Thriller
Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation when she was a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School. It also left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now she is living close to the perfect life she has worked so hard to achieve with a handsome blue blood fiancé, an
Ani has a secret.
She is still haunted by something else that is buried in her past. It is something that is both painful and private and it is threatening to bubble to the surface and ruin everything for her.
Ani has a cutthroat ambition and some sharp edges that she uses to protect a scandalous truth and a heart that is actually bigger than it seems.
Now Ani has to decide if by breaking her silence she will destroy everything she has worked for or if she will finally be set free.
This is a book that takes so many twists and turns that you never know just where it is going or where it will end up. Ani seems cold and difficult but as the reader gets more into the story they find that there is a lot more to Ani than they first thought there was. The story is very engrossing as the reader will want to find out just what is going on and what Ani is hiding from her past. It has a very satisfying ending and the story will stay with the reader long after they have finished the book.
Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation when she was a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School. It also left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now she is living close to the perfect life she has worked so hard to achieve with a handsome blue blood fiancé, an
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expensive wardrobe and a glamorous job. Ani has a secret.
She is still haunted by something else that is buried in her past. It is something that is both painful and private and it is threatening to bubble to the surface and ruin everything for her.
Ani has a cutthroat ambition and some sharp edges that she uses to protect a scandalous truth and a heart that is actually bigger than it seems.
Now Ani has to decide if by breaking her silence she will destroy everything she has worked for or if she will finally be set free.
This is a book that takes so many twists and turns that you never know just where it is going or where it will end up. Ani seems cold and difficult but as the reader gets more into the story they find that there is a lot more to Ani than they first thought there was. The story is very engrossing as the reader will want to find out just what is going on and what Ani is hiding from her past. It has a very satisfying ending and the story will stay with the reader long after they have finished the book.
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LibraryThing member TrishaPick
This book may be accepted more with a younger crowd (twenties)than with the older crowd (60's). I expected a thriller but received a coming of age novel with a small dose of violence.
LibraryThing member muddyboy
The story about a private school bristling with poorly adjusted kids. Ani FaNelli is a new student and it doesn't take her long to find out and suffer because of this. There is a signature event that I will not divulge that will turn the school upside down. The second half of the book takes place
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years later when there is a documentary planned about that fateful day. A very interesting study involving the dark side of bullying and all its residual events. Show Less
LibraryThing member Schatje
I read this book because Maclean’s described it as “smart, sexy, and sharp . . . with more than a bit of heart and hope to it.” I found, however, that it had little of these qualities.
TifAni FaNelli is a very status-conscious writer for a glossy women’s magazine. Not yet 30, she seems to
The narrative alternates between past and present. Ani’s life in the present is interspersed with flashbacks to her past, and gradually the reader learns what made her the person she is.
And she is not a likeable person. She is so superficial, judging everyone based on appearance: are they wearing the appropriate designer clothes and do they have a sufficiently thin body? She is judgmental and hypocritical: she has clawed her way up the social ladder but she sneers at her mother’s attempts to do the same. As the truth of what happened to her is revealed, the reader is to have more sympathy for her and to realize that her personality is a façade she has “meticulously crafted” in order to survive. Perhaps I am as cold-hearted as Ani, but I just didn’t find myself empathizing as much as the author probably hoped readers would.
TifAni was gullible and shallow as a teenager, and she hasn’t matured. What happened to her was certainly traumatic, but she has learned little. She has had over a decade to reflect on what happened and why, yet she has realized nothing? In the end, she makes some decisions which are supposed to indicate a positive change, but I found myself unconvinced. For a character change to be convincing, the character must be capable of change. Ani’s attitude and behaviour are so entrenched that she seems incapable of change.
The author creates suspense by hiding what happened to TifAni. This works to a certain extent. The problem is that once the reader learns what happened – well before the end of the book – interest lags.
This is another of those books, like The Girl on the Train, which makes for a nice light read on summer vacation but does not stand up well when examined critically.
TifAni FaNelli is a very status-conscious writer for a glossy women’s magazine. Not yet 30, she seems to
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have everything, including a privileged lifestyle with a rich, trophy husband-to-be. Beneath the surface, however, is a person damaged by events when she was a freshman in an elite private high school. A documentary being filmed brings what happened to her to the forefront.The narrative alternates between past and present. Ani’s life in the present is interspersed with flashbacks to her past, and gradually the reader learns what made her the person she is.
And she is not a likeable person. She is so superficial, judging everyone based on appearance: are they wearing the appropriate designer clothes and do they have a sufficiently thin body? She is judgmental and hypocritical: she has clawed her way up the social ladder but she sneers at her mother’s attempts to do the same. As the truth of what happened to her is revealed, the reader is to have more sympathy for her and to realize that her personality is a façade she has “meticulously crafted” in order to survive. Perhaps I am as cold-hearted as Ani, but I just didn’t find myself empathizing as much as the author probably hoped readers would.
TifAni was gullible and shallow as a teenager, and she hasn’t matured. What happened to her was certainly traumatic, but she has learned little. She has had over a decade to reflect on what happened and why, yet she has realized nothing? In the end, she makes some decisions which are supposed to indicate a positive change, but I found myself unconvinced. For a character change to be convincing, the character must be capable of change. Ani’s attitude and behaviour are so entrenched that she seems incapable of change.
The author creates suspense by hiding what happened to TifAni. This works to a certain extent. The problem is that once the reader learns what happened – well before the end of the book – interest lags.
This is another of those books, like The Girl on the Train, which makes for a nice light read on summer vacation but does not stand up well when examined critically.
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LibraryThing member refice
For me Luckiest Girl Alive did not live up to the review.
Two significant experiences shaped TifAni FaNelli’s life. First, she was gang raped at 14 by a bunch of boys in the popular crowd whom she so desperately wanted to embrace her. Second, she was involved in a Columbine-like school shooting
We meet the successful TifAni (now calling her Ani, pronounced ‘AHNEE’, I guess because she thinks it sounds more mature) and learn retrospectively about her teen years. A documentary about her school, which comes across to me as a contrivance, evokes the bad memories.
I just don’t feel like Knoll did a good job of connecting cause and effect. For example, throughout the story TifAni characterizes her mother as obsessively pretentious, but I was never quite sure what impact her mother’s behavior was supposed to have on the story line. Nor was I ever quite sure why the popular kids snubbed TifAni after the rape. Was it because they suddenly thought less of her, or viewed her as a poseur, or objected that she got a popular kid in trouble, or were jealous that the boys paid attention to her at all? I never grasped why the English teacher was portrayed as such a pivotal influence in her life. And, why her fiancé (Luke) was so attracted to her. Was it because she appeared venerable like him, or just the opposite, a self-made woman? I never did figure out what dramatic events were supposed to have occurred at the rehearsal dinner. I do agree that the second half of the book was more cohesive than the first.
All in all I don’t recommend it and it certainly doesn’t compare with any of Gillian Flynn’s work.
Two significant experiences shaped TifAni FaNelli’s life. First, she was gang raped at 14 by a bunch of boys in the popular crowd whom she so desperately wanted to embrace her. Second, she was involved in a Columbine-like school shooting
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carried out by one of the unpopular kids with whom she was friendly. The impact of these events led her (somehow) to equate control of one’s destiny with the accoutrements of success, like designer clothes, a high powered job, and an old-wealth fiancé. We meet the successful TifAni (now calling her Ani, pronounced ‘AHNEE’, I guess because she thinks it sounds more mature) and learn retrospectively about her teen years. A documentary about her school, which comes across to me as a contrivance, evokes the bad memories.
I just don’t feel like Knoll did a good job of connecting cause and effect. For example, throughout the story TifAni characterizes her mother as obsessively pretentious, but I was never quite sure what impact her mother’s behavior was supposed to have on the story line. Nor was I ever quite sure why the popular kids snubbed TifAni after the rape. Was it because they suddenly thought less of her, or viewed her as a poseur, or objected that she got a popular kid in trouble, or were jealous that the boys paid attention to her at all? I never grasped why the English teacher was portrayed as such a pivotal influence in her life. And, why her fiancé (Luke) was so attracted to her. Was it because she appeared venerable like him, or just the opposite, a self-made woman? I never did figure out what dramatic events were supposed to have occurred at the rehearsal dinner. I do agree that the second half of the book was more cohesive than the first.
All in all I don’t recommend it and it certainly doesn’t compare with any of Gillian Flynn’s work.
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LibraryThing member bookchickdi
The one blurb that publishers want on their novel is "Better than Gone Girl!", which is getting a little ubiquitous lately. I'm not a big suspense fan, and Gone Girl wasn't my favorite book, but I have read other books compared to it, like The Girl On The Train.
Jessica Knoll's suspenseful novel
Something is off about Ani. She has a fabulous job at a woman's magazine (think Cosmo), and is engaged to a great catch, a man with a great job and who is socially connected. But there is something in Ani's past, something that happened when she was in high school.
Ani grew up on the wrong side of the tracks outside Philadelphia. Her mother wanted Ani to meet the right people and so sent her daughter to Bradley, a private high school for blue bloods. Ani didn't fit in at first, she sat at the misfits' table at lunch.
Until one day, she caught the eye of one of the popular guys at school. Soon she was eating lunch with the cool kids and even attending their parties where, of course, everyone was drinking.
Something bad happened at Bradley, and the reader is not told what. A documentary crew wants to interview Ani about the incident, but Ani's fiance doesn't want her to do the interview. What exactly happened?
The reader is given clues, but when we finally find out what happened, about halfway through the book, the story really takes off. I have to admit that up until that revelation, I was not really taken with the story. But once we get to the incident, Knoll's writing is so tight and tense, I felt like I didn't take a breath for the entire chapter.
I have to admit, I guessed wrong as to what really happened, and so the surprise was shocking, even though as we got closer to the reveal, there are clues given if you want to pick them up.
Knoll's characters are well developed, and anyone who went to high school (which is most of us) felt many of the things Ani did- isolated, fearful of not fitting in, and hoping to make friends. Knoll taps into those feelings so well.
Ani has problems, and in the early chapters when she talks about her sexual desires, I admit to thinking that maybe this book just isn't for me. But I'm glad I continued on, because I was rewarded with a nail-biting story. Ani has to look inside herself to discover who she really wants to be, and her journey to get there is fascinating.
I liked Luckiest Girl Alive better than Gone Girl and better than The Girl On The Train, because Jessica Knoll does a great job of creating suspense and empathy for a troubled character. And even after reading it awhile ago, just thinking about now it is giving me heart palpitations and a dry mouth.
Jessica Knoll's suspenseful novel
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Luckiest Girl Alive even has 'girl' in the title. It begins with Ani FaNelli shopping for items to put on her bridal registry. She picks up a Wustof knife and wonders how it would feel if she slid into her fiance's stomach.Something is off about Ani. She has a fabulous job at a woman's magazine (think Cosmo), and is engaged to a great catch, a man with a great job and who is socially connected. But there is something in Ani's past, something that happened when she was in high school.
Ani grew up on the wrong side of the tracks outside Philadelphia. Her mother wanted Ani to meet the right people and so sent her daughter to Bradley, a private high school for blue bloods. Ani didn't fit in at first, she sat at the misfits' table at lunch.
Until one day, she caught the eye of one of the popular guys at school. Soon she was eating lunch with the cool kids and even attending their parties where, of course, everyone was drinking.
Something bad happened at Bradley, and the reader is not told what. A documentary crew wants to interview Ani about the incident, but Ani's fiance doesn't want her to do the interview. What exactly happened?
The reader is given clues, but when we finally find out what happened, about halfway through the book, the story really takes off. I have to admit that up until that revelation, I was not really taken with the story. But once we get to the incident, Knoll's writing is so tight and tense, I felt like I didn't take a breath for the entire chapter.
I have to admit, I guessed wrong as to what really happened, and so the surprise was shocking, even though as we got closer to the reveal, there are clues given if you want to pick them up.
Knoll's characters are well developed, and anyone who went to high school (which is most of us) felt many of the things Ani did- isolated, fearful of not fitting in, and hoping to make friends. Knoll taps into those feelings so well.
Ani has problems, and in the early chapters when she talks about her sexual desires, I admit to thinking that maybe this book just isn't for me. But I'm glad I continued on, because I was rewarded with a nail-biting story. Ani has to look inside herself to discover who she really wants to be, and her journey to get there is fascinating.
I liked Luckiest Girl Alive better than Gone Girl and better than The Girl On The Train, because Jessica Knoll does a great job of creating suspense and empathy for a troubled character. And even after reading it awhile ago, just thinking about now it is giving me heart palpitations and a dry mouth.
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LibraryThing member rglossne
Entertaining. Readable. Ultimately pretty shallow.
LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
While I wasn't crazy about the main character, Ani, I did enjoy the book and read in one day. It certainly held my interest and had a twist that I wasn't expecting.
LibraryThing member c.archer
I'm somewhere in the middle on this book as far as rating. I read it fairly voraciously, but I'm not sure that I really liked the story. I think I would give this an average of 3.5 stars. I found parts of the story fascinating, and other parts disdainful-at least to me personally.I guess I would
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say you might take a chance on it. It has a flow that pulls you along, I'm just not sure that I completely enjoyed the ride. My real problem was the unlikable main character, Ani(TifAni). Ani is the type of person that I would not like in real life. She puts on a good act, but underneath is shallow and self-seeking. This held me back in completely enjoying this book. Quite honestly, she is a b**ch. She is engaged to a successful and attractive young man whose family is old money. This seems to have been her goal along with a successful journalism career of her own. One might peg her one of the "luckiest girls alive". Yet her family and some traumatic events in her past have made her far from normal. She questions her commitment to her fiance and her feelings about him. Throughout the book the back story of her youth and its very disturbing events unfolds. This was the better part of the read for me, and what I found fascinating. Eventually the past gets confronted in the present and brings a resolution to the story and Ani's direction in life. Show Less
LibraryThing member susan.h.schofield
I gave this book 3 stars because I am not sure how I feel about it. The first half of the book was a little slow for me and the main character, Ani was just so unlikable. But the second half of the book picked up the pace and as you found out more about what had happened to Ani, she became a more
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sympathetic character. It is not the next Gone Girl but fans of Gone Girl will probably enjoy this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member atticusfinch1048
Luckiest Girl Alive – Dark Read
Luckiest Girl Alive is the debut novel from Jessica Knoll, a former editor at Cosmopolitan, who has written an interesting book. The only problem with this novel is that the publicists have over egged the pudding calling this a thriller, which it is not. That said
Ani FaNelli is a woman that is trying to escape her past, she is a feature writer for ‘The Women’s Magazine’ one of the top selling women’s magazines in America. She seems to have it all a wealthy fiancé, a great job she loves, and a very bright future. But lurking in the background is a violent and dark past that Ani hopes will remain there. As her wedding gets closer she is asked to take part in a documentary which she hopes will answer her critics and her past that she has moved on. This is her chance to show the world that she really is the luckiest girl alive with a better future.
Ani is not an easy character to like, but as you read on you can see how her past has coloured her future. Ani is very much a victim of her past and that the documentary will not only be her redemption but very much a revelation that she can put her past behind her and move on.
We see Ani from when she was better known in her school days as TifAni FaNelli and how as a teenage girl in a new private school she wanted to be one of the popular girls. How trying to be popular would really come back and hit her where it hurts, and that she soon discovers who her real friends are. How at times Ani is destroyed by her present situation as a new girl the outsider who will do anything to be popular. How rumours will destroy her and she just wants to escape from that nightmare.
This really is an enjoyable read, even if it is not the thriller that we are promised, but we have what in places is a dark and twisted read, with a lead character that is easy to dislike but who grows on you until you admire her. A great debut novel, with interesting characters and an enjoyable read.
Luckiest Girl Alive is the debut novel from Jessica Knoll, a former editor at Cosmopolitan, who has written an interesting book. The only problem with this novel is that the publicists have over egged the pudding calling this a thriller, which it is not. That said
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Luckiest Girl Alive is a fantastic read it is more a book of revelation and redemption with a dark twist, which has the reader riveted from the beginning.Ani FaNelli is a woman that is trying to escape her past, she is a feature writer for ‘The Women’s Magazine’ one of the top selling women’s magazines in America. She seems to have it all a wealthy fiancé, a great job she loves, and a very bright future. But lurking in the background is a violent and dark past that Ani hopes will remain there. As her wedding gets closer she is asked to take part in a documentary which she hopes will answer her critics and her past that she has moved on. This is her chance to show the world that she really is the luckiest girl alive with a better future.
Ani is not an easy character to like, but as you read on you can see how her past has coloured her future. Ani is very much a victim of her past and that the documentary will not only be her redemption but very much a revelation that she can put her past behind her and move on.
We see Ani from when she was better known in her school days as TifAni FaNelli and how as a teenage girl in a new private school she wanted to be one of the popular girls. How trying to be popular would really come back and hit her where it hurts, and that she soon discovers who her real friends are. How at times Ani is destroyed by her present situation as a new girl the outsider who will do anything to be popular. How rumours will destroy her and she just wants to escape from that nightmare.
This really is an enjoyable read, even if it is not the thriller that we are promised, but we have what in places is a dark and twisted read, with a lead character that is easy to dislike but who grows on you until you admire her. A great debut novel, with interesting characters and an enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member manka23
I loved this book. It was intriguing from the start and had a great twist. It lets you look at things in a whole new perspective. I really felt for the main character. I think Jessica Knoll did a great job with characterization. I really felt like I understood each character, even the ones I hated,
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I knew where they were coming from. This is a hard book to review because I don't want to give anything away. Basically my suggestion is to read it. It was so thrilling and I couldn't stop thinking about it for days after I finished. Show Less
LibraryThing member justacatandabook
Ani FaNelli is engaged to a wealthy man, has a great job, and is finally about to lead the life she's always wanted. But Ani is hiding a secretive past - as a teen, she endured a traumatic event and she's kept her secrets hidden ever since. Now, as she's about to get married, Ani is struggling to
This was an interesting book - Ani is truly a despicable character in many ways, though as her past unfolds, you start to learn more about what has made Ani who she is. Her finance and her school-hood friends aren't much better. Perhaps the best thing about this book is Knoll's ability to eventually make Ani sympathetic, despite many of her faults. She's a complicated and multi-faceted character, which is a refreshing change from many novels.
The novel is suspenseful for sure, but because it was so consistently billed as the next "Gone Girl," I kept waiting for an even bigger twist, which was a bit of a letdown. I probably would have enjoyed the novel even more if I didn't have all these comparisons swirling in my head. In the end, it was a good read and certainly a fast one, but doesn't necessarily live up to its billing.
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contain her past and lead the life she's always wanted. This was an interesting book - Ani is truly a despicable character in many ways, though as her past unfolds, you start to learn more about what has made Ani who she is. Her finance and her school-hood friends aren't much better. Perhaps the best thing about this book is Knoll's ability to eventually make Ani sympathetic, despite many of her faults. She's a complicated and multi-faceted character, which is a refreshing change from many novels.
The novel is suspenseful for sure, but because it was so consistently billed as the next "Gone Girl," I kept waiting for an even bigger twist, which was a bit of a letdown. I probably would have enjoyed the novel even more if I didn't have all these comparisons swirling in my head. In the end, it was a good read and certainly a fast one, but doesn't necessarily live up to its billing.
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
Ani (pronounced Ahh-nee, not Annie) is planning her wedding to handsome Luke Harrison. Though the idea of having a husband doesn’t particularly appeal to her, marrying into a respectable, old money family is the final step to getting everything she’s ever wanted. She already has the glamorous
Ani is prickly and inexplicably damaged but also can be strangely likable. Sharp as a knife but also vulnerable in her mission to reinvent herself. Author Jessica Knoll delivers tantalizing tidbits of Ani’s life as the story moves back and forth in time, leaving one thing perfectly clear -- TifAni FiNelli’s life was forever altered when she transferred from a Catholic school in a middle class neighborhood to an exclusive private high school on the Main Line. Since then, Ani has changed her name and and played the game to build the future she thinks she wants. But now, with the last piece falling into place, can she truly leave the actions of her past behind?
Clever, gripping, disturbing, fast-paced, and twisty! Should appeal to fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
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job in Manhattan, an expensive wardrobe, and the right friends. Marrying Luke will complete the defensive wall she has labored on since college, preventing anyone from ever hurting her again.Ani is prickly and inexplicably damaged but also can be strangely likable. Sharp as a knife but also vulnerable in her mission to reinvent herself. Author Jessica Knoll delivers tantalizing tidbits of Ani’s life as the story moves back and forth in time, leaving one thing perfectly clear -- TifAni FiNelli’s life was forever altered when she transferred from a Catholic school in a middle class neighborhood to an exclusive private high school on the Main Line. Since then, Ani has changed her name and and played the game to build the future she thinks she wants. But now, with the last piece falling into place, can she truly leave the actions of her past behind?
Clever, gripping, disturbing, fast-paced, and twisty! Should appeal to fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
Show Less
LibraryThing member andsoitgoes
This was a page turner. Enjoyed the twists and turns. What you think the secret is is only part of the trauma of this 14 year old girls life. Would not compare it all to Gone Girl or Girl on the Train but if you like those books you will like this one. The main character is tough to like which, in
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retrospect, I don't think Jessica Knoll wants you to. I did hate the spelling of the main characters name; TifAni (is this a hint abt the character usage of her physical assets? (T & A)?) Show Less
LibraryThing member Susan.Macura
This is the story of Ani, a teen who attended a prestigious private high school where one night, in an effort to fit in, she attended a party where she drank too much and was raped by a number of “popular” guys. Told in flashbacks, she describes her desire to also be popular, the rape itself, a
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subsequent attack by one of the group, the school shooting that defined that era and how she reinvented herself to become a successful magazine writer engaged to a real “catch” who comes from old money. It all ties together in a tale that comes together at the end. Show Less
LibraryThing member sogamonk
A quick read, certainly not Gone Girl. Hated the principal character, which made it difficult for me to enjoy the book
That being said, i am sure there are many readers who can identify with the protagonist. Scary.
That being said, i am sure there are many readers who can identify with the protagonist. Scary.
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
For some reason this book ended up on my to-read-list without me reading a summary of what it was about, so needlessly to say, I was a bit surprised. A word to the wise, this book is about rape and a school shooting. The narrator, Ani, is uncomfortably real and human. A young woman set on having it
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all, but somehow left empty despite the glamorous job, beautiful wardrobe, and handsomely wealthy fiance. This book was a jarring read and a frightening commentary on the damage human beings can inflict on each other. Show Less
LibraryThing member JillsWorld5
3.5 stars
Throughout the first half of this book, I kept saying to myself, why am I still reading this? TifAni, aka Ani - please don't pronounce it Annie, is a self-centered, materialistic girl who only cares about being engaged to the rich guy from a high society family in New York. To put it
I loved the idea of this book, and I'm pretty sure you will find a lot of girls like TifAni in this world, but for me, the thought of how very real it could be made the first half harder for me to read.
The book does get better halfway through which I was very happy about. This is the big moment when you find out what made TifAni, aka Ani, who she is today. These were the pages I couldn't get enough of, if only the first half had been this good.
All in all, this is a well-written book that I think some people will like, it's just not for everyone.
Throughout the first half of this book, I kept saying to myself, why am I still reading this? TifAni, aka Ani - please don't pronounce it Annie, is a self-centered, materialistic girl who only cares about being engaged to the rich guy from a high society family in New York. To put it
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lightly, she is a phony who had to fight her way to fit in as a Woman's Magazine writer in New York, as well as overcoming some tragedies as a teenager.I loved the idea of this book, and I'm pretty sure you will find a lot of girls like TifAni in this world, but for me, the thought of how very real it could be made the first half harder for me to read.
The book does get better halfway through which I was very happy about. This is the big moment when you find out what made TifAni, aka Ani, who she is today. These were the pages I couldn't get enough of, if only the first half had been this good.
All in all, this is a well-written book that I think some people will like, it's just not for everyone.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Luckiest Girl Alive, Jessica Knoll, author, Madeleine Maby, narrator
When the book begins, TifAni FaNelli, as the stylish, 28 year old, soon to be, Ani Harrison, is a typical Bridezilla. Unfortunately, the foul language she used in so much of her dialogue almost had me giving up and never
For Ani Harrison, the future looks to be very bright. Her coming nuptials, to a man from the upper crust of society will accomplish her main goal in life. She looks the part of a well bred woman, and she plays it well. For 14 year old TifAni FaNelli, the future did not look as bright. She was from a modest background, living in a working class neighborhood, trying desperately to fit in with those in a higher social class. She appeared to be a kid that was easy to make the scapegoat, and her desire to be liked pushed her into making many foolish choices which eventually caused her, rightly or wrongly, to be expelled from her Catholic School. Serendipitously, she was then accepted into a prestigious upper class private school, where she continued bending the rules.
As a teen with a desire to fit in, she would lie to her folks, friends and teachers, and sneak out to accommodate the wishes of those friends whose company she desired. She was prone to eating binges, and seemed to be passive aggressive, at times, with bizarre excessive swings of mood. She also possessed a desire and ability to brutally humiliate others, all the while justifying her behavior to herself with one or another excuse she believed. She did not seem to be a very nice young girl. When tragedy struck her new school, her life changed direction once again. Throughout her teen years and then into her twenties, she remained haunted by the memories of the events that eventually led up to the disastrous incident at The Bradley School.
TifAni became Ani and continued to define her life in material and sexual terms, always trying to climb up the social ladder. She was a quick study. She learned just how to behave and dress from those who were living in the social strata to which she aspired. She was very aware and obsessive about her own beauty and weight, seesawing on diets through the years and panicking about her advancing age. She harshly judged all of the people she met with a cold, cruel eye, ridiculing their physical attributes and even their speech patterns. She had accomplished her goal of remaking herself and fitting into a world into which she was not born. Her upcoming wedding, to her boyfriend with magazine cover, good looks and a full bank account to go with it, was to be held on the island of Nantucket with all of the right accoutrements around her. She had a good job at a trendy magazine writing fairly raunchy articles about sex and relationships. She made nice money, dressed well, had the right job and the right future husband, but she was guided by self serving principles, not by ethics. She thought nothing of setting her sights on someone or something and she didn’t care how she got it or if anyone got hurt in the process, so long as in the end, she was the winner.
The story reveals itself by traveling back and forth in time, from her high school days to her present time. Slowly, as more and more of her background is disclosed, she does not become more likable, though she may morph into a more sympathetic figure, to some. I never liked her, even though I understood the reasons for her cynicism, anger and overly critical eye. She was one tough, young woman that I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw a horse. She liked to take chances and stretch the rules and she seemed to enjoy hurting others and to get off on the thought of being hurt herself. The violent incident at her chichi private school, eventually leads the story’s narrative. The ultimately, unpunished, criminal behavior TifAni experienced and the unfairness of the idea of her possible, but unproven, involvement in the school violence, continued to disturb her and influence her behavior.
After reading the book, I wondered how much revenge is enough, how much punishment is appropriate and are different types of punishment more appropriate for certain criminal behavior. Should the authorities not be more flexible before a final judgment is made on anyone’s behalf? I think many readers will wonder about the consequences of teenage behavior, the bullying and cliquing, parental guidance, the rules, regulations and punishments meted out, the value of friendship and loyalty, and finally the idea of retaliation, vengeance and ultimately, the meaning of justice. What makes someone do something heinous? Can the signs be recognized and the brutality prevented?
It is a good beach read, if you can get past the unpleasant vulgar vocabulary which has become more and more commonplace in what passes for literature today. The book will keep you engaged, wondering where the storyline is going, but the dialogue between the characters and the main character’s presentation will often be crude and intimidating in style. I do think the book could probably have been written without the smut. Instead of being, as I first thought, about how many dirty words could occur in a book, or how many girls wanted to have sex with the heartthrobs, or just how nasty someone could actually be, it was, underneath it all, about, materialism, immaturity, emotional instability, rape and the carnage it leaves in its wake, and the explosion of teenage angst and emotions that they cannot control or understand which often leads to catastrophic conclusions.
TifAni FaNelli was not a likable character. This is a window into a traumatic period of her life.
When the book begins, TifAni FaNelli, as the stylish, 28 year old, soon to be, Ani Harrison, is a typical Bridezilla. Unfortunately, the foul language she used in so much of her dialogue almost had me giving up and never
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discovering the underlying themes of the book. A friend I respect had recommended it, so I decided to continue reading. With its unusual twists and turns, it turned into an interesting read about the experiences of a young girl from a troubled background. Her character is explored under a microscope. The people she lives with, the people who befriend and love her, as well as her antagonists, and those in authority in both the school and law enforcement system, are laid bare as well, over a period of 14 years. For Ani Harrison, the future looks to be very bright. Her coming nuptials, to a man from the upper crust of society will accomplish her main goal in life. She looks the part of a well bred woman, and she plays it well. For 14 year old TifAni FaNelli, the future did not look as bright. She was from a modest background, living in a working class neighborhood, trying desperately to fit in with those in a higher social class. She appeared to be a kid that was easy to make the scapegoat, and her desire to be liked pushed her into making many foolish choices which eventually caused her, rightly or wrongly, to be expelled from her Catholic School. Serendipitously, she was then accepted into a prestigious upper class private school, where she continued bending the rules.
As a teen with a desire to fit in, she would lie to her folks, friends and teachers, and sneak out to accommodate the wishes of those friends whose company she desired. She was prone to eating binges, and seemed to be passive aggressive, at times, with bizarre excessive swings of mood. She also possessed a desire and ability to brutally humiliate others, all the while justifying her behavior to herself with one or another excuse she believed. She did not seem to be a very nice young girl. When tragedy struck her new school, her life changed direction once again. Throughout her teen years and then into her twenties, she remained haunted by the memories of the events that eventually led up to the disastrous incident at The Bradley School.
TifAni became Ani and continued to define her life in material and sexual terms, always trying to climb up the social ladder. She was a quick study. She learned just how to behave and dress from those who were living in the social strata to which she aspired. She was very aware and obsessive about her own beauty and weight, seesawing on diets through the years and panicking about her advancing age. She harshly judged all of the people she met with a cold, cruel eye, ridiculing their physical attributes and even their speech patterns. She had accomplished her goal of remaking herself and fitting into a world into which she was not born. Her upcoming wedding, to her boyfriend with magazine cover, good looks and a full bank account to go with it, was to be held on the island of Nantucket with all of the right accoutrements around her. She had a good job at a trendy magazine writing fairly raunchy articles about sex and relationships. She made nice money, dressed well, had the right job and the right future husband, but she was guided by self serving principles, not by ethics. She thought nothing of setting her sights on someone or something and she didn’t care how she got it or if anyone got hurt in the process, so long as in the end, she was the winner.
The story reveals itself by traveling back and forth in time, from her high school days to her present time. Slowly, as more and more of her background is disclosed, she does not become more likable, though she may morph into a more sympathetic figure, to some. I never liked her, even though I understood the reasons for her cynicism, anger and overly critical eye. She was one tough, young woman that I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw a horse. She liked to take chances and stretch the rules and she seemed to enjoy hurting others and to get off on the thought of being hurt herself. The violent incident at her chichi private school, eventually leads the story’s narrative. The ultimately, unpunished, criminal behavior TifAni experienced and the unfairness of the idea of her possible, but unproven, involvement in the school violence, continued to disturb her and influence her behavior.
After reading the book, I wondered how much revenge is enough, how much punishment is appropriate and are different types of punishment more appropriate for certain criminal behavior. Should the authorities not be more flexible before a final judgment is made on anyone’s behalf? I think many readers will wonder about the consequences of teenage behavior, the bullying and cliquing, parental guidance, the rules, regulations and punishments meted out, the value of friendship and loyalty, and finally the idea of retaliation, vengeance and ultimately, the meaning of justice. What makes someone do something heinous? Can the signs be recognized and the brutality prevented?
It is a good beach read, if you can get past the unpleasant vulgar vocabulary which has become more and more commonplace in what passes for literature today. The book will keep you engaged, wondering where the storyline is going, but the dialogue between the characters and the main character’s presentation will often be crude and intimidating in style. I do think the book could probably have been written without the smut. Instead of being, as I first thought, about how many dirty words could occur in a book, or how many girls wanted to have sex with the heartthrobs, or just how nasty someone could actually be, it was, underneath it all, about, materialism, immaturity, emotional instability, rape and the carnage it leaves in its wake, and the explosion of teenage angst and emotions that they cannot control or understand which often leads to catastrophic conclusions.
TifAni FaNelli was not a likable character. This is a window into a traumatic period of her life.
Show Less
LibraryThing member susanbeamon
This was a very interesting book, and spoilers commence. I read it just as there were a couple of school shootings, which made the story more relevant. This give us an inside sideways look at the dynamics of current high school, cliques and all.
We first meet Ani as an adult, sharp tongued and on
I thought through most of the book the defining moment in her life was the bad night she spent with three of her male classmates, but it wasn't. By that time, so many small injuries had been inflicted by her parents, a social climbing mother and a father who told her almost daily that he hadn't wanted her and didn't like her, that she was mostly immune to the slings and arrows of her classmates. That paralysis of spirit was behind her engagement to a man who made her feel safe but that she didn't love.
I received my copy of the book from The Reading Room.
We first meet Ani as an adult, sharp tongued and on
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her way up, engaged to a upward bound man. She is going to do a turn in a documentary about an event in her past, which means we get to go through her past. The two timelines weave around each other, showing how Ani changed from TifAni and how she reclaimed herself.I thought through most of the book the defining moment in her life was the bad night she spent with three of her male classmates, but it wasn't. By that time, so many small injuries had been inflicted by her parents, a social climbing mother and a father who told her almost daily that he hadn't wanted her and didn't like her, that she was mostly immune to the slings and arrows of her classmates. That paralysis of spirit was behind her engagement to a man who made her feel safe but that she didn't love.
I received my copy of the book from The Reading Room.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Serenity_Tigerlily
I didn’t have any expectations going into Luckiest Girl Alive— if I did I probably would’ve been a little disappointed. I found the book to be both enjoyable and annoying at the same time. A weird combination. I actually didn’t mind Ani’s character that much. Although she was shallow,
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judgmental, and bitchy, I could understand her mindset. I’m beginning to feel that female characters like Ani are almost becoming stock in a lot of “chick-lit thrillers”. I feel like I’ve read her character many times before. I found it odd that this book was compared to Gone Girl, not because I hold Gone Girl on a pedestal, but because they had two completely different auras. I found Luckiest Girl Alive to give off an “edgy” YA vibe. Not a necessarily a bad thing, but not the thriller I was expecting. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9781476789651
Original publication date
2015