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A review by lingualibri
The Manic Pixie Dream Boy Improvement Project by Lenore Appelhans
3.0
I'd say a more accurate rating for me is a 3.5.
First, please note that I typically don't read YA. I am currently stuck in the middle of two other books (John McWhorter and George R. R. Martin. Oof.), and I think I just needed to shake up my summer reading. So while this book served that purpose for me, this isn't typically the sort of genre I read.
BUT, if I'm going to read YA, I'm definitely going to pick a book about fiction itself. I thought the whole concept of the story was very meta and clever, and I enjoyed the portrayal of various Tropes as relatable characters. (I'm pretty sure I'm actually a Manic Pixie myself.) I think the concept gets a little carried away with the addition of "subtropes" like "bubbly badass" or "wild child". To quote my friend Quinne, "those aren't tropes, those are personalities." And I agree.
In a way, I liked the concept of the book more than the actual story. This may be the most genuine irony here, as with most Manic Pixies, they are frequently admired for what they represent rather than who they are. The beginning was a cute introduction to the universe of the story, followed by a very engaging and entertaining series of chapters. However, near the end, the book loses focus.
As if the Villain Zone itself was able to zap the energy from the novel, the end of the book became increasingly awkward. While I absolutely admire Appelhans for using her Tropes to discuss problematic tropes in our society, the gravity of the topic sat uncomfortably against the lightheartedness of the established characters. (Which, maybe it should. Racism and sexism are uncomfortable topics.) In a way, that scene felt more like a PSA than a lesson Readers learn through the lens of our narrator.
Ultimately, all the elements were there, but the execution of the story itself wasn't quite as smooth as I'd hoped.
First, please note that I typically don't read YA. I am currently stuck in the middle of two other books (John McWhorter and George R. R. Martin. Oof.), and I think I just needed to shake up my summer reading. So while this book served that purpose for me, this isn't typically the sort of genre I read.
BUT, if I'm going to read YA, I'm definitely going to pick a book about fiction itself. I thought the whole concept of the story was very meta and clever, and I enjoyed the portrayal of various Tropes as relatable characters. (I'm pretty sure I'm actually a Manic Pixie myself.) I think the concept gets a little carried away with the addition of "subtropes" like "bubbly badass" or "wild child". To quote my friend Quinne, "those aren't tropes, those are personalities." And I agree.
In a way, I liked the concept of the book more than the actual story. This may be the most genuine irony here, as with most Manic Pixies, they are frequently admired for what they represent rather than who they are. The beginning was a cute introduction to the universe of the story, followed by a very engaging and entertaining series of chapters. However, near the end, the book loses focus.
As if the Villain Zone itself was able to zap the energy from the novel, the end of the book became increasingly awkward. While I absolutely admire Appelhans for using her Tropes to discuss problematic tropes in our society, the gravity of the topic sat uncomfortably against the lightheartedness of the established characters. (Which, maybe it should. Racism and sexism are uncomfortable topics.) In a way, that scene felt more like a PSA than a lesson Readers learn through the lens of our narrator.
Ultimately, all the elements were there, but the execution of the story itself wasn't quite as smooth as I'd hoped.