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oliviaxreads's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
2.5
I think this book is about a really important topic, and sheds light on three real and true tragedies that deserve attention and reflection. But there's also a part of this book that feels like it's fetishizing the girls, despite its overarching attempt not to. The fake conversations typed out with the drawn out words, the mention of the girls big breasts and flat stomachs— it just feels a little bit too much like a painting made of addicts by someone watching them with slight jealousy. Nonetheless it's heartbreaking that these three women were failed so miserably, and burned out so quickly. And yet it's happening every day all around us.
olivegirl's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I really enjoyed this book, because I was too young in the early 2000s to experience party culture. However, after reading some reviews on Goodreads, I realized the book wasn't as good as I thought it was.
I was expecting more insight into how the Elissas were treated in the troubled teen facilities that they were put in, but it was quite surface based. Of course, that is to be expected when the author is using interviews with other people, not the Elissas themselves.
The language, in retrospect was really gross ("junkie"? To describe your so called best friend??) as well.
Finally, I wish the author had delved more into her friendship with Elissa. There were maybe 3 (??) chapters about their childhood and teenage years together, and then the rest was presumptions from afar.
To be honest, the book, in retrospect, felt trashy and really disrespectful.
I hope Elissa, Alissa and Alyssa rest in peace.
I was expecting more insight into how the Elissas were treated in the troubled teen facilities that they were put in, but it was quite surface based. Of course, that is to be expected when the author is using interviews with other people, not the Elissas themselves.
The language, in retrospect was really gross ("junkie"? To describe your so called best friend??) as well.
Finally, I wish the author had delved more into her friendship with Elissa. There were maybe 3 (??) chapters about their childhood and teenage years together, and then the rest was presumptions from afar.
To be honest, the book, in retrospect, felt trashy and really disrespectful.
I hope Elissa, Alissa and Alyssa rest in peace.
tawnymlara's review against another edition
5.0
The Elissas is a honest exploration of how the troubled teen industry ruined the lives of many Millennials, but in particular, three young women named Elissa. Leach’s writing tells the story from a journalistic approach while weaving a bit of her own story throughout. She also provides some tender moments of Millennial nostalgia as moments of levity. Highly recommend this well-written and well-researched book!
writingbookscoffee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.25
chareth666's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.75
heather_renae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
Minor: Eating disorder
cayleejanet's review
5.0
this is one of those where you know how the stories end and yet still you hope against hope for it to turn out differently, for everyone to get better and live and be happy, and yet they just don’t. it’s interesting to hear from an outside perspective of the troubled teen industry rather than from a survivor themselves, and the way she has crafted this book shows her love for her friend and her need to understand her life and the ripples it created