Sunday 22 April 2018

The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven – review



Publisher: Electric Monkey

Izzy O'Neill here! Impoverished orphan, aspiring comedian and Slut Extraordinaire, if the gossip sites are anything to go by . . .

Izzy never expected to be eighteen and internationally reviled. But when explicit photos involving her, a politician's son and a garden bench are published online, the trolls set out to take her apart. Armed with best friend Ajita and a metric ton of nachos, she tries to laugh it off - but as the daily slut-shaming intensifies, she soon learns the way the world treats teenage girls is not okay. It's the Exact Opposite of Okay. (Publisher's blurb)


I'm so excited about this book! It's the ultimate YA read - it's hilarious, honest and 
thought-provoking. It also raises so many important questions about how teenage girls are treated, especially in the age of social media.

My favourite thing about this book by far was Izzy. She feels like a real teenager (and someone I would've liked to hang out with when I was that age). I loved the fact that the book is unapologetic about the fact that she's sexually active, as this is the reality for some teenagers. 

This leads on to the another great thing about this book. It explores a lot of current issues for teenagers in an open, sympathetic manner. Izzy faces some terrible treatment from the press and other people, and her response to it is really believable. She also encounters other problems such as a male friend who is increasingly pushy about entering a relationship with Izzy. This book challenges the fact that such behaviour is sometimes seen as 'romantic' and conveys an uplifting, feminist message.

I also thought the humour in this book was great! I don't often laugh out loud at books and this one had me crying with laughter. Izzy's brand of humour is rude and boundary-pushing, which appeals to me!

This is an uplifting book that deals with some difficult issues with humour. I can't wait for the next instalment of Izzy's adventures!





   

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