**PS: POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD**
Read the first paragraph under “all the words” before deciding to venture further!
The Movie Version by Emma Wunsch
Published by Amulet Books on October 11, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Source: Paperback ARC, BEA
Length: 368 pgs
Rating: ★★★★★
GR Rating: 3.33★
What It’s About:
A whip-smart, heart-wrenching debut YA novel about first love, first loss, and filmmaking that will delight fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer Niven:
In the movie version of Amelia’s life, the roles have always been clear. Her older brother, Toby: definitely the Star. As popular with the stoners as he is with the cheerleaders, Toby is someone you’d pay ten bucks to watch sweep Battle of the Bands and build a “beach party” in the bathroom. As for Amelia? She’s Toby Anderson’s Younger Sister. She’s perfectly happy to watch Toby’s hijinks from the sidelines, when she’s not engrossed in one of her elaborately themed Netflix movie marathons.
But recently Toby’s been acting in a very non-movie-version way. He’s stopped hanging out with his horde of friends and started obsessively journaling and disappearing for days at a time. Amelia doesn’t know what’s happened to her awesome older brother, or who this strange actor is that’s taken his place. And there’s someone else pulling at her attention: a smart, cute new boyfriend who wants to know the real Amelia—not Toby’s Sidekick. Amelia feels adrift without her star, but to best help Toby—and herself—it might be time to cast a new role: Amelia Anderson, leading lady.
There were a lot of times throughout the novel that, as different things occurred or were said, I found myself making some variation of the Jim Face© … but often without the hilarity tinged in the show. There were just some very real moments that I only knew how to handle by making a face, if that makes sense, haha?
This book was, in a word, unexpected. I went back and forth for ages over just how much to reveal in my review, but I honestly think that a) most people would want to know what it’s actually about and b) the synopsis is beyond misleading. If you don’t want any spoilers and would like to go on just the back cover synopsis, shield your eyes and don’t go any further.
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This book is about mental illness. And to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure how it handles it. When I finished, I thought it was a good representation. Certainly not a perfect, ideal world, best outcome scenario; but it represented it. The character that is represented as having the mental illness wasn’t always like this, it was something that …happened. The way that it impacted their family and friends was varied – some people were supportive, some were averse to dealing, some read all the books about what they should do, and some avoided the topic at all costs.
It was hard to read at times because of uncaring or potentially ignorant thoughts about the illness, but it did strike me as realistic for some teens. People are not always perfect; we make bad decisions, we think bad thoughts, we say the wrong things, we hurt people without meaning to. And I think this book was true to that. I know that I would be horrified to find out that my teenage self’s inner dialogue was broadcast to the whole world – I don’t think I was ever a terrible person, per se – but we’ve all done, said, and thought things we’re not proud of.
Not having been close to someone with mental illness, I can’t really say too much other than my opinion of how it was handled (along with the caveat that I might be wrong.) But I do think books like this are important, if only because they serve to begin a dialogue about mental illness – and what things are right and wrong in the representation, helping people like myself to better understand and be more empathetic through that understanding.
Ok, so all of that being said, should you read this book?
Oy, I’m not sure. When I finished it in May, I would’ve said yes without a second’s pause. I loved the way the characters were written, I loved the movie references and quotes, I loved the complexity and fluidity of Amelia and Toby’s relationship, I loved Amelia’s best friend Ray, and I liked that the relationship between Amelia and her guy was not by any means perfect or sensationalized. (It was hella awkward at times, y’all).
But now, I’ve read a lot of reviews, and they seem to be really polarized. There are some that view the mental illness as a plot device, and I can see this argument. I also can see the arguments that are being posited in which the inclusion of the mental illness is a good thing as long as it is handled reasonably well, with the intention to do good. (Which I think it was.)
Ultimately, I think this novel is about a lot of things, but at it’s heart it’s about a girl whose brother is diagnosed with a mental illness and how she attempts (not always well, mind you) to cope. Amelia isn’t always the easiest MC to like, but she felt real, and I appreciated that.
I would recommend this book to readers looking for an authentic feeling contemporary YA that is handling some serious issues – it might not be the best representation, but it’s worth the dialogue.
