If You Thought Your High School Experience Was Bad...Forget It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   When Daphne Du Maurier wrote her masterwork, "Rebecca," she challenged the reader by not giving its heroine the name.   Jessica Knoll, in her gripping novel, "Luckiest Girl Alive!" goes her one better--her heroine has a name I have to look up in order to spell it.

                                     Her name is Ani  FaNelli, which is short for TifAni. She is fourteen years old, and if you think I am going to spend the rest of this post writing out her name, forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       This girl's high school experiences make mine look tame.  But, as despicable as the treatment of her is, I have to wonder about the heroine's choices.  Going to a party,  where there is underage drinking, and you are the only girl, is not a good idea.

                                        But this decision, and another incident beyond anyone's control, informs her adult life, where she becomes highly successful in her career--straight out of Lauren Weisberger-- but not so successful in her personal relationship. And this forces her into one of the biggest decisions of her life.

                                        The surprises and betrayals keep coming fast and furious, in "Luckiest Girl Alive,."  I would never think of spoiling the pleasure of discovery, but, while Knoll seems to pile it on, her book is a compelling read, though not the study of psychosis I was expecting. It is an examination of one who has endured emotional damage, and gone beyond it!  An inspiration for all!!!!!!!!

                                         Of course, the book has been sold to the movies, so let us hope it is not ruined.  And let us hope Reese Witherspoon, who is producing, realizes she is too old to play TifAni.

                                          There. I wrote it one more time.  The title is a double edged sword--and so is the heroine's life.

                                           But in the end, she triumphs.  Endurance is the message Knoll's novel has for us all!!!!!!!!!!