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Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here
Meet Scarlett Epstein, BNF (Big Name Fan) in her online community of fanfiction writers, world-class nobody at Melville High. Her best (read: only) IRL friends are Avery, a painfully shy and annoyingly attractive bookworm, and Ruth, her weed-smoking, possibly insane seventy-three-year-old neighbor.
When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. And if they ever find out what Scarlett truly thinks about them, she’ll be thrust into a situation far more dramatic than anything she’s ever seen on TV…
When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. And if they ever find out what Scarlett truly thinks about them, she’ll be thrust into a situation far more dramatic than anything she’s ever seen on TV…
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 951 reviews
December 19, 2015
I hear the girl who wrote this book is stunning
April 27, 2016
My absolute favorite book of 2016 so far. So smart, so funny, and feminist as fuck, without stomping all over other girls' choices.
It's out in stores today, and I'll have a review and author guest post on the blog next week, but in the meantime:
Ave is pretty, too, but she's like a wilted version of Ashley with braces and slightly duller hair. If they had been fetal twins, Ashley definitely would've consumed Avery for nutrients, and all that'd be left of Ave would be a tumor with a few teeth in it.
This is the funniest YA book I've read in years. YEARS. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire book. Scarlett is also a fucking heroine, and I love her to pieces.
More awesome things: memorable characters, messy parent/teen relationships, teen/older adult friendships, lower lower middle class that's not portrayed in a tragic way, teachers who give a shit, cute love connections, girl friendships...I could go on and on, but you should really just read the book and find out for yourself.
First five star book of 2016, btw! LOVE.
It's out in stores today, and I'll have a review and author guest post on the blog next week, but in the meantime:
Ave is pretty, too, but she's like a wilted version of Ashley with braces and slightly duller hair. If they had been fetal twins, Ashley definitely would've consumed Avery for nutrients, and all that'd be left of Ave would be a tumor with a few teeth in it.
This is the funniest YA book I've read in years. YEARS. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire book. Scarlett is also a fucking heroine, and I love her to pieces.
More awesome things: memorable characters, messy parent/teen relationships, teen/older adult friendships, lower lower middle class that's not portrayed in a tragic way, teachers who give a shit, cute love connections, girl friendships...I could go on and on, but you should really just read the book and find out for yourself.
First five star book of 2016, btw! LOVE.
April 1, 2016
A lot of good stuff here. It's funny. The whole fanfic community is entertaining. Ruth, the 70-year old feminist pot-smoker is a riot.
But much of the novel is underdeveloped in terms of plot. It's kind of episodic in nature, jumping from one plot point to another, sometimes spending too much time on it (Scarlett's "original" fiction is mostly terrible) and sometimes too little (Scarlett's relationship with her dad or Gideon).
Not the best book, and yet good enough to seriously interest me in Breslaw's future efforts.
But much of the novel is underdeveloped in terms of plot. It's kind of episodic in nature, jumping from one plot point to another, sometimes spending too much time on it (Scarlett's "original" fiction is mostly terrible) and sometimes too little (Scarlett's relationship with her dad or Gideon).
Not the best book, and yet good enough to seriously interest me in Breslaw's future efforts.
April 27, 2018
Just wow! I had no idea this was going to be one of those reads that would seriously leave a mark on me. Something so life affirming, so socially relevant and significant, so realistic and relatable, so educational and also uplifting, I swear I shed a few tears even though the entire narrative is hilarious as heck. It was really so unexpected. I mean, this is no Tuesday’s with Morrie, alright as Ruth would say, but for me it’s even better.
Because it’s not only about a story between a student learning about life from a professor, it’s also about a young girl trying to navigate the world of high school which is so foreign, so alien to her, she couldn’t seem to understand why she’s having such a hard time fitting in. It’s only when she’s chatting with her friends online talking about their favorite show and writing “fix it” fanfics that Scarlett is truly herself.
In real life, she only has two friends. Fellow teenager, Math Geek, (Avery) and a hipster, 73-year-old a retired professor on feminist literature (Ruth) from whom I learned so much. I wish I had a professor like her back in college. Just a few of the wisdom (even though she didn’t want to call it wisdom) that Ruth imparted:
“It’s amazing how the more you read, the less you know.”
“You’re sixteen. By the time you’re twenty-one, they’ll expect you to be a real person. This is your asshole window. It’s wide open.”
“Kiddo, your life started the minute you put pen to paper.”
“But maybe the most valuable thing Ruth taught me is the importance of trying to understand people who are different from you, even though it’s so much harder than writing them off, because it might make you admit something to yourself that’s painful. “
The story was like a collaboration amongst my recent favorite contemporary writers. Holly Bourne's liberal take on feminism, add in Julie Buxbaum 's and Krystal Sutherland’s relatable approach on social anxiety and social constructs in general, then put together all three’s humor and on the spot contemporary references including Harry Potter references and voila! You have Anna Breslaw’s Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here and I honestly loved it. I enjoyed every bit of it, the messy relationships, even Scarlett’s fanfic that has a concrete plot of its own.
I know now Goodreads average rating cannot always be trusted. ;)
August 13, 2016
Very few books can me make me laugh out loud once, let alone laugh out loud multiple times. But the best thing about this is that it made cry just as much. I went into this with adequate, maybe low expectations because i've read so many mixed reviews, but I came out of this absolutely loving this and becoming one of my all time favorites.
Scarlett's story just really worked for me. Her voice was authentic. I found her to be sarcastic, witty, and sardonic but in just the right ways. I can see why people either won't like her or find her to be "too much" but honestly, Scarlett is just flawed like everyone else. And that's what the most beautiful thing about this story is that it's about people and our perceptions of them. How sometimes people can so quickly judge others based on surface things. I liked how the truth of every character in this book was revealed layer by layer and not all is what it seems. And for me, the author didn't make it too melancholy or too cheesy. It was perfectly balanced.
Bonus: great friendships, great side characters, interesting parent-daughter dynamics that made me SUPER emotional, and a cute romance. Yea, Anna Breslaw fit all this into less than 300 pages and made it work. For me this was fantastic and you should definitely give this a go. 5 stars.
Scarlett's story just really worked for me. Her voice was authentic. I found her to be sarcastic, witty, and sardonic but in just the right ways. I can see why people either won't like her or find her to be "too much" but honestly, Scarlett is just flawed like everyone else. And that's what the most beautiful thing about this story is that it's about people and our perceptions of them. How sometimes people can so quickly judge others based on surface things. I liked how the truth of every character in this book was revealed layer by layer and not all is what it seems. And for me, the author didn't make it too melancholy or too cheesy. It was perfectly balanced.
Bonus: great friendships, great side characters, interesting parent-daughter dynamics that made me SUPER emotional, and a cute romance. Yea, Anna Breslaw fit all this into less than 300 pages and made it work. For me this was fantastic and you should definitely give this a go. 5 stars.
August 11, 2015
If there's a greenroom where characters hang out while between stories, Scarlett Epstein is there with Frankie Landau Banks and Juno. They're all cracking jokes and taking names and rolling their eyes and then feeling sorry about being a bit too judgmental. I would love to be there with them except that I enjoy not being fictitious.
Scarlett doesn't quite fit in at her high school--which makes her great at seeing the faults of her fellow students and satirizing them in her online fiction. Her critiques are hilarious; my favorite part is when she describes a guy as "comic sans in human form." She makes constant pop culture references that I find funny but I'm not sure teens will always understand (unless they're up on movies/music from before their time). Scarlett's criticism sometimes goes to far, but she starts to figure that out as certain complicated events unfold (which I won't spoil here). The story ended up being more touching that I expected it to be (I definitely teared up!) and Scarlett gained real depth by the end.
One of the funniest, sharpest YA novels out there and my new go-to recommendation for friends who read contemporary lit. I'm pretty sure Breslaw is about to carve out some serious space for herself in the YA category.
Scarlett doesn't quite fit in at her high school--which makes her great at seeing the faults of her fellow students and satirizing them in her online fiction. Her critiques are hilarious; my favorite part is when she describes a guy as "comic sans in human form." She makes constant pop culture references that I find funny but I'm not sure teens will always understand (unless they're up on movies/music from before their time). Scarlett's criticism sometimes goes to far, but she starts to figure that out as certain complicated events unfold (which I won't spoil here). The story ended up being more touching that I expected it to be (I definitely teared up!) and Scarlett gained real depth by the end.
One of the funniest, sharpest YA novels out there and my new go-to recommendation for friends who read contemporary lit. I'm pretty sure Breslaw is about to carve out some serious space for herself in the YA category.
May 20, 2016
DNF @ 39%
This wasn't bad. But I'm unimpressed, and there's too much going on that bothers me.
-High School Drama
-Unrelatable/unsympathetic main character
-Weird fanfic chapters that I couldn't care less about
I think it's better to stop now than drag myself through this and waste my time with a book that I can't enjoy.
This wasn't bad. But I'm unimpressed, and there's too much going on that bothers me.
-High School Drama
-Unrelatable/unsympathetic main character
-Weird fanfic chapters that I couldn't care less about
I think it's better to stop now than drag myself through this and waste my time with a book that I can't enjoy.
June 9, 2016
I seriously conflicted over this book. It had been on my wishlist and TBR for ages, and I was proper looking forward to reading it when I had some free time during or after my exams. The day after my second exam, I decided to give myself some free time away from revision, and this book was calling to me from my bookshelf. Before I get into the proper review, it should be noted that I did read it all in one sitting, so at least there's that.
Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is about Scarlett, a high school student who is a self proclaimed fangirl. Her favourite show, Lycanthrope High, has been cancelled, and she's gone into mourning. Her and her online friends, some of the best fanfic writers for Lycanthrope High, group together to overcome the loss, and Scarlett begins writing fanfic influenced both by the show, and by her own life. In reality, she hasn't got many friends, the person she's closest too is an 80 year old pensioner living across the road. The boy who she had been best friends with when they were younger, Gideon, has been 'brain washed' by the Populars, but her crush never truly went away. She draws far too much from reality for her fanfic, with people like herself, Gideon, and mean girl Ashley, being the building blocks for her 'fictional' characters.
I should have loved this book. I'd seen a ton of positive reviews online, from bloggers whose opinions I trust, and, quite simply, the synopsis promised something right up my street. I don't really know why, but the book was just flat. I never really connected with Scarlett, or honestly, liked her. The characters were all too blah for me to care about, and I feel like I was just reading the book, without connecting with it at all, or really caring. I flew through the book, but more because I wasn't savouring it like I wanted too; rather, I was kinda skimming through the book to see if it got any better.
The plot lines, too, didn't hook me. Out of the 'real' story, and the fictionalised fanfic, the fanfic was better, but only marginally so. I did appreciate Breslaw's writing, though, it had to have been the best part of the entire book. Because of this, I would probably give her books another go in the future, but Scarlett Epstein wasn't for me.
Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is about Scarlett, a high school student who is a self proclaimed fangirl. Her favourite show, Lycanthrope High, has been cancelled, and she's gone into mourning. Her and her online friends, some of the best fanfic writers for Lycanthrope High, group together to overcome the loss, and Scarlett begins writing fanfic influenced both by the show, and by her own life. In reality, she hasn't got many friends, the person she's closest too is an 80 year old pensioner living across the road. The boy who she had been best friends with when they were younger, Gideon, has been 'brain washed' by the Populars, but her crush never truly went away. She draws far too much from reality for her fanfic, with people like herself, Gideon, and mean girl Ashley, being the building blocks for her 'fictional' characters.
I should have loved this book. I'd seen a ton of positive reviews online, from bloggers whose opinions I trust, and, quite simply, the synopsis promised something right up my street. I don't really know why, but the book was just flat. I never really connected with Scarlett, or honestly, liked her. The characters were all too blah for me to care about, and I feel like I was just reading the book, without connecting with it at all, or really caring. I flew through the book, but more because I wasn't savouring it like I wanted too; rather, I was kinda skimming through the book to see if it got any better.
The plot lines, too, didn't hook me. Out of the 'real' story, and the fictionalised fanfic, the fanfic was better, but only marginally so. I did appreciate Breslaw's writing, though, it had to have been the best part of the entire book. Because of this, I would probably give her books another go in the future, but Scarlett Epstein wasn't for me.
March 19, 2016
Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is a breath of fresh air with a hilarious and snarky main character, the most authentic portrayal of teen life I've ever read, and heartwarming, subtle themes.
While reading this book, I was tittering with laughter throughout. Scarlett is so funny and creative. Her actions were so understandable, and I really sympathized with her plights. As a newbie writer myself, I loved seeing Scarlett's evolving feelings towards embracing her writing and literature in general. The voice is clear and exceptionally written. I felt as though I were actually in Scarlett's mind throughout this book. Scarlett's relationships with various secondary characters are also explored, and I love the development in all of these areas.
There is a dash of romance in this story, and I love that it doesn't overshadow the story or bring about Scarlett's growth. Also her love interest, Gideon, is kind of a jerk in some parts of the novel. I proudly cheered Scarlett on as she calls him out on all of his misdeeds. YES. THANK YOU. So often in YA, the main character completely dismisses all the bad things her love interest has done. Communication is key, and Scarlett and Gideon excel at that.
Another aspect I was wildly impressed with was Anna's firm grasp on teen life and their insecurities and mannerisms. She really understands what it's like to be a teen and everything that goes with it. The dialogue felt so real. The urge to be popular and the feeling of never fitting in were discussed too. I so admire Anna for tackling this and doing it right. This book is perfect for all readers but most especially for teens. There is so much that we can learn from this novel. I loved how much this book stresses the importance of trying to understand people instead of just judging.
The fanfiction elements were highly entertaining and fascinating to read. I loved how Anna introduced us to the fandom and fanfiction world. I was pleasantly surprised to see we got to read part of Scarlett's fanfiction! I also really liked how it mirrored what was happening in her life. The fanfiction story was just as engaging and fascinating as the book it was within. Anna's writing is fluid and charming, and her story's pacing was great. Also this book really puts the 'L' in LOL.
I found much more depth and humor in this book than I'd bargained for. This book is a quick, fun read that I urge you all to read!
While reading this book, I was tittering with laughter throughout. Scarlett is so funny and creative. Her actions were so understandable, and I really sympathized with her plights. As a newbie writer myself, I loved seeing Scarlett's evolving feelings towards embracing her writing and literature in general. The voice is clear and exceptionally written. I felt as though I were actually in Scarlett's mind throughout this book. Scarlett's relationships with various secondary characters are also explored, and I love the development in all of these areas.
There is a dash of romance in this story, and I love that it doesn't overshadow the story or bring about Scarlett's growth. Also her love interest, Gideon, is kind of a jerk in some parts of the novel. I proudly cheered Scarlett on as she calls him out on all of his misdeeds. YES. THANK YOU. So often in YA, the main character completely dismisses all the bad things her love interest has done. Communication is key, and Scarlett and Gideon excel at that.
Another aspect I was wildly impressed with was Anna's firm grasp on teen life and their insecurities and mannerisms. She really understands what it's like to be a teen and everything that goes with it. The dialogue felt so real. The urge to be popular and the feeling of never fitting in were discussed too. I so admire Anna for tackling this and doing it right. This book is perfect for all readers but most especially for teens. There is so much that we can learn from this novel. I loved how much this book stresses the importance of trying to understand people instead of just judging.
The fanfiction elements were highly entertaining and fascinating to read. I loved how Anna introduced us to the fandom and fanfiction world. I was pleasantly surprised to see we got to read part of Scarlett's fanfiction! I also really liked how it mirrored what was happening in her life. The fanfiction story was just as engaging and fascinating as the book it was within. Anna's writing is fluid and charming, and her story's pacing was great. Also this book really puts the 'L' in LOL.
I found much more depth and humor in this book than I'd bargained for. This book is a quick, fun read that I urge you all to read!
July 21, 2015
I was able to read an early copy of Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here, and to be honest, I already had VERY high expectations because I've read a lot of Anna's writing in women's magazines and it's ALWAYS SO smart, so funny, and also strangely poignant. ANYWAY.
This book MORE than delivered. It made me FALL IN LOVE. The whole time I was reading it, I was like "wow, Scarlett is my BEST friend!" She's hilarious, wry, weird, and a little snobby. She's very real, far from perfect, but also super sympathetic. She makes mistakes, but all the way through, I loooooved her. And all the people around her are so full, so multi-faceted. Anna never lets the reader settle with their one-sided view of something.
And as sweet and tender and moving as this book was, it was at least that funny, probably moreso. I laughed aloud so many times.
I would call this a super girl-positive FANGIRL for Whedonites. Fic and fandom people are going to love it, and twenty-somethings who grew up with Buffy are going to love it. I'm sorry you can't have it now, but your wait will be worth it!
This book MORE than delivered. It made me FALL IN LOVE. The whole time I was reading it, I was like "wow, Scarlett is my BEST friend!" She's hilarious, wry, weird, and a little snobby. She's very real, far from perfect, but also super sympathetic. She makes mistakes, but all the way through, I loooooved her. And all the people around her are so full, so multi-faceted. Anna never lets the reader settle with their one-sided view of something.
And as sweet and tender and moving as this book was, it was at least that funny, probably moreso. I laughed aloud so many times.
I would call this a super girl-positive FANGIRL for Whedonites. Fic and fandom people are going to love it, and twenty-somethings who grew up with Buffy are going to love it. I'm sorry you can't have it now, but your wait will be worth it!
June 8, 2016
i have a love/hate thing for this book.
February 11, 2021
See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I got from Amazon Vine.
I started writing fan fiction for Vampire Kisses when I was fourteen or so and I’m still reading it (general fanfiction, that is) every night as I approach my twenty-second birthday even though I quit writing it when I was sixteen. Needless to say, I think fan fiction is awesome and that it factors into Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here as a major plot point was absolutely the reason I picked this book up. If I’d been smart and seen the pitch of “If Amy Schumer and Rainbow Rowell had a baby, she’d be Anna Breslaw” earlier, I would have been smart and run away. I don’t like Amy Schumer. I don’t like Rainbow Rowell. I have no feelings about Anna Breslaw, but I sure don’t like Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here.
Scarlett is about sixteen or seventeen, but her inner monologue reads younger to me due to numerous failed jokes (see: a failed and very offensive PTSD joke) and the fact she’s only just now learning that writing stories about people she knows IRL is a bad idea. I figured that out when I was thirteen and writing my first-ever story. Let’s just say letting my thoughts leak onto the page about people I actually knew made a friendship go down in flames.
Maybe I didn’t frequent the kind of fan fiction community Breslaw (presumably) did, but posting new chapters in a forum–your average people-talking-to-each-other-about-things forum–the way Scarlett and co. do strikes me as odd. I frequent(ed) AO3 and fanfiction.net and can’t remember seeing that. Nor did I see it in my brief dip into the LiveJournal fanfic community. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn’t. Either way, the fan fiction bits weren’t that interesting and anyone who does find it fun don’t get more than the first five chapters or so of what is clearly meant to go on for a while.
Scarlett also has an extraordinary about of girl hate going on, especially toward her best friend’s sister Ashley, who is the quintessential mean girl. It gets challenged as she gets forced into her character growth toward the end, but her character before then isn’t necessarily strong enough for readers to stick around long enough for change to start happening. As I said at one point while reading, “I hope someone pulls Scarlett’s head out of her ass soon. I’m starting to worry she’ll be suffocated by all her shit.”
Her rough character and unconvincing character growth isn’t helped by the novel’s sluggish page. Important events are few and far between, and even those feel like things that were made to happen instead of natural events. For instance, her fanfic about Ashley and her boyfriend/Scarlett’s crush Gideon is discovered only at the end of the novel and only because Ashley sees it on her sister’s computer. It feels like someone told Breslaw someone needed to find the fic already so things could happen after 200 pages of characters bumbling around doing nothing, so she found the easiest way possible to make that happen.
After that point, everything readers wished had happened during the long stretch of nothing is squeezed into a handful of pages. Scarlett figures out writing about IRL people is bad even if it’s how you try to understand people you don’t like, poor attempts at tugging at readers’ heartstrings are made by a character’s death, and a weak ending forces Scarlett and her love interest together. By the time you turn the last page, the characters still haven’t convinced you of themselves and you still have no idea why Scarlett refers to her mom Dawn by her name instead of Mom. Kids usually don’t call their parents solely by their given name for no reason.
I guess I simply don’t get Scarlett Epstein. I connect to her as a fellow fan fiction aficionado, but that’s about it. If you like Amy Schumer, Rainbow Rowell, and/or starting a story that will never be finished, Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here might work out for you. I can’t foresee the fanfic within the book seeing so much demand for an ending that it gets a book of its own the way the Simon Snow bits in Rowell’s Fangirl were expanded into Carry On. Anyone who isn’t already a big fan of contemporary YA should avoid this novel.
*Scarlett and her mom are Puerto Rican; Scarlett's stepmom Kira is Black but barely present
*there's a gay woman, but she dies seemingly just to make Scarlett/readers sad
I started writing fan fiction for Vampire Kisses when I was fourteen or so and I’m still reading it (general fanfiction, that is) every night as I approach my twenty-second birthday even though I quit writing it when I was sixteen. Needless to say, I think fan fiction is awesome and that it factors into Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here as a major plot point was absolutely the reason I picked this book up. If I’d been smart and seen the pitch of “If Amy Schumer and Rainbow Rowell had a baby, she’d be Anna Breslaw” earlier, I would have been smart and run away. I don’t like Amy Schumer. I don’t like Rainbow Rowell. I have no feelings about Anna Breslaw, but I sure don’t like Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here.
Scarlett is about sixteen or seventeen, but her inner monologue reads younger to me due to numerous failed jokes (see: a failed and very offensive PTSD joke) and the fact she’s only just now learning that writing stories about people she knows IRL is a bad idea. I figured that out when I was thirteen and writing my first-ever story. Let’s just say letting my thoughts leak onto the page about people I actually knew made a friendship go down in flames.
Maybe I didn’t frequent the kind of fan fiction community Breslaw (presumably) did, but posting new chapters in a forum–your average people-talking-to-each-other-about-things forum–the way Scarlett and co. do strikes me as odd. I frequent(ed) AO3 and fanfiction.net and can’t remember seeing that. Nor did I see it in my brief dip into the LiveJournal fanfic community. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn’t. Either way, the fan fiction bits weren’t that interesting and anyone who does find it fun don’t get more than the first five chapters or so of what is clearly meant to go on for a while.
Scarlett also has an extraordinary about of girl hate going on, especially toward her best friend’s sister Ashley, who is the quintessential mean girl. It gets challenged as she gets forced into her character growth toward the end, but her character before then isn’t necessarily strong enough for readers to stick around long enough for change to start happening. As I said at one point while reading, “I hope someone pulls Scarlett’s head out of her ass soon. I’m starting to worry she’ll be suffocated by all her shit.”
Her rough character and unconvincing character growth isn’t helped by the novel’s sluggish page. Important events are few and far between, and even those feel like things that were made to happen instead of natural events. For instance, her fanfic about Ashley and her boyfriend/Scarlett’s crush Gideon is discovered only at the end of the novel and only because Ashley sees it on her sister’s computer. It feels like someone told Breslaw someone needed to find the fic already so things could happen after 200 pages of characters bumbling around doing nothing, so she found the easiest way possible to make that happen.
After that point, everything readers wished had happened during the long stretch of nothing is squeezed into a handful of pages. Scarlett figures out writing about IRL people is bad even if it’s how you try to understand people you don’t like, poor attempts at tugging at readers’ heartstrings are made by a character’s death, and a weak ending forces Scarlett and her love interest together. By the time you turn the last page, the characters still haven’t convinced you of themselves and you still have no idea why Scarlett refers to her mom Dawn by her name instead of Mom. Kids usually don’t call their parents solely by their given name for no reason.
I guess I simply don’t get Scarlett Epstein. I connect to her as a fellow fan fiction aficionado, but that’s about it. If you like Amy Schumer, Rainbow Rowell, and/or starting a story that will never be finished, Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here might work out for you. I can’t foresee the fanfic within the book seeing so much demand for an ending that it gets a book of its own the way the Simon Snow bits in Rowell’s Fangirl were expanded into Carry On. Anyone who isn’t already a big fan of contemporary YA should avoid this novel.
July 6, 2016
I enjoyed this book, mostly!
It's been a couple weeks since I finished this so the details are fuzzy, but I thought this book started kind of slow but really picked up in the end. I wasn't really buying the whole "our show ended but we're going to continue the fandom by writing fanfiction of original characters in this fiction world" thing, because I highly doubt readers would really get behind that, but I suspended disbelief for the sake of the story. I also really disliked how self-righteous Scarlett was. She was very preachy about being so alternative and open minded and concerned with social issues and whatnot, yet judged every single person she saw in high school. The way she talked about the "girl geniuses" made me so sad. What self-proclaimed progressive feminist calls her peers "mouth-breathers"??
And what high school girl doesn't think to change the names of herself and classmates on something she posts on the INTERNET? Come on, girl.
I found myself actually much more invested in the real-life plot, more so than the fanfiction element (which is why I bought it!) which surprised me. I think in the end Scarlett learned some important lessons, but overall I didn't like her that much and I wasn't entirely rooting for her the whole time. I really sound like I didn't like this book at all haha but something about the end saved it for me.
It's been a couple weeks since I finished this so the details are fuzzy, but I thought this book started kind of slow but really picked up in the end. I wasn't really buying the whole "our show ended but we're going to continue the fandom by writing fanfiction of original characters in this fiction world" thing, because I highly doubt readers would really get behind that, but I suspended disbelief for the sake of the story. I also really disliked how self-righteous Scarlett was. She was very preachy about being so alternative and open minded and concerned with social issues and whatnot, yet judged every single person she saw in high school. The way she talked about the "girl geniuses" made me so sad. What self-proclaimed progressive feminist calls her peers "mouth-breathers"??
And what high school girl doesn't think to change the names of herself and classmates on something she posts on the INTERNET? Come on, girl.
I found myself actually much more invested in the real-life plot, more so than the fanfiction element (which is why I bought it!) which surprised me. I think in the end Scarlett learned some important lessons, but overall I didn't like her that much and I wasn't entirely rooting for her the whole time. I really sound like I didn't like this book at all haha but something about the end saved it for me.
April 1, 2018
I was in need of a break from my usual genres and this was certainly a pleasant one. While I generally try to avoid comparisons to other books, I feel like the easiest way to describe this book, in short, is Eliza and her Monsters Lite. It clearly was written along the same line, but never quite reaches the level of depth or character development its successor does.
Still, it is a short, fun, easy read that I wouldn't mind recommending to people who just want a laid back book to pass the time with.
Still, it is a short, fun, easy read that I wouldn't mind recommending to people who just want a laid back book to pass the time with.
Read
March 5, 2016One of my favorite YA reads in a long time. This is a funny, savvy, sharp book about fandom, about being stubborn and wrong headed, and about how nuanced and layered each and every person is. I absolutely loved Scarlett and her attitude. She's a no holds barred feminist, and even when she screws up, she owns it. Her background as a poor Jewish girl is unexpected and refreshing.
The real winner of a character in this story is Ruth! And the sheep!
I love SEEING the fandom here, and I had no problem reading the fanfiction created here, as it was a retelling of Scarlett's own life through a fan-lens (in other words, you don't need to "get" anything to be invested in it).
Laugh-out-loud funny, smartly feminist, and absolutely enjoyable from start to finish. This is a book for fans of Amy Spalding and Siobhan Vivian.
The real winner of a character in this story is Ruth! And the sheep!
I love SEEING the fandom here, and I had no problem reading the fanfiction created here, as it was a retelling of Scarlett's own life through a fan-lens (in other words, you don't need to "get" anything to be invested in it).
Laugh-out-loud funny, smartly feminist, and absolutely enjoyable from start to finish. This is a book for fans of Amy Spalding and Siobhan Vivian.
December 5, 2015
Hilarious and wise, this book was so much fun! There are so many facets to Scarlett's personality--the good, the bad, the ugly, the adorable and sarcastic and I loved every minute of her journey.
March 27, 2016
If you’re looking for something that will make you laugh… something you won’t be able to put down, you’re going to want to grab Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here.
This had been one of my most anticipated reads this Spring and I was so excited when it showed up on my doorstep! I honestly haven’t laughed so much while reading a book in quite a while.
Scarlett’s life revolves for the most part, around the online community and friendships she’s cultivated revolving around her favorite TV show, where she’s a well-known fanfiction writer. Believe me, I can completely understand this and I think that really helped me connect so well with Scarlett as a character. Add to this, that she’s totally awkward in real life… with only her best friend, Avery and her seventy-three year old neighbor, the only real life friends she has.
When the TV show she loves gets cancelled and the boy she’s crushed on for years, is somehow dating her nemesis she tries to cope in the only way she knows, unwittingly exposing her real feelings about the people she deals with at school every day.
I’m going to start with the thing that I didn’t love as much… the fanfiction story within the story just didn’t work for me. The idea of it was okay, the story itself didn’t really work for me. It was just clunky and weird and I found myself skimming through parts of it to get back to Scarlett’s real life story. It also reminded me of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell in the way that it was presented and executed, but where that story really grabbed me, this one just didn’t.
Honestly, that’s the only reason I didn’t give this story a 5 star rating.
That leaves everything else that I loved about it! Let’s start with Scarlett. I adored her… she’s snarky, her humor is dry, she’s judgmental, and she just may be my spirit animal. Here’s her take on Avery’s sister:
"If they had been fetal twins, Ashley definitely would've consumed Avery for nutrients, and all that'd be left of Ave would be a tumor with a few teeth in it."
I mentioned Scarlett’s relationship with her neighbor earlier, and I have to admit that it was probably my favorite one in this story. I loved the mentorship she provided her, but most of all I loved that even though she appeared somewhat irresponsible, she was ultimately an amazing role model and excellent parental type figure for Scarlett to connect to. What you’ll quickly learn is that Scarlett doesn’t have parents that are really just there for her. Her relationship with her mom seems to be more like that of sisters, though I really did love the evolution of their relationship. I also really loved seeing her recognize her strengths and really grab hold of this dream of becoming a writer that she never really saw as a reality for herself.
There is a bit of a romance here… which even though I normally really enjoy more of a ‘love story’ I think I liked that that wasn’t really what the story was about here. Sure, this makes up some of the plot, but it’s not the focus, instead focusing on the many relationships that Scarlett has to traverse throughout the story.
Like I said, definitely a fun story, that manages to address some serious topics without being heavy and overly dramatic. I hope we’ll see more from Anna Breslaw in the same vein as this story because I truly enjoyed Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This had been one of my most anticipated reads this Spring and I was so excited when it showed up on my doorstep! I honestly haven’t laughed so much while reading a book in quite a while.
Scarlett’s life revolves for the most part, around the online community and friendships she’s cultivated revolving around her favorite TV show, where she’s a well-known fanfiction writer. Believe me, I can completely understand this and I think that really helped me connect so well with Scarlett as a character. Add to this, that she’s totally awkward in real life… with only her best friend, Avery and her seventy-three year old neighbor, the only real life friends she has.
When the TV show she loves gets cancelled and the boy she’s crushed on for years, is somehow dating her nemesis she tries to cope in the only way she knows, unwittingly exposing her real feelings about the people she deals with at school every day.
I’m going to start with the thing that I didn’t love as much… the fanfiction story within the story just didn’t work for me. The idea of it was okay, the story itself didn’t really work for me. It was just clunky and weird and I found myself skimming through parts of it to get back to Scarlett’s real life story. It also reminded me of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell in the way that it was presented and executed, but where that story really grabbed me, this one just didn’t.
Honestly, that’s the only reason I didn’t give this story a 5 star rating.
That leaves everything else that I loved about it! Let’s start with Scarlett. I adored her… she’s snarky, her humor is dry, she’s judgmental, and she just may be my spirit animal. Here’s her take on Avery’s sister:
"If they had been fetal twins, Ashley definitely would've consumed Avery for nutrients, and all that'd be left of Ave would be a tumor with a few teeth in it."
I mentioned Scarlett’s relationship with her neighbor earlier, and I have to admit that it was probably my favorite one in this story. I loved the mentorship she provided her, but most of all I loved that even though she appeared somewhat irresponsible, she was ultimately an amazing role model and excellent parental type figure for Scarlett to connect to. What you’ll quickly learn is that Scarlett doesn’t have parents that are really just there for her. Her relationship with her mom seems to be more like that of sisters, though I really did love the evolution of their relationship. I also really loved seeing her recognize her strengths and really grab hold of this dream of becoming a writer that she never really saw as a reality for herself.
There is a bit of a romance here… which even though I normally really enjoy more of a ‘love story’ I think I liked that that wasn’t really what the story was about here. Sure, this makes up some of the plot, but it’s not the focus, instead focusing on the many relationships that Scarlett has to traverse throughout the story.
Like I said, definitely a fun story, that manages to address some serious topics without being heavy and overly dramatic. I hope we’ll see more from Anna Breslaw in the same vein as this story because I truly enjoyed Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
October 5, 2015
I received this book as part of an ARC tour.
And I read it in two days. Scarlett is funny, whip-smart, and sometimes unexpectedly deep and poignant. That goes for both the book and the character.
The back copy made me think, "Harriet the Spy with fanfic!" And that's not a wholly inaccurate description of the book. Granted, Scarlett is older than Harriet, has the Internet, does not live a coddled rich-kid life in "Mad Men"-era Manhattan, and uses a lot more cusswords. But she's similarly independent and creative, and similarly smart in a way that makes her hypercritical of her peers, and sometimes just plain mean without realizing she might actually hurt people. One character nails it when he says she has both an inferiority and a superiority complex.
I loved getting to know Scarlett, but I also liked that the book does more than glorify her point of view. By the end, she's learned a few things about being less judgy, just like Harriet, yet neither book preaches to us.
A few other things I enjoyed:
*Ruth, the anti-Tuesdays With Morrie old person.
*Class issues. Many children of single moms are less well off than their peers (and than their dads and their dads' new families), but I don't see that represented much in YA. Scarlett isn't exactly living in poverty, but she lives differently from her friends and feels hyperconscious of that.
*A celebration of Whedon-esque TV fandom with real intelligence about why women and girls might gravitate to those shows more than they do to "prestige" dramas.
*Scarlett's fics — they totally made me giggle.
*Gideon. Awwww. I love that he and Scarlett bond over comedy.
*The whole dynamic of Scarlett's family, and how torn she feels between her mom and her dad, who almost represent two different cultures: the weighty "literary" tome versus the fluffy rom com. I found this whole element original and pretty believable, including her resolution of that conflict. (When I was a teen, I often had moments of siding with my hyperverbal, snarky dad against my earnest mom and then feeling guilty about it.)
Anyway, I think smart, snarky, self-conscious teens (and adults with memories of being like them) are gonna eat this one up.
And I read it in two days. Scarlett is funny, whip-smart, and sometimes unexpectedly deep and poignant. That goes for both the book and the character.
The back copy made me think, "Harriet the Spy with fanfic!" And that's not a wholly inaccurate description of the book. Granted, Scarlett is older than Harriet, has the Internet, does not live a coddled rich-kid life in "Mad Men"-era Manhattan, and uses a lot more cusswords. But she's similarly independent and creative, and similarly smart in a way that makes her hypercritical of her peers, and sometimes just plain mean without realizing she might actually hurt people. One character nails it when he says she has both an inferiority and a superiority complex.
I loved getting to know Scarlett, but I also liked that the book does more than glorify her point of view. By the end, she's learned a few things about being less judgy, just like Harriet, yet neither book preaches to us.
A few other things I enjoyed:
*Ruth, the anti-Tuesdays With Morrie old person.
*Class issues. Many children of single moms are less well off than their peers (and than their dads and their dads' new families), but I don't see that represented much in YA. Scarlett isn't exactly living in poverty, but she lives differently from her friends and feels hyperconscious of that.
*A celebration of Whedon-esque TV fandom with real intelligence about why women and girls might gravitate to those shows more than they do to "prestige" dramas.
*Scarlett's fics — they totally made me giggle.
*Gideon. Awwww. I love that he and Scarlett bond over comedy.
*The whole dynamic of Scarlett's family, and how torn she feels between her mom and her dad, who almost represent two different cultures: the weighty "literary" tome versus the fluffy rom com. I found this whole element original and pretty believable, including her resolution of that conflict. (When I was a teen, I often had moments of siding with my hyperverbal, snarky dad against my earnest mom and then feeling guilty about it.)
Anyway, I think smart, snarky, self-conscious teens (and adults with memories of being like them) are gonna eat this one up.
Read
September 3, 2016This is a funny, savvy, sharp book about fandom, about being stubborn and wrong headed (hello to how I related to Scarlett in this capacity even though I didn’t want to), and about how nuanced and layered each and every person is. I absolutely loved Scarlett and her attitude. She’s a no holds barred feminist, and when she screws up, she owns it. Her background as a poor Jewish girl is unexpected and refreshing.
The real winner of a character in this story is Ruth, the old lady who lives near Scarlett and with whom Scarlett develops an unexpected and delightful friendship. And there’s also a sheep!
I love SEEING the fandom here, and I had no problem reading the fanfiction created here, as it was a retelling of Scarlett’s own life through a fan-lens. You don’t need to “get” anything to be invested in it).
Laugh-out-loud funny, smartly feminist, and absolutely enjoyable from start to finish.
– Kelly Jensen
from The Best Books We Read In April: http://bookriot.com/2016/04/29/riot-r...
____________________
A book about fandoms, fanfiction, hormones, and high school Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is funny and wise; Breslaw has perfectly captured the way teens talk and the many ways they angst. Scarlett is precocious without being twee, and I love the Buffy-like fandom she’s so enamored with and involved in. This is perfect summer reading; a quick read that deals in real emotions without being too heavy.
— Emma Nichols
from The Best Books We Read in July 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/riot-r...
The real winner of a character in this story is Ruth, the old lady who lives near Scarlett and with whom Scarlett develops an unexpected and delightful friendship. And there’s also a sheep!
I love SEEING the fandom here, and I had no problem reading the fanfiction created here, as it was a retelling of Scarlett’s own life through a fan-lens. You don’t need to “get” anything to be invested in it).
Laugh-out-loud funny, smartly feminist, and absolutely enjoyable from start to finish.
– Kelly Jensen
from The Best Books We Read In April: http://bookriot.com/2016/04/29/riot-r...
____________________
A book about fandoms, fanfiction, hormones, and high school Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is funny and wise; Breslaw has perfectly captured the way teens talk and the many ways they angst. Scarlett is precocious without being twee, and I love the Buffy-like fandom she’s so enamored with and involved in. This is perfect summer reading; a quick read that deals in real emotions without being too heavy.
— Emma Nichols
from The Best Books We Read in July 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/riot-r...
November 16, 2015
From the moment you start Anna Breslaw's witty, heart-felt SCARLETT EPSTEIN HATES IT HERE, it's pretty clear that Scarlett is not your ordinary teen--and Breslaw isn't your ordinary writer.
Scarlett's a smart, acerbic teenager who'd rather live on the boards of the fandom for her favorite TV show than interact with the real-live teenagers in her high school. When the TV show is cancelled, Scarlett, desperate to keep some of the top fanfic writers together, proposes a new twist on the show: fanfic with original characters. The only problem? Scarlett models these original characters on real people, including her long-time crush Gideon who has recently, inexplicably, joined forces with the Populars. And that's only the start of Scarlett's complications.
As other reviews have noted, this isn't a plot driven novel, so much as it is an intimate look at Scarlett's life, her struggles to fit into a virtual and real life that don't always have clear-cut boundaries, her strained relationship with both her mother and the writer father she idealizes (but who has left them behind for a new family in NYC). No one in this story is perfect, and that's part of what makes the story so wonderful--a perfect blend of humor and heartache. Really though, Scarlett's voice carries this story--she's the kind of person I would have loved to know in high school (though I'm afraid she would have been too cool for me).
Scarlett's a smart, acerbic teenager who'd rather live on the boards of the fandom for her favorite TV show than interact with the real-live teenagers in her high school. When the TV show is cancelled, Scarlett, desperate to keep some of the top fanfic writers together, proposes a new twist on the show: fanfic with original characters. The only problem? Scarlett models these original characters on real people, including her long-time crush Gideon who has recently, inexplicably, joined forces with the Populars. And that's only the start of Scarlett's complications.
As other reviews have noted, this isn't a plot driven novel, so much as it is an intimate look at Scarlett's life, her struggles to fit into a virtual and real life that don't always have clear-cut boundaries, her strained relationship with both her mother and the writer father she idealizes (but who has left them behind for a new family in NYC). No one in this story is perfect, and that's part of what makes the story so wonderful--a perfect blend of humor and heartache. Really though, Scarlett's voice carries this story--she's the kind of person I would have loved to know in high school (though I'm afraid she would have been too cool for me).
May 3, 2016
YOU GUYS!!!
If you've ever shipped(a list of my top ships), if you ever written a fanfic or drew fanart, if you have accounts on ao3, deviantart, tumblr, if you follow fan vidders on yt YOU KNOW how I feel about discovering this book's existence.
Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is made of pure win. I'd be lying if I said it took me more than 2 hours to read this book. I powered through this baby and I even decided to reread the funny parts. I knew I would love it as soon as Scarlett said her face is face shaped.
Ruth was a jewel! This pot-smoking old lady warmed her way into my heart. I loved reading about her connection with Scarlett.
Scarlett has to be my bookish soulmate. I've never connected with a character more than her. I'm sure a lot of other girls will feel the same way. Even though Scarlett is obviously fictional, she was also real. She has flaws but they make her so special. After her favorite show's cancelled, Scarlett is devastated.Damn you NBC for cancelling Revolution! If you have to ask why, then you don't need to even bother picking up this book. Scarlett writes fanfics and she has a large following. If you're still interested you'll get the chance to read one of her stories throughout the book.
She is the true star of this book. I hate to say this but I didn't care much about the romance and I think that was Breslaw's intention. Gideon did seem like a lot of boys from my former high school. He likes a girl but he's not sure if he's ready to commit or stop dating his gf in order to get with the new girl. I'm sure we've all been there. I might be wrong but I think this whole book was about dropping useless people, speaking your mind and not holding back.
If you've ever shipped(a list of my top ships), if you ever written a fanfic or drew fanart, if you have accounts on ao3, deviantart, tumblr, if you follow fan vidders on yt YOU KNOW how I feel about discovering this book's existence.
Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here is made of pure win. I'd be lying if I said it took me more than 2 hours to read this book. I powered through this baby and I even decided to reread the funny parts. I knew I would love it as soon as Scarlett said her face is face shaped.
Ruth was a jewel! This pot-smoking old lady warmed her way into my heart. I loved reading about her connection with Scarlett.
Scarlett has to be my bookish soulmate. I've never connected with a character more than her. I'm sure a lot of other girls will feel the same way. Even though Scarlett is obviously fictional, she was also real. She has flaws but they make her so special. After her favorite show's cancelled, Scarlett is devastated.
She is the true star of this book. I hate to say this but I didn't care much about the romance and I think that was Breslaw's intention. Gideon did seem like a lot of boys from my former high school. He likes a girl but he's not sure if he's ready to commit or stop dating his gf in order to get with the new girl. I'm sure we've all been there. I might be wrong but I think this whole book was about dropping useless people, speaking your mind and not holding back.
February 17, 2017
3.5 stars.
THE GOOD
- Geeky teenage girl who writes fan fic
- Sassy old lady neighbour
- The writing was pretty great and full of hilarious moments and pop culture references
- Online friends are real friends
- Scarlett's poverty was well represented
THE BAD
- Girl. When you write fan fic that includes original characters based on people you know IRL? AT LEAST GIVE THEM FAKE NAMES. Like, it didn't even occur to you to call Gideon "Gabriel" or "George" or "Gordon" or any number of other names??
- Scarlett was...kind of a bitch? She puts her mother down constantly. She puts her best friend down when she gets a boyfriend. She's convinced her best friend's sister hates her for no reason when she's constantly putting her down and judging her for dating a different guy every week. And yes, she goes through a lot of character development towards the end, but it was kiiiiind of too little too late.
- Scarlett being all "Gideon, you're supposed to be with me, how dare you be with another girl?" was kind of weird. Because, like, you haven't spoken to him in 4 years, girl.
- I could have done with less of Scarlett's fan fic, because some of it was...decidedly meh and I just didn't care about it.
So yeah. There were plenty of goods, but there was also a hefty dose of negatives.
THE GOOD
- Geeky teenage girl who writes fan fic
- Sassy old lady neighbour
- The writing was pretty great and full of hilarious moments and pop culture references
- Online friends are real friends
- Scarlett's poverty was well represented
THE BAD
- Girl. When you write fan fic that includes original characters based on people you know IRL? AT LEAST GIVE THEM FAKE NAMES. Like, it didn't even occur to you to call Gideon "Gabriel" or "George" or "Gordon" or any number of other names??
- Scarlett was...kind of a bitch? She puts her mother down constantly. She puts her best friend down when she gets a boyfriend. She's convinced her best friend's sister hates her for no reason when she's constantly putting her down and judging her for dating a different guy every week. And yes, she goes through a lot of character development towards the end, but it was kiiiiind of too little too late.
- Scarlett being all "Gideon, you're supposed to be with me, how dare you be with another girl?" was kind of weird. Because, like, you haven't spoken to him in 4 years, girl.
- I could have done with less of Scarlett's fan fic, because some of it was...decidedly meh and I just didn't care about it.
So yeah. There were plenty of goods, but there was also a hefty dose of negatives.
August 30, 2015
Yes, yes, yes! Finally, YA that is damn hilarious! This is one of those books that the moment I finished it I wanted another Breslaw novel immediately. For now, I'll just have to reread it until we get another. Really, this is a hilarious novel, and that's a hard thing to pull off. Read this now!
October 1, 2015
It was incredibly compelling. Which was surprising, because there aren't much in the way of events here. It's very much about feeling the texture of someone's life. Scarlett Epstein is a fanfiction writer who lives with her divorced mom in a New Jersey suburb. Her dad, now an up-and-coming novelist, has moved to a loft in Brooklyn and married a gorgeous young writer. Epstein feels left-behind and out of place. Even her old crush, Gideon--a guy who used to be as big of a fan as she was--has moved on and turned into someone totally different.
So far this is pretty normal. But you always sense that there is something more here. There's just enough narrative distance. It's not so much that the book judges or dislikes Scarlett--it's that the book sees more of her than she does. Scarlett has built a narrative for herself where she's this geeky person who's so far above everyone around her, and that narrative has truth to it. She _does_ see more. But there are also things that she doesn't see.
That's where the story within a story comes in! This is Scarlett's fanfiction--a thinly fictionalized version of her high school (plus sex robots!)--that is absolutely perfect! The fanfiction sections are just awkward enough that we can believe in them (the sex robot bits in particular are incredibly uncomfortable), but they're still fun to read! It's a pretty great performance. There's a hesitance there in the writing of the fanfiction sections that feels very believable, but it doesn't at all impair the quality of the work.
And THEN, even more than the fanfiction itself, you have the meta-commentary wherein Scarlett's online friends discuss her fanfiction and its various strengths and weaknesses.
Its through the fanfiction that you see Scarlett's worldview, and the way it contains far too much black and white. And it's through the meta-commentary that the shades of gray start to seep in.
Thus, long before Scarlett's real-world life starts to get complicated, we have hints that more is going on here. Her antagonist, her love interest, her best friend--all of these people are far more complicated than Scarlett wants to make them.
I don't know, perhaps I'm not doing justice to the book. It's really good though! Definitely worth reading in, like, six months or whenever it's coming out.
Full Disclosure: I got an Advance Reader Copy of this book directly from the author (who I know peripherally through Twitter, but have never met), and she also read and reviewed my book, so it's entirely possible that you will discount this review entirely, but you really shouldn't because I'm a pretty judgmental reader and oftentimes don't write good reviews even of books that are people who I am close with.
So far this is pretty normal. But you always sense that there is something more here. There's just enough narrative distance. It's not so much that the book judges or dislikes Scarlett--it's that the book sees more of her than she does. Scarlett has built a narrative for herself where she's this geeky person who's so far above everyone around her, and that narrative has truth to it. She _does_ see more. But there are also things that she doesn't see.
That's where the story within a story comes in! This is Scarlett's fanfiction--a thinly fictionalized version of her high school (plus sex robots!)--that is absolutely perfect! The fanfiction sections are just awkward enough that we can believe in them (the sex robot bits in particular are incredibly uncomfortable), but they're still fun to read! It's a pretty great performance. There's a hesitance there in the writing of the fanfiction sections that feels very believable, but it doesn't at all impair the quality of the work.
And THEN, even more than the fanfiction itself, you have the meta-commentary wherein Scarlett's online friends discuss her fanfiction and its various strengths and weaknesses.
Its through the fanfiction that you see Scarlett's worldview, and the way it contains far too much black and white. And it's through the meta-commentary that the shades of gray start to seep in.
Thus, long before Scarlett's real-world life starts to get complicated, we have hints that more is going on here. Her antagonist, her love interest, her best friend--all of these people are far more complicated than Scarlett wants to make them.
I don't know, perhaps I'm not doing justice to the book. It's really good though! Definitely worth reading in, like, six months or whenever it's coming out.
Full Disclosure: I got an Advance Reader Copy of this book directly from the author (who I know peripherally through Twitter, but have never met), and she also read and reviewed my book, so it's entirely possible that you will discount this review entirely, but you really shouldn't because I'm a pretty judgmental reader and oftentimes don't write good reviews even of books that are people who I am close with.
February 17, 2016
I loved everything about SCARLETT EPSTEIN HATES IT HERE.
That isn't an exaggeration. Scarlett Epstein feels like an outcast in her high school--she and her mom are poor, her best guy friend's ditched her, and on top of that, she's an judgy snarkmonster who has exacting standards for her friends and the people around her. And when her favorite TV show is cancelled--a kind of Teen Wolf meets Buffy--the community she's built online might be falling apart too, the only place she feels comfortable being the writer she wants to be.
And then Scarlett starts the slow, painful process of growing up.
This is a book that doesn't let anyone off the hook. It's hilarious, wry and witty and weird, full of characters who are complicated and flawed, and so much of the pleasure in reading it is watching Scarlett learn that her snap judgments might be right in the moment but not always right in the long run. I really, especially loved Breslaw's knowing send-up of white literary bro Brooklyn; Scarlett coming to terms with who her rich, fancy writer father is to her was the most painful, and rewarding, part of this book for me to read.
One thousand stars. Pre-order this one yesterday.
That isn't an exaggeration. Scarlett Epstein feels like an outcast in her high school--she and her mom are poor, her best guy friend's ditched her, and on top of that, she's an judgy snarkmonster who has exacting standards for her friends and the people around her. And when her favorite TV show is cancelled--a kind of Teen Wolf meets Buffy--the community she's built online might be falling apart too, the only place she feels comfortable being the writer she wants to be.
And then Scarlett starts the slow, painful process of growing up.
This is a book that doesn't let anyone off the hook. It's hilarious, wry and witty and weird, full of characters who are complicated and flawed, and so much of the pleasure in reading it is watching Scarlett learn that her snap judgments might be right in the moment but not always right in the long run. I really, especially loved Breslaw's knowing send-up of white literary bro Brooklyn; Scarlett coming to terms with who her rich, fancy writer father is to her was the most painful, and rewarding, part of this book for me to read.
One thousand stars. Pre-order this one yesterday.
November 2, 2015
This book made me look like a crazy person. Or, a crazier person. I'd be all normal and reading and in public and then laughter would pop from that awesomely deep place inside and... well, scare the unsuspecting non-readers around me. I love funny and this book delivered. Scarlett was raw and real, sarcastic in all the ways that made me connect with her and her lame New Jersey surroundings. I came away thinking this YA has something for everyone and that's something special indeed. Don't believe me? Just pick up this book in 2016 and read the acknowledgments at the back. The author thanks people, sure. But also a shoe. And her high school for straight-up sucking. Hah! You'll be hooked. I was.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2016
I was positively blown away by this novel. By turns laugh-out-loud funny and soul-crushingly honest, Scarlett's story will keep you up at night reading. Anna Breslaw is a remarkably witty writer who has created an intelligent and likeable character who is also flawed and struggling. This is no ordinary book, and no ordinary writer.
August 11, 2015
Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here is one of the funniest novels I've ever read. Peppered with delicious wit and one-liners (the joke about Se7en is too good to give away), the book is ultimately a smart and moving portrait of a young woman's coming of age. Anna Breslaw seamlessly captures the realism of a New Jersey high school, the New York literary world and the sci-fi universe Scarlet creates in her online fiction. (Scarlet's story reminded me of a teenage Margaret Atwood.) The way Breslaw writes about family, art and life is original and true. I seriously adored Scarlett and this novel.
May 8, 2017
Mini review:
This was recommended to my by Em! This was surprisingly good. I honestly thought that I would DNF it. But wow I am impressed. This book tackled on some really important topics. The family relationships were fantastic. Loved Scarlett's friend and neighbor. Scarlett was such a strong character and developed quite a bit during the book. Didn't really like the romance or the love interest.
Highly recommend.
This was recommended to my by Em! This was surprisingly good. I honestly thought that I would DNF it. But wow I am impressed. This book tackled on some really important topics. The family relationships were fantastic. Loved Scarlett's friend and neighbor. Scarlett was such a strong character and developed quite a bit during the book. Didn't really like the romance or the love interest.
Highly recommend.
February 9, 2022
This book is a lot of fun and hilarious. There's so many pop-culture references and a great message behind this story.
*Gifted by the publisher*
*Gifted by the publisher*
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