Alexandra Florence Books: Mean Girls Goes Blogging | The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting Review

Take The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting for example. A book I loved. At first, I was reluctant to purchase Soulmates, insta-love is not something I particularly find enticing or believable. But I went for it, and to really show my determination, I got Holly Bourne's second book as well. The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting appealed to me more. A book about blogging, how could it not? So I began reading. And, immediately, I liked Bree. I felt sorry for Holdo. And I disliked Hugo and Logan. (Why are the attractive ones always such jerks?) It resonated with me. I got it. I was reading, all the while thinking 'I know these kind of people'. And I don't always feel that way about books. It was good, hell, it was beyond good. The writing was on point. The story enthralling.

Bree was fascinating her quest to be 'interesting' and popular highlighted the split in secondary school society, based on what? Something so mediocre and pathetic as makeup and being a bitch. Do we not all have Jassmines and Gemma's and Jessica's and Emily's? Well, I agree with Bree, the greatest way to be really interesting, "stop caring".

The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting is really, laugh-out-loud good. Okay, it's not the most original book on the planet, but it's good, and I liked it. The idea is very similar to MeanGirls, the iconic film. Social outcast decides to infiltrate the populars and TAKE THEM DOWN. Bree works alone, while Cady has support. But that's not the main difference, Bree's rise to popularity is an experiment, an investigation into the inner workings of popularity and social status. Bree blogs about the whole experience, and has a little extra fun on the side. The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting is different from Mean Girls, some may find the similarity too much, but I really didn't care, I found it more a passing observation than an annoyance.

Not only does Holly Bourne cover popularity and materialism, she whacks in student-teacher relationships and self-harming. Clearly not a shallow read. Student-teacher relationships are very taboo. Why would a grown man (or woman) entertain the idea of having a relationship with an emotionally immature student? The fact that it is illegal is enough to warn off most. But some teachers still persist, just like Logan. And I think Bree's right, he was unpopular at school, so feels validated by obtaining the affections of a popular student. I understand the theory, but I don't agree.

Bree self-harms, she locks her self in her bathroom and cuts the top of her thighs. It took me a moment to realise that the 'scabs' were self-inflicted. Once I did Bree's character made so much more sense. Holly Bourne handles Bree's self-harming perfectly, there is no romanticisation or over the top gory detail.

Overall I cannot praise Bourne and The Manifesto On How To Be Interesting enough. I honestly loved this book, and would highly recommend it. The only thing left to say? Read it. If you've read this book I'd love to know what you thought of it.