Book-tuber Christine Riccio has been reviewing novels on YouTube since 2010, but she has now put the pen to paper and tried her hand at her own book - Again, but Better. Again, but Better follows Shane Primavera, a shy college student who has always lived her life doing exactly what her parents have wanted her to do. That is, until she lies to them about the REAL reason she is taking on a study abroad program in London. No, it's not to earn credits toward her medical degree, but rather to pursue her passion - creative writing. And oh, if she could make some real friends and finally kiss a boy, that would be ideal too. But as you can guess, it isn't all smooth sailing for Shane on the other side of the pond. Can she finally start living the life she has dreamed of, or will she forever bury her hopes and dreams in the name of keeping the peace with her parents?
There's a lot to like, but also a lot to hate about Christine Riccio's Again, but Better. Let's start with the good - the plot focuses on an issue that a lot of high school & college students can relate to - pursuing your passion and living your life to the fullest as opposed to doing what others expect of you. Riccio executes this plot line well - Shane's parents are truly formidable and overbearing - and I completely bought in to this storyline.
Where Riccio falters is in her characters and the rest of the plot. Her character development is weak, and I found Shane to be an incredibly annoying and unlikable person. I hate to say that after later learning that Christine essentially wrote Shane based upon herself, but it is true. Shane is annoying and insufferable.
Then there is the plot - for the first half of the book, that's essentially all there is to this book - the plot. Riccio does a lot of telling instead of showing as Shane finds her feet in her study abroad program. There are too many mundane descriptions of insignificant acts (passing a camera around and detailing each person in the group's photo op in front of a historical landmark) and loads of pop culture references. This made for lots of "what's the point" reading and the feeling that Riccio was trying too hard to be interesting and relevant.
I must say that I was pleasantly surprised when the book took on some magical realism, as I wasn't aware of this aspect going into the novel. I honestly was wondering why this book was so long and how Riccio would fill the pages. The concept behind the magic was intriguing, but again, the storyline wasn't great. Shane continues to be self-centered and immature, and her love interest, Pilot, is just as meh. I didn't consider Shane and Pilot's "again" to be "better," just different.
In all, I think that this novel's intended audience - young adults - will find it relatable and will enjoy this novel of self-discovery and being true to yourself. For older readers, it will likely be hit or miss.
Availability: Book; eBook in cloudLibrary Rating: *** Stars (I liked it)
Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
ARE YOU AND THIS BOOK A GOOD MATCH? DISCOVER MORE WITH NOVELIST APPEALS! Again, but Better
GENRE: Coming-of-Age Stories; Fantasy Fiction; First Person Narratives; Romantic Comedies
THEME: Love Abroad (A travel adventure leads to everlasting love.) TONE: Upbeat; Whimsical
STORYLINE: Character-Driven
WRITING STYLE: Conversational; Engaging
CHARACTER: Likeable
LOCATION: London, England
SUBJECT: College Students; First Loves; Medical Students; Options, Alternatives, Choices; Second Chances; Self-Discovery; Studying Abroad; Time Travel; Women College Students; Young Women
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