Don't you just love it when you find a book that completely captures your attention 100%? Alena Dillon, author of Mercy House, has a new novel out and it is a showstopper - The Happiest Girl in the World. Just who is the happiest girl in the world? In the case of Dillon's pulse-pounding book, it is a young elite gymnast vying for a spot on the Olympic team. But is being a world-class gymnast as glamorous and fun as it seems? Dillon's novel dives deep into the dark side of USA Gymnastics, and is, quite frankly, the best fictional account of what happens on the inside that I have ever read. Any fan of the sport MUST read this novel - I promise you, you won't regret it!
The Happiest Girl in the World follows a young Sera Wheeler through her training from a pre-teen at her local gym to the world stage. Dillon shows us the side of gymnastics that we never see, and it's not just the rigors that gymnasts put their bodies through and the mental and emotional abuses they suffer from their coaches. Dillon also explores life at the Balogh Ranch (the Baloghs are a fictional stand-in for the famed Karolyis, prominent figures in USA Gymnastics for decades), the relationship between gymnasts and their families, the corruption that took place within USA Gymnastics for years, and perhaps, most famously, the predation of Eddie Levett, Dillon's version of the convicted sex offender and former Team USA doctor, Larry Nassar. There's so much to unpack within these pages, and every single sentence is utterly gripping.
The Happiest Girl in the World is a stunning page-turner that is sure not to leave the minds of readers anytime soon. If your image of USA Gymnastics wasn't already tarnished due to the recent scandals, this novel will further open your eyes to the price gymnasts pay to win gold. So much research went into this book to make it feel authentic and true to the elite gymnast experience, and Dillon's writing is utterly captivating. The Happiest Girl in the World is an absolutely harrowing tale of sacrifice and strife, but also one of perseverance and glory. I loved every minute of this novel, and I am excited that it is being published just in time for the re-scheduled 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo (yes, Dillon even touches on recent events in the form of the coronavirus & the postponement of the Olympics in this book!) A must-read for anyone who is fascinated with the sport.
Availability: eBook in cloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it!) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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GENRE: Mainstream Fiction TONE: Moving STORYLINE: Character-Driven; Issue-Oriented WRITING STYLE: Compelling SUBJECT: Addiction; Ambition; Drug Abuse; Expectation; Family Relationships; Friendship; Gymnastics; Psychic Trauma; Sex Crimes; Sexual Violence Victims; Sports; Women Gymnasts; Young Women
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