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alicezothers's review
4.0
Ordinary, overweight and lonely Delia meets Amandine on the last day of her first week at her new high school. Amandine is an artist, actress and ballerina — She’s exciting, extraordinary and bold. She’s nothing like anyone in their small town. But this innocent-seeming girl is also dark, controlling and dangerous. And she tells lies. Terrified of loneliness, 14-year-old Delia clings to Amandine. Before she knows it, Amandine has sucked her into a toxic friendship.
Adele Griffin is most definitely a great storyteller. She’s captured the inner workings of the adolescent mind, as well as the ineffectual communication between Delia and her parents. I sympathized with Delia from the start. There’s many layers to her insecurities, her character and her good heart.
More than anything, I understand her loneliness. Better a less-than-friendly friend than no friends. I was like Delia, terrified of loneliness. And unfortunately, toxic friendships are very common among adolescent girls. In middle school, I myself might have befriended an Amandine or two of my own — though not quite this extreme.
Amandine was a nice read. The ending is a bit rushed — I feel like there could have been more exploration of Delia’s inner demons. Nonetheless, the novel ends on a positive note (though it’s too much “telling” rather than “showing” for my tastes) and I feel sure that Delia will be just fine. She will grow into her own person. She’ll brave the wobbly years of adolescence… After all, fourteen doesn’t last forever.
***ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
Review originally appeared on my blog
Adele Griffin is most definitely a great storyteller. She’s captured the inner workings of the adolescent mind, as well as the ineffectual communication between Delia and her parents. I sympathized with Delia from the start. There’s many layers to her insecurities, her character and her good heart.
More than anything, I understand her loneliness. Better a less-than-friendly friend than no friends. I was like Delia, terrified of loneliness. And unfortunately, toxic friendships are very common among adolescent girls. In middle school, I myself might have befriended an Amandine or two of my own — though not quite this extreme.
Amandine was a nice read. The ending is a bit rushed — I feel like there could have been more exploration of Delia’s inner demons. Nonetheless, the novel ends on a positive note (though it’s too much “telling” rather than “showing” for my tastes) and I feel sure that Delia will be just fine. She will grow into her own person. She’ll brave the wobbly years of adolescence… After all, fourteen doesn’t last forever.
***ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review
Review originally appeared on my blog
iceangel9's review
3.0
This is a creepy book and the ending doesn't really satisfy, but then in real life not all the loose ends get tied up conveniently. One of the things I liked about this story is the fact that it was real, it didn't have a happily-ever-after ending. It leaves you with more questions than answers. Delia meets Amandine after she moves to a new town. It's obvious that Amandine is mentally unstable and why Delia allows herself to get sucked into the relationship is the most engaging part of this sad tale. Delia's loneliness, lack of self-confidence, lack of family grounding, and inability to really see her own motivations may make this tale all too familiar to some teens. Once Delia sees Amandine as she is she tries to end the relationship; Amandine's revenge is as shocking as it is cruel. This is a powerful story of the importance of choosing friends and the power of "one little" lie.
booksonhermind's review
5.0
Brilliant. Review to come...
She's Got Books on Her Mind
You know who's my new friend? Adele Griffin. After reading Amandine I am more than ready to read more. She crafts the tale of Delia, our main character, who just moved into town. Delia's a loner, overweight, and has a secret that can come and bite her back if she isn't too careful. The story is told in the past tense. Delia is trying to come to terms with how things turned out all messed up. She starts her story off with her meeting a strange girl with a lab coat and ballet shoes asking her if she wanted to see a journal she keeps of all of her ugliest things. The girl's name is Amandine and she likes to shock people. She likes to be noticed to which is evident based on her clothing. She also likes to manipulate you into staying her friend after you realize that even if she's very different from everyone else and she seems like a ton of fun to be with, in reality she's very harsh and will do anything to get what she wants even if it means trying to hurt you.
I loved the way the story was told in past tense. Delia has one of those wise, I've-seen-everything type of voices. It was easy to slip into her world because of that. I don't know how but Delia just got to me right away. I cared about her and could never think of seeing her as someone in the wrong. She may have played games with Amandine but she never meant anything to go to far. Amandine had a way of making her feel like she was in the wrong by putting others against her. And everyone just adored Amandine because she was so casually... her. She just does everything so overdramtically. She's one person and then she's another. Nice, sweet, the perfect daughter that her parents could hope for. But, she was so... pushy and mean. The lives of others were just a game to her. I couldn't help be fascinated just like Delia was by how she interacted with people and swayed them onto her side.
"I did not think she could tell I was staring at her, but she knew. It was something I learned about her, later. That Amandine was always aware of her audience."
Delia's secret was an interesting one. I think by Amandine trying to hold it over her head she made the situation worse for herself. Sometimes enough is enough but then Amandine of course had another trump card. The story was basically showing how things can spiral out of control. How if you don't take a hold of what makes you you there just may be a chance that someone will come up and give you a new identity, a new way of being. It shows you how easily the world can change you and one person can mess up what you percieved the world and people to be. It also about learning from your mistakes. Really what I thought about the message of the story was to choose your friends wisely and make sure they aren't crazy people... But, no really is was a great story with great messages. It was haunting and it was beautiful.
"Ah, nobody learns anything from being happy."
Overall: Absolutely loved this book. It made me think. It's characters were fascinating. I loved this story so so much. I loved everything about it and more. And of course I loved it because how can I not be a fan of someone who's a fan of another great author - my favorite author - Robert Cormier - the genius.
She's Got Books on Her Mind
You know who's my new friend? Adele Griffin. After reading Amandine I am more than ready to read more. She crafts the tale of Delia, our main character, who just moved into town. Delia's a loner, overweight, and has a secret that can come and bite her back if she isn't too careful. The story is told in the past tense. Delia is trying to come to terms with how things turned out all messed up. She starts her story off with her meeting a strange girl with a lab coat and ballet shoes asking her if she wanted to see a journal she keeps of all of her ugliest things. The girl's name is Amandine and she likes to shock people. She likes to be noticed to which is evident based on her clothing. She also likes to manipulate you into staying her friend after you realize that even if she's very different from everyone else and she seems like a ton of fun to be with, in reality she's very harsh and will do anything to get what she wants even if it means trying to hurt you.
I loved the way the story was told in past tense. Delia has one of those wise, I've-seen-everything type of voices. It was easy to slip into her world because of that. I don't know how but Delia just got to me right away. I cared about her and could never think of seeing her as someone in the wrong. She may have played games with Amandine but she never meant anything to go to far. Amandine had a way of making her feel like she was in the wrong by putting others against her. And everyone just adored Amandine because she was so casually... her. She just does everything so overdramtically. She's one person and then she's another. Nice, sweet, the perfect daughter that her parents could hope for. But, she was so... pushy and mean. The lives of others were just a game to her. I couldn't help be fascinated just like Delia was by how she interacted with people and swayed them onto her side.
"I did not think she could tell I was staring at her, but she knew. It was something I learned about her, later. That Amandine was always aware of her audience."
Delia's secret was an interesting one. I think by Amandine trying to hold it over her head she made the situation worse for herself. Sometimes enough is enough but then Amandine of course had another trump card. The story was basically showing how things can spiral out of control. How if you don't take a hold of what makes you you there just may be a chance that someone will come up and give you a new identity, a new way of being. It shows you how easily the world can change you and one person can mess up what you percieved the world and people to be. It also about learning from your mistakes. Really what I thought about the message of the story was to choose your friends wisely and make sure they aren't crazy people... But, no really is was a great story with great messages. It was haunting and it was beautiful.
"Ah, nobody learns anything from being happy."
Overall: Absolutely loved this book. It made me think. It's characters were fascinating. I loved this story so so much. I loved everything about it and more. And of course I loved it because how can I not be a fan of someone who's a fan of another great author - my favorite author - Robert Cormier - the genius.
christinap's review
5.0
Delia Blaine is a new girl in town..In old school, and in new school, Delia has doesn't have many friends. She is overweight, and shy. Delia meets Amandine, who is very spontaneous..and Amandine lives in a world of make believe, skits and games..Delia starts to mistrust and fear Amandine, and finds the strength to break away from Amandine. After Delia is away from Amandine, she realizes how much control Amandine had over her.
The book gives girls the confidence, strength and courage to break away from unealthy and/or controlling friends. Also demonstrated to girls that it is okay to have boundaries with friends. Great book for 5th grade and up.
The book gives girls the confidence, strength and courage to break away from unealthy and/or controlling friends. Also demonstrated to girls that it is okay to have boundaries with friends. Great book for 5th grade and up.
rachaelgreatbooks's review
1.0
I reread this book to revisit a book I liked in middle school.
While unsettling and creepy, this book is not a successful psychological thriller, because it's hard to believe the unreliable narrator. While she accuses Amandine of theatrical lying, there's not a lot of evidence that this is true. Except perhaps when Amandine blatantly lies to their mutual friend Mary about Delia's involvement in a cruel joke Amandine orchestrated against her. Ironically, Delia seems to be more of a proven liar than the villain of the story. Mostly I find the ending problematic because I only want books to promote a culture of believing survivors. I find the ending incredibly misogynistic and also harmful.
I read an article on Vulture recently called "Let's Celebrate the Stinky Heroines of Repulsive Realist Fiction" recently: https://www.vulture.com/2019/03/halle-butlers-the-new-me-and-the-trend-of-repulsive-realism.html In this article it celebrated books where heroines "rebel against the packaging of femininity and the oppression of the lacquered image." In Griffin's characterization of Amandine I found some of the trappings of this new subgenre of literature, but ultimately since you are ultimately supposed to side with the narrator of the book and reject Amandine, the book reinforces tropes about femininity.
The actual writing was very descriptive and fluid and I think that's originally what drew me to this book. The characters are complex, and have rich emotional lives which give a reality to the characters that is really refreshing. And I feel like this is a book that hits on relevant middle school themes such as belonging, friendship, and feeling alone.
Ultimately I would not recommend the book because I feel like it's content could give a harmful message to teens and tweens.
While unsettling and creepy, this book is not a successful psychological thriller, because it's hard to believe the unreliable narrator. While she accuses Amandine of theatrical lying, there's not a lot of evidence that this is true. Except perhaps when Amandine blatantly lies to their mutual friend Mary about Delia's involvement in a cruel joke Amandine orchestrated against her. Ironically, Delia seems to be more of a proven liar than the villain of the story. Mostly I find the ending problematic because I only want books to promote a culture of believing survivors. I find the ending incredibly misogynistic and also harmful.
I read an article on Vulture recently called "Let's Celebrate the Stinky Heroines of Repulsive Realist Fiction" recently: https://www.vulture.com/2019/03/halle-butlers-the-new-me-and-the-trend-of-repulsive-realism.html In this article it celebrated books where heroines "rebel against the packaging of femininity and the oppression of the lacquered image." In Griffin's characterization of Amandine I found some of the trappings of this new subgenre of literature, but ultimately since you are ultimately supposed to side with the narrator of the book and reject Amandine, the book reinforces tropes about femininity.
The actual writing was very descriptive and fluid and I think that's originally what drew me to this book. The characters are complex, and have rich emotional lives which give a reality to the characters that is really refreshing. And I feel like this is a book that hits on relevant middle school themes such as belonging, friendship, and feeling alone.
Ultimately I would not recommend the book because I feel like it's content could give a harmful message to teens and tweens.
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