Skip to main content

Book Review | Nina is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi

Nina is Not OK by Shappi Khorsandi {Goodreads}
Published by Ebury Press in 2017
Paperback edition; 352 pages {BookDepository}

Nina is not OK is a coming of age story about Nina, a 17-year-old in her last year of college and about to do her A-levels who likes drinking – maybe a little bit too much; a lot actually. So much that most of the time she has troubles remembering what she does during those crazy nights and that’s how we meet her: after she’s been thrown out of a nightclub after being caught in a sexual activity. The next morning she’s not sure of either what she did and what she didn’t and the shame she feels is overwhelming. She promises herself she will never drink again but that is easy said than done. Shappi Khorsandi tackles the difficult topic that is addiction through the experiences of an alcoholic teenager.

This book took me completely by surprise and it broke my heart more than a little. The first half of the story is about Nina’s wild nights – and days considering that by lunchtime most days she has already swollen down 3 mini-bottles of Vodka. This first half is a bit repetitive because it’s always the same and it’s frustrating to read actually. She keeps getting really drunk, doing stupid things and then she tries to convince others and herself that she’s okay, that she doesn’t have a problem. But she does. She truly does and more often than not I was so frustrated with her, I just wanted to scream at her face. She’s an alcoholic; she suffers from a very severe addiction but she’s blind to it and although I’ve never suffered any of this or know somebody who has I believe the portrayal of addiction to be very accurate, terrifyingly so.

The second half is when the book truly picks up and I became so emotionally invested in Nina’s story. I felt so much for her and for the horrible things she had to endure. It is horrible but it allows Khorsandi to deal with very heavy topics and send a very strong message to readers. It is told with frank and brutal honesty but it also makes the reader laugh with its self-deprecating sense of humour. Some of the scenes might trigger certain readers since everything is told quite graphically and a lot of the situations Nina gets involved in are not easy but I believe this to be an important read and one I highly recommend.

Etiquetas:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vintage Classics: Brontë Series

Maybe you don’t know this about me but I collect different edition of Jane Eyre and when I learnt that Vintage was releasing the new Brontë series I just couldn’t say no. 
Post a Comment
KEEP READING >>>

Book Review // Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Because of Mr. Terupt  by Rob Buyea { Goodreads } Published by Yearling in 2011 Paperback edition; 288 pages { BookDepository } " Features seven narrators, each with a unique story, and each with a different perspective on what makes their teacher so special.  It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School. There’s . . .  Jessica,  the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in;  Alexia,  a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next;  Peter,  class prankster and troublemaker;  Luke,  the brain;  Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy  Anna,  whose home situation makes her an outcast; and  Jeffrey,  who hates school.  Only Mr. Terupt, their new and energetic teacher, seems to know how to deal with them all. He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much . . . until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything—and everyone. "
Post a Comment
KEEP READING >>>

Reading Diary | February Books | 2018

Feb, 1st - 15:15. Finished the second book in the first volume of the Riyria Revelations and I was pleasantly surprised. I still think the world building is the weakest thing about the story because it's not greatly developed but the story is well-written and entertaining. I'm planning on continuing reading the series because now I'm intrigued enough to want to know how everything will unfold. Feb, 7th - 10:33.  I'm finally prepared to go and see the movie Call Me By Your Name because I just finished reading the novel. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It is a celebration of love and an exploration of sex and identity. It's quite explicit though so if you feel uncomfortable with that keep it in mind if you're planning on reading it. My full review of the book is HERE (I also talk a little bit about the movie).
Post a Comment
KEEP READING >>>