A review by linesiunderline
Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Gotta say that it’s hard to believe this book was written for YA. There is A LOT of content in this book that places it squarely in the uppermost age range for YA - lots of drug and alcohol use and sex. I don’t object to that content, but fair warning, if you are putting this into the hands of a Young Adult, that person should be ready for this kind of content. I wonder about why the author didn’t make the cast college age? Perhaps it was perceived that there wouldn’t be enough of a readership? Still, when I imagine the characters, I picture characters older than sixteen / seventeen. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I see that disconnect as a flaw in the book. I think this book should have been written with characters who were older, which might change the audience somewhat.

Now that I’ve got this off my chest, I can say that this was a really fun reading experience, particularly for someone with familiarity with the original novel. I think the author succeeds beautifully in reimagining Anna’s world and experience. I particularly enjoyed seeing her slowly evolve and come into her own. There are plenty of complex relationships to discuss. The tone was engaging and the novel invites readers to think about important social issues while all the while being immensely entertaining. There’s a voyeuristic aspect to the reading experience as you get to glimpse what life might be like in some uber rich social circles.

An inventive, layered, and satisfying interpretation of a classic. Also, outstanding narration on audio!
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