Book Review: Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes

Title: Anatomy of a Misfit

Author: Andrea Portes

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance

Published: September 2nd 2014 by HarperTeen

Source:  Self Purchased

Synopsis: 

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair - the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she's a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell.

Review:

I picked this book up on an ABSOLUTE whim, I was stuck in town for another few hours with nothing to read and decided I’ll just go buy a book, and I did. I chose this book, because the cover is gorgeous, but the thing that originally drew me in was the title. I think growing up and being a teenager you either think of yourself as a misfit or are labelled one.

The opening dedication/author's note, made me decide that this book was going to provide feels, and it did. But not the way I thought it was going to.

There are so many underlying factors that are bad and horrible about this book, that can't really be excused. But I guess since I have never lived nor been to Nebraska I cannot really say what it is like there. But what I now know, is that is a racist sexist state among other things.

This book follows Anika who is a 15 year old girl who is often referred to as an immigrant. Anika is the third most popular girl in school, and that is where she will stay (as she cannot become more popular than she already is, though she can always lose her popularity as is frequently mentioned throughout the novel).

The main thing, I think to keep in perspective with this book is that this is the brain of a 15 year old girl, who most likely has completely different priorities than you do/ or did. Anika is what I’d call self-prioritised, if something is going to risk her popularity she’ll either stop it, conceal it, or say her mum made her do it etc.

Back to the novel. The book opens on a short chapter that is repeated yet altered and elongated throughout the whole novel. It starts with ‘Peddling fast fast fast, this is the moment.’ And you as a reader are thinking WHAT is “this” moment, because you know that this chapter is taking place in the book’s future (a giveaway of this fact, is that the font is italicised), and as the book unfolds and you get more of this future moments snippets, you may realise the direction they are taking or maybe not. I found for me, that these chapters shaped my perception on Anika’s character, because she is clearly trying to reach for something that matters deeply to her and yet is just out of her reach.

For me I really liked the writing style because it did really sound like a fifteen year olds brain and I really appreciated all the likes in there haha. And I do like this book, but there are things that I just don’t like about this book. (Which I won’t get into, since I don’t want to spoil anything).

Personally I think this was a brilliantly chosen book title, because when you think misfit, you don’t automatically think popular. Because misfits have been stereotyped to certain groups of people and sometimes it just doesn’t click that people aren’t always their exteriors.

Anatomy of a Misfit, to me is the dissection of a girl who may seem “popular” from the outside, but contains various layers within, some not as pretty as others. I think it really embodies the fact that everyone isn’t who they seem, and if you only pay close attention or care enough to remove cleverly thought out pieces/layers you will find the actual person.

I am giving this book three and a half stars (it would be more, but alas spoilery reasons). I think it is a great book for discovering the varying types of misfits. And I just enjoyed this book.

One of my favourite parts can be found page 256 of the international edition:

He makes no sense. It’s like he switched gears in like two seconds. Without warning. Like he turned from Prince Charming into a wet noodle.

This part really highlighted to me how not nice some guys are, especially when there are other much worthy boys in the book. *cough* I am not telling you who, go read it!!

PS: My book cover is pealing, like the cover is peeling off, as if it were paint. Is it meant to do this harperteen? 

Rating: ★★★ 3.5 stars