Review Detail

ANNIE LEBLANC IS NOT DEAD YET is a young adult book about a town with a mysterious power. Once every 10 years, someone can be brought back from the dead. This year Wilson, our protagonist, decides to bring back her best friend Annie. It doesn’t matter that they hadn’t spoken for the year before Annie’s death. When Wilson discovers a way that Annie may be able to stay permanently, she is determined to make it happen.

What I Loved:
Despite the semi-heavy nature of this book, it was a very entertaining read. Scenes of Wilson remembering her abandonment were followed by scenes where she was having fun at karaoke. The story was allowed to be heavy, but not in an overwhelming way. There was still fun to be had and entertaining storylines that allowed readers to stay immersed.

Wilson and her two friends were realistically written. They are all teenagers, so emotions are all over the place. Despite this, their actions make sense once you understand their emotions. Annie and Ryan, Wilson’s friends, were three-dimensional characters. Readers were given information about them to make you feel as though they were truly Wilson’s best friends, people that she knew a lot about.

Towards the end of the book we get a lot more insight on Wilson’s emotions, especially those she has towards her friends and her mother. When that part starts, it gets heavy. The emotions are palpable. There’s a heaviness in the words and the actions of Wilson that reflect how she is feeling and makes it feel authentic. It was truly well done. Even prior to Wilson’s breaking points, her emotions were still very clear and very well-written.

The setting in this book was strangely one of my favorite parts of it. The book takes place in Lennon, a small town in California. The town has magic in it and it doesn’t feel like something that needs to be explained. It just exists there. The writing definitely gave off small-town vibes where everyone knows each other. From the diner where Wilson works to the parade. The book is brimming with small-town feels and it adds a nice touch to the story.

What Left Me Wanting More:
The beginning of this book felt like a slower pace than the rest of it, so it was a bit hard to be initially drawn into the story. During this time the story focused a lot on Wilson remembering the past two years. The story did eventually pick up the pace, but some readers may be put-off by the start.

The adults in the book were also a bit off-putting. This was mainly due to their actions and inactions towards Wilson. At times they were dismissive of her and unaware of how their treatment of her was affecting her. Most of this did get worked out in the story, but it left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Final Verdict:
ANNIE LEBLANC IS NOT DEAD YET has an exciting plot. Despite a slow beginning, the novel eventually draws readers into the story. The story allowed Wilson’s emotions to shine and lead her decision-making, even at times when it shouldn’t have. Despite a couple of problems, it was an enjoyable read that had me excitedly awaiting the drama and emotions that were to come.

Despite a heavy concept, a teenage girl being brought back from the dead, ANNIE LEBLANC IS NOT DEAD YET managed to maintain a balance between light-hearted fun and gut-wrenching emotions.