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Jagged Little Pill
A timely and gutsy YA novel based on the Tony and Grammy Award winning musical from Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard!
Swallow it down—what a jagged little pill . . .
Jagged Little Pill: The Novel follows the intertwining lives of five teens whose world is changed forever after the events at a party.
Adopted Frankie struggles to see eye-to-eye with her mother—who would rather ignore a problem and preserve their "perfect" life than stand up for what's right. Jo just wants her mom to accept her queer identity—and is totally crushed when Frankie, the only person who really gets her, finds herself infatuated with someone new. Phoenix tries to find his place at the new school and balance wanting to spend time with Frankie but knowing he also has to help out with his sick sister at home. Bella wants to enjoy the end of high school and just head off to college without a hitch. Everyone expects Frankie's brother Nick to be the golden boy, but even though he just got into his dream school, he's not even sure he's a good person. Each of their stories intersects when Bella is sexually assaulted at a party, and it looks like the perpetrator might get away with it.
Moving, heartfelt, and raw, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel draws on the musical's story and gives readers deeper glimpses of the characters. It's a story about the power of voicing your pain, standing up for what's right, and finding healing and connection.
Swallow it down—what a jagged little pill . . .
Jagged Little Pill: The Novel follows the intertwining lives of five teens whose world is changed forever after the events at a party.
Adopted Frankie struggles to see eye-to-eye with her mother—who would rather ignore a problem and preserve their "perfect" life than stand up for what's right. Jo just wants her mom to accept her queer identity—and is totally crushed when Frankie, the only person who really gets her, finds herself infatuated with someone new. Phoenix tries to find his place at the new school and balance wanting to spend time with Frankie but knowing he also has to help out with his sick sister at home. Bella wants to enjoy the end of high school and just head off to college without a hitch. Everyone expects Frankie's brother Nick to be the golden boy, but even though he just got into his dream school, he's not even sure he's a good person. Each of their stories intersects when Bella is sexually assaulted at a party, and it looks like the perpetrator might get away with it.
Moving, heartfelt, and raw, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel draws on the musical's story and gives readers deeper glimpses of the characters. It's a story about the power of voicing your pain, standing up for what's right, and finding healing and connection.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2022
About the author
Eric Smith
21 books890 followersEric Smith is a Young Adult author and literary agent living in Philadelphia.
His next book, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel, a collaboration with Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard, will be published with Abrams in April 2022. It’s an adaptation of the Grammy and Tony award winning musical.
His latest books include You Can Go Your Own Way (Inkyard Press) and the acclaimed anthology Battle of the Bands (Candlewick), co-edited with award-winning author Lauren Gibaldi. It’s currently being adapted for film by Playground Entertainment.
His novel Don’t Read the Comments was a YALSA 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults selection. The paperback is out now.
He has short stories and essays in the anthologies Color Outside the Lines by Sangu Mandanna (Soho Teen), Body Talk by Kelly Jensen (Algonquin), Allies by Dana Alison Levy and Shakirah Bourne (DK), All Signs Point to Yes by Candice Montgomery, cara davis-araux, and Adrianne Russell (Inkyard), and Adoptee to Adoptee by Nicole Chung and Shannon Gibney (Harper).
His other books include the IndieBound bestseller The Geek’s Guide to Dating (Quirk), Inked (Bloomsbury), the anthology Welcome Home (Flux), and contemporary fantasy novel The Girl and the Grove (Flux).
His next book, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel, a collaboration with Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard, will be published with Abrams in April 2022. It’s an adaptation of the Grammy and Tony award winning musical.
His latest books include You Can Go Your Own Way (Inkyard Press) and the acclaimed anthology Battle of the Bands (Candlewick), co-edited with award-winning author Lauren Gibaldi. It’s currently being adapted for film by Playground Entertainment.
His novel Don’t Read the Comments was a YALSA 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults selection. The paperback is out now.
He has short stories and essays in the anthologies Color Outside the Lines by Sangu Mandanna (Soho Teen), Body Talk by Kelly Jensen (Algonquin), Allies by Dana Alison Levy and Shakirah Bourne (DK), All Signs Point to Yes by Candice Montgomery, cara davis-araux, and Adrianne Russell (Inkyard), and Adoptee to Adoptee by Nicole Chung and Shannon Gibney (Harper).
His other books include the IndieBound bestseller The Geek’s Guide to Dating (Quirk), Inked (Bloomsbury), the anthology Welcome Home (Flux), and contemporary fantasy novel The Girl and the Grove (Flux).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
June 11, 2024
There’s a whole lot happening in the Healy household. Nick sees only Harvard on the horizon, six short months away. Mrs. Healy is obviously and enthusiastically proud of her son. Simultaneously, she is purely perplexed by her seventeen-year-old daughter, Frankie. Meanwhile, Mr. Healy is…well, not around. He seems to be spending most of his waking (and some of his sleeping) hours at work.
Frankie is filled with frustration. As the only Black member in her white (adopted) family, she certainly gets noticed. Sadly, though, she’s never actually seen. Aside from Jo.
They’ve been besties forever and recently, even more. They’ve also formed a new high-school club, SMAAC: Social Movements and Advocacy Committee. Admittedly, growing the membership to more than two was a goal, but neither wanted it the way it went down.
Big brother is too busy to support Frankie & Jo’s cause, but he does have time to attend his wealthy friend’s epic party. True, Andrew’s a bit of a douche-canoe, but basically a good guy. Right? Most importantly though, Bella will be there. Liquid-courage likely, Nick may finally tell Bella how he feels.
Upon arrival, it seems as if Andrew has his own plans for Bella’s evening. Oddly enough, she doesn’t seem to object. Although, she’s certainly not at her sharpest. Perhaps the bottomless cup she clings to is hitting her hard. When Nick leaves, he offers to take Bella home. Declined, by Andrew on her behalf, Nick exits, alone.
Bad idea. Bad things happen. Frankie and Jo are the first, and for quite some time, the only people to approach Bella to offer support. Not the quiet kind. They are fierce and ready to fight for their friend.
The YA novel, Jagged Little Pill, by Eric Smith, with Alanis Morrissette, Diablo Cody and Glen Ballard, is based on the award-winning musical that shares the same name. As is always the case, Mr. Smith manages to tackle topics often ignored by adults, but that teens often deal with, while also illuminating issues in problematic and frankly, downright racist, dialogue. There are absolutely moments of levity, along with phenomenal new vocabulary. I will be working “heteronormative” into conversations.
Yes, of course I’m going to mention “my” students. This (school) year, I’ve been so fortunate to be able to receive honest and thoughtful feed-back from these cherubs. One thing that really stood out: they want to know what is going on with parents. Here is an excellent answer to that question and you know that I cannot wait to share Jagged Little Pill: The Novel with them.
*Bonus cool points for the Lamar Giles mention. That man can write a story to suck you right in.
I won a copy from a Goodreads Giveaway, so shout out to Goodreads for helping me grow my favorite classroom library!
Frankie is filled with frustration. As the only Black member in her white (adopted) family, she certainly gets noticed. Sadly, though, she’s never actually seen. Aside from Jo.
They’ve been besties forever and recently, even more. They’ve also formed a new high-school club, SMAAC: Social Movements and Advocacy Committee. Admittedly, growing the membership to more than two was a goal, but neither wanted it the way it went down.
Big brother is too busy to support Frankie & Jo’s cause, but he does have time to attend his wealthy friend’s epic party. True, Andrew’s a bit of a douche-canoe, but basically a good guy. Right? Most importantly though, Bella will be there. Liquid-courage likely, Nick may finally tell Bella how he feels.
Upon arrival, it seems as if Andrew has his own plans for Bella’s evening. Oddly enough, she doesn’t seem to object. Although, she’s certainly not at her sharpest. Perhaps the bottomless cup she clings to is hitting her hard. When Nick leaves, he offers to take Bella home. Declined, by Andrew on her behalf, Nick exits, alone.
Bad idea. Bad things happen. Frankie and Jo are the first, and for quite some time, the only people to approach Bella to offer support. Not the quiet kind. They are fierce and ready to fight for their friend.
The YA novel, Jagged Little Pill, by Eric Smith, with Alanis Morrissette, Diablo Cody and Glen Ballard, is based on the award-winning musical that shares the same name. As is always the case, Mr. Smith manages to tackle topics often ignored by adults, but that teens often deal with, while also illuminating issues in problematic and frankly, downright racist, dialogue. There are absolutely moments of levity, along with phenomenal new vocabulary. I will be working “heteronormative” into conversations.
Yes, of course I’m going to mention “my” students. This (school) year, I’ve been so fortunate to be able to receive honest and thoughtful feed-back from these cherubs. One thing that really stood out: they want to know what is going on with parents. Here is an excellent answer to that question and you know that I cannot wait to share Jagged Little Pill: The Novel with them.
*Bonus cool points for the Lamar Giles mention. That man can write a story to suck you right in.
I won a copy from a Goodreads Giveaway, so shout out to Goodreads for helping me grow my favorite classroom library!
March 9, 2022
Well! I don’t know how many times I listened Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill album and how many times I got thrown out from karaoke bar for singing “You Ought to know” extra dramatically and ear bleeding-ly! It’s still one of my all time top ten favorite albums!
When I heard the idea they were making a Broadway musical based on this fabulous album, I couldn’t act quicker to buy tickets! I loved it so much! I’ve seen it twice and I plan to see it again in near future when I have business trip to Big Apple!
So you may imagine how happy I’m to read a book based on musical with more detailed character analysis, thought provoking approach to many sensitive issues with pure honesty.
As a difference from the play, we read more detailed Phoenix, Nick and Bella’s character developments with more realistic approach and background stories. Especially Bella’s story hurt me a lot. It was so real, heart wrenching and powerful!
Overall: Eric Smith did a marvelous job by turning this Broadway play into the book which is based on one of the incredible albums at rock history!
Special thanks to NetGalley and ABRAHAMS Kids for giving me this win chance by sending this digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest thoughts.
When I heard the idea they were making a Broadway musical based on this fabulous album, I couldn’t act quicker to buy tickets! I loved it so much! I’ve seen it twice and I plan to see it again in near future when I have business trip to Big Apple!
So you may imagine how happy I’m to read a book based on musical with more detailed character analysis, thought provoking approach to many sensitive issues with pure honesty.
As a difference from the play, we read more detailed Phoenix, Nick and Bella’s character developments with more realistic approach and background stories. Especially Bella’s story hurt me a lot. It was so real, heart wrenching and powerful!
Overall: Eric Smith did a marvelous job by turning this Broadway play into the book which is based on one of the incredible albums at rock history!
Special thanks to NetGalley and ABRAHAMS Kids for giving me this win chance by sending this digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest thoughts.
March 6, 2022
you oughta know this book was BAD omg
2/5 stars
thanks to netgalley and amulet books for the arc!
jagged little pill more like ragged little pill !!
the universe has aligned the terrible events of me watching the jlp bootleg last year and me reading the dear evan hansen ya novel into one catastrophic happening: me requesting this book on netgalley to see how bad it could get
i have my own issues w the actual book of the musical and they really shined through in this novel
at the beginning the author chose to add some things in that were not in the musical so i thought hmm maybe he’s going to rectify the pacing issues from the musical
WRONG
they were actually made worse somehow
for a book with multiple povs they really chose the worst ones and also somehow managed to underdevelop the characters w pov chapters
the book focuses on bella’s storyline but gives her 0 personality or time to breathe as herself
pacing??? romeo and juliet level bad
it’s a book that is quintessentially ya - a smoothie of every single topical issue all addressed with the same surface level nuance
also the whole thing with nick and bella???? weird gross boo tomato tomato throwing tomatoes
i leave you with this nugget of wisdom:
phoenix is smart but stupid frankie is gay but straight and nick crop dusts in whole foods i don’t make the rules
2/5 stars
thanks to netgalley and amulet books for the arc!
jagged little pill more like ragged little pill !!
the universe has aligned the terrible events of me watching the jlp bootleg last year and me reading the dear evan hansen ya novel into one catastrophic happening: me requesting this book on netgalley to see how bad it could get
i have my own issues w the actual book of the musical and they really shined through in this novel
at the beginning the author chose to add some things in that were not in the musical so i thought hmm maybe he’s going to rectify the pacing issues from the musical
WRONG
they were actually made worse somehow
for a book with multiple povs they really chose the worst ones and also somehow managed to underdevelop the characters w pov chapters
the book focuses on bella’s storyline but gives her 0 personality or time to breathe as herself
pacing??? romeo and juliet level bad
it’s a book that is quintessentially ya - a smoothie of every single topical issue all addressed with the same surface level nuance
also the whole thing with nick and bella???? weird gross boo tomato tomato throwing tomatoes
i leave you with this nugget of wisdom:
phoenix is smart but stupid frankie is gay but straight and nick crop dusts in whole foods i don’t make the rules
Read
March 29, 2022You do not need to know a thing about the album or the show based on the album to enjoy this quintessential YA story. It follows five complex teens in suburban Connecticut, showing each of their individual challenges, ranging from romantic interests to family illness, being the new kid to sexual assault, to social media to parental addiction, social justice and community engagement. It's fast-paced and each of the characters distinct and all interweave with one another in smart, compelling ways.
If you are a Morisette fan, you'll be delighted by the Easter eggs throughout, and readers who love the humor Smith brings to his writing will see it shine through here. It's been a while since I read a book in a sitting, but I did with this one. I'm especially satisfied that there wasn't a clean, clear, perfect ending--that's real life, and because of the big topics the story digs into, any other ending would have been far too clean, easy, or unsatisfactory.
If you are a Morisette fan, you'll be delighted by the Easter eggs throughout, and readers who love the humor Smith brings to his writing will see it shine through here. It's been a while since I read a book in a sitting, but I did with this one. I'm especially satisfied that there wasn't a clean, clear, perfect ending--that's real life, and because of the big topics the story digs into, any other ending would have been far too clean, easy, or unsatisfactory.
May 30, 2022
While vaguely aware the music of Alanis Morissette had inspired a Broadway musical, I admittedly went in, somewhat blind to its novel adaptation. In my defense, anything based off the genius that was Morissette’s ground breaking album would peak the curiosity of a lot of people from my generation. When Jagged Little Pill came out I was a high school senior, scorned (by tame, teenage standards) by my first “love”. Needless to say, JLP’s cocktail of anger and angst spoke to me, along with many other teenage girls of the time.
Fast forward more years than I care to admit and this book crosses my path. I requested it from @netgalley without hesitation, curious to see how they would breathe new life into the powerful words of the album (that still holds up, mind you) all these years later. Color me disappointed however, when I came to find reading this book did, in fact, leave me feeling like it had rained on my wedding day. Ironic, don’t ya think?
In this EXTREMELY, loosely based adaptation, we follow a group of teenagers, ultimately seeing how each is effected after the fallout from a recent high school party. There’s the siblings, Frankie and Nick, one who is loved, “as long as he’s perfect”, the other adopted and torn emotionally between her best friend and the new boy in town. Then there’s Bella, the victim of a sexual assault gone viral, among others. Oh, did I fail to mention this book doesn’t even take place in the nineties? In fact, with the exception of the poetry our main characters “created”, poached right from the likes of Morissette and Ballard’s song book, you would NEVER know this book was based on anything Alanis related, period.
Even if, and it’s a big IF I could put my frustration aside for failing to see the lack of Alanis’s inspiration, this book reads like typical young adult fare, and not one that’s fleshed out all that well either. Looking back, I wouldn’t call JLP a concept album, so it’s a fairly odd choice to try to write an entire production upon. I might be in the minority here, but the thoughts in this review are all my own and ones, I thought, you outta know.
Fast forward more years than I care to admit and this book crosses my path. I requested it from @netgalley without hesitation, curious to see how they would breathe new life into the powerful words of the album (that still holds up, mind you) all these years later. Color me disappointed however, when I came to find reading this book did, in fact, leave me feeling like it had rained on my wedding day. Ironic, don’t ya think?
In this EXTREMELY, loosely based adaptation, we follow a group of teenagers, ultimately seeing how each is effected after the fallout from a recent high school party. There’s the siblings, Frankie and Nick, one who is loved, “as long as he’s perfect”, the other adopted and torn emotionally between her best friend and the new boy in town. Then there’s Bella, the victim of a sexual assault gone viral, among others. Oh, did I fail to mention this book doesn’t even take place in the nineties? In fact, with the exception of the poetry our main characters “created”, poached right from the likes of Morissette and Ballard’s song book, you would NEVER know this book was based on anything Alanis related, period.
Even if, and it’s a big IF I could put my frustration aside for failing to see the lack of Alanis’s inspiration, this book reads like typical young adult fare, and not one that’s fleshed out all that well either. Looking back, I wouldn’t call JLP a concept album, so it’s a fairly odd choice to try to write an entire production upon. I might be in the minority here, but the thoughts in this review are all my own and ones, I thought, you outta know.
June 3, 2022
I had a very hard time rating this book. I would have definitely enjoyed in more as a teen reading it. It was not very original - love triangle, LBGQT, addiction, sickness, etc. I wanted more of a Alanis Morrissette feel and music vibe. I also have read better YA girl empowerment novels.
Being based off the musical "Jagged Little Pill" - there is most likely more music in musical...lol, but after reading this I'm not sure I'm as interested now in seeing it as I was previously.
Being based off the musical "Jagged Little Pill" - there is most likely more music in musical...lol, but after reading this I'm not sure I'm as interested now in seeing it as I was previously.
March 22, 2022
Everything Eric writes is amazing, and Jagged Little Pill is no exception. I love this story and I love the music and it’s so cute and good and ANGSTY and Eric rules.
February 8, 2022
I was able to read this ebook through #NetGalley!
I had very high hopes for this book. I've never seen the Broadway show, but I still anticipated it to be edgy and cynical and entertaining.
Instead, I thought it was dull and scattered and... dare I say, basic. I hate labeling something that's associated with Alana Morisette as basic, but there it is: this book is basic.
If you are going to have the focus of the book be on this one party and the ensuing aftermath, give us more of the poor girl whose life has been turned upside down by it! I felt like I was reading two different books: the Jo and Frankie love story, and then the Bella story. And I wanted more of Bella's story; she was such a one note character.
And the writing was pretty basic, too. Show, don't tell. You're not giving young adults enough credit here. They can make inferences.
I had very high hopes for this book. I've never seen the Broadway show, but I still anticipated it to be edgy and cynical and entertaining.
Instead, I thought it was dull and scattered and... dare I say, basic. I hate labeling something that's associated with Alana Morisette as basic, but there it is: this book is basic.
If you are going to have the focus of the book be on this one party and the ensuing aftermath, give us more of the poor girl whose life has been turned upside down by it! I felt like I was reading two different books: the Jo and Frankie love story, and then the Bella story. And I wanted more of Bella's story; she was such a one note character.
And the writing was pretty basic, too. Show, don't tell. You're not giving young adults enough credit here. They can make inferences.
April 26, 2022
Big thanks to Abrams for the super cool influencer box and for allowing me to review and promote this book!
Reading this book took me back to my highschool days when Head Over Feet was my go-to when hanging out with my crush, hoping he'd connect to the song and realize how much he loved and adored me and would move the world for me. None of that happened, but the nostalgia was real.
Small note: I did not know they made a musical called Jagged Little Pill and that so many heavy-hitting stars were part of it. Granted, it released when my family and I moved overseas to Italy and life basically got hard and weird and horrible and I missed out on a lot back in the States. I digress...
My experiences with reading novels based on musicals have been good and this one was no different. I have adored everything Eric Smith has written, so I had no fears this would be good. Te multiple POVs gave us the best perspective of the tumultuous lives of five teens. Jagged Little Pill deals with some heavy topics including drug addiction, drug overdose, rape, and bullying, amongst others, but it is done with heart and care.
i can't speak to the fleshing out of the characters, but I have read reviews where they say the book does a better job at characterizations, especially for Phoenix's character. I also can't speak to the controversy of changing Jo's character from non-binary to cis, but from what I do know is that it started on the Broadway show, not this book. But there are queer reps in this book, including Jo and Frankie if that helps.
I think fans of the musical will love this rendition and even those who haven't seen it, like myself. It can open the line of communication between children and parents. Topics like sexual assault and drugs are not easy to have with your children and vice versa, but hopefully books like this can ease those worries and help those who struggle.
Reading this book took me back to my highschool days when Head Over Feet was my go-to when hanging out with my crush, hoping he'd connect to the song and realize how much he loved and adored me and would move the world for me. None of that happened, but the nostalgia was real.
Small note: I did not know they made a musical called Jagged Little Pill and that so many heavy-hitting stars were part of it. Granted, it released when my family and I moved overseas to Italy and life basically got hard and weird and horrible and I missed out on a lot back in the States. I digress...
My experiences with reading novels based on musicals have been good and this one was no different. I have adored everything Eric Smith has written, so I had no fears this would be good. Te multiple POVs gave us the best perspective of the tumultuous lives of five teens. Jagged Little Pill deals with some heavy topics including drug addiction, drug overdose, rape, and bullying, amongst others, but it is done with heart and care.
i can't speak to the fleshing out of the characters, but I have read reviews where they say the book does a better job at characterizations, especially for Phoenix's character. I also can't speak to the controversy of changing Jo's character from non-binary to cis, but from what I do know is that it started on the Broadway show, not this book. But there are queer reps in this book, including Jo and Frankie if that helps.
I think fans of the musical will love this rendition and even those who haven't seen it, like myself. It can open the line of communication between children and parents. Topics like sexual assault and drugs are not easy to have with your children and vice versa, but hopefully books like this can ease those worries and help those who struggle.
January 6, 2022
While this YA novel is based on the Jagged Little Pill musical, which is based on Alanis Morissette's album, you do not need to know either to enjoy this book–which I think YA lovers will greatly enjoy. (There is however an "isn't it ironic" scene that was hilarious.)
I loved watching the messy lives of a family of four: white mom trying to hide her pain pill addiction, white dad always at work, white teen son forced to be the perfect everything, and adopted Black teen daughter trying to fix the world while trying to figure out where she fits in. It's filled with the many mistakes we make as individuals and as a society but told with a lot of heart, care, and hope.
(TW brief teacher student statutory attempt/ date rape/ nude pic taken and shared without consent/ forced outing/ accidental overdose)
I loved watching the messy lives of a family of four: white mom trying to hide her pain pill addiction, white dad always at work, white teen son forced to be the perfect everything, and adopted Black teen daughter trying to fix the world while trying to figure out where she fits in. It's filled with the many mistakes we make as individuals and as a society but told with a lot of heart, care, and hope.
(TW brief teacher student statutory attempt/ date rape/ nude pic taken and shared without consent/ forced outing/ accidental overdose)
April 8, 2022
Thank you to ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape, outing, addiction, implied homophobia
I should preface by saying that I have not watched the Jagged Little Pill, the musical, so I can't determine how the book compares to the musical.
That being said, the book in itself was a fantastic read! I've always been drawn to stories featuring a group of teenagers brought together due to circumstance and seeing how that one event impacts them all individually and collectively, and vice versa - how the group members' individuality contributes to how the group deals with the event. Jagged Little Pill: The Novel did a great job of delivering this. It featured an interesting group comprised of five teenagers: Frankie, Jo, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella, their lives intermingling in a substantial way after Bella was sexually assaulted at a party. As the four teens try to make sense of the situation and offer Bella their help, they learn more about each other, learn from each other, and ultimately, learn more about themselves and who they are as people and who they aspire to be.
Eric Smith did a wonderful job in bringing each of these characters to life. The voices and struggles of each of the five teens was distinct and their growth and development was executed really well. I found myself emphasizing with each of the characters and hoping for a happy ending for each of them.
The novel also covers many important issues - sexual assault, navigating sexuality, addiction, and the struggles of being an adopted child. I found Smith did a great job of writing about these issues and how they impact adolescents and their everyday life.
Overall, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel was an engaging read and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys the YA genre and stories revolving around social issues with fierce, lovable teenagers fighting against them.
trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape, outing, addiction, implied homophobia
I should preface by saying that I have not watched the Jagged Little Pill, the musical, so I can't determine how the book compares to the musical.
That being said, the book in itself was a fantastic read! I've always been drawn to stories featuring a group of teenagers brought together due to circumstance and seeing how that one event impacts them all individually and collectively, and vice versa - how the group members' individuality contributes to how the group deals with the event. Jagged Little Pill: The Novel did a great job of delivering this. It featured an interesting group comprised of five teenagers: Frankie, Jo, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella, their lives intermingling in a substantial way after Bella was sexually assaulted at a party. As the four teens try to make sense of the situation and offer Bella their help, they learn more about each other, learn from each other, and ultimately, learn more about themselves and who they are as people and who they aspire to be.
Eric Smith did a wonderful job in bringing each of these characters to life. The voices and struggles of each of the five teens was distinct and their growth and development was executed really well. I found myself emphasizing with each of the characters and hoping for a happy ending for each of them.
The novel also covers many important issues - sexual assault, navigating sexuality, addiction, and the struggles of being an adopted child. I found Smith did a great job of writing about these issues and how they impact adolescents and their everyday life.
Overall, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel was an engaging read and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys the YA genre and stories revolving around social issues with fierce, lovable teenagers fighting against them.
April 26, 2022
Solid 4 stars for Jagged Little Pill. I requested this book due to Alanis Morisette being one of my favorite artist from the late 90’s. But don’t worry, you don’t need to know or be a fan of her music.
Jagged Little Pill follows 5 teenagers in suburban Connecticut as they juggle daily life of gossip, love, underage drinking and fitting in.
The story flows so smooth and is a quick read. There is a diverse list of characters who all deal with trauma in one way or another.
💊Nick feels like he has to be perfect for everyone.
💊Frankie is an African American adopted into a white family and is Bisexual
💊Bella was sexually assaulted
💊Jo is a Catholic who is gay and struggles with her family seeing her
💊 And Phoenix is the new kid in town who is trying to fit in.
TW: sexual assault/rape; drug addiction & underage drinking
Thank you to Amulet Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Jagged Little Pill follows 5 teenagers in suburban Connecticut as they juggle daily life of gossip, love, underage drinking and fitting in.
The story flows so smooth and is a quick read. There is a diverse list of characters who all deal with trauma in one way or another.
💊Nick feels like he has to be perfect for everyone.
💊Frankie is an African American adopted into a white family and is Bisexual
💊Bella was sexually assaulted
💊Jo is a Catholic who is gay and struggles with her family seeing her
💊 And Phoenix is the new kid in town who is trying to fit in.
TW: sexual assault/rape; drug addiction & underage drinking
Thank you to Amulet Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 28, 2022
2.5 stars
As quick of a read that this was, it wasn’t the book for me. Everything moved so quickly that it all felt really rushed. And for the subject matter, it was a disservice, IMO. The first 30% was set up and then the rest took place in days but so much went on it felt like it should have been months. Also for me this was one of those rare books that so many POVs hurt the story because I couldn’t focus on each character long enough to get invested. All in all it just wasn’t for me.
As quick of a read that this was, it wasn’t the book for me. Everything moved so quickly that it all felt really rushed. And for the subject matter, it was a disservice, IMO. The first 30% was set up and then the rest took place in days but so much went on it felt like it should have been months. Also for me this was one of those rare books that so many POVs hurt the story because I couldn’t focus on each character long enough to get invested. All in all it just wasn’t for me.
January 21, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for providing me an eARC copy of Jagged Little Pill: The Novel by Eric Smith in exchange for an honest review!
As a fan of the Jagged Little Pill musical, which I was able to see twice on Broadway, I was very much looking forward to reading this book. While reading this book, I tried to focus on what this book had compared to the musical, what it didn't have, and how it fared entirely as a standalone book for readers who have not seen the original musical.
The novelization of Jagged Little Pill penned by Eric Smith is a great example of what a YA book should be, and I found that it excellently depicted the voices of all five main characters that rotated throughout the book—Jo, Frankie, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella. Jagged Little Pill is a tricky story, because it takes on a plethora of social issues, but it is all done with the correct pacing, and the most intense of it was handled very well.
I think that Jagged Little Pill will be able to resonate with readers in the way that it treates the idea of a perfect family that is really just hiding all of their faults. The Healy family starts off as a family that brags to other families about how well their children are doing, and how successful their parents are, but over the course of the book, all of that changes.
Aside from issues within the family, Jagged Little Pill also tackles issues such as infidelity and sexual assault. While I don't believe the former was handled well, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the latter was done. I am not a sexual assault survivor myself, but I have read a lot of articles and first-hand experiences of it, and to me, Bella's experience in the book was portrayed in a very realistic and evocative manner. I was able to get a glimpse of the same frustration that she felt, and that only helped in my overall experience of the book.
As for how good of a novelization this was, I think that fans of the musical should be excited for this book, as it gives more characterization to Nick, Bella, and most especially Phoenix, who weren't given that much prominence in the musical. Those said three characters were more fleshed out, given qualities and backstories that were never present in the musical, and all of the new additions seemed very appropriate to their characters. Even Jo, who could be counted as a main character of the musical, was given more backstory in the novelization.
The added bonus of more characterization helped shape the story of Jagged Little Pill into something more cohesive, which I found lacking in the original musical. So even though this features no songs, and only song references, I believe that it is on par with the original musical just for excelling in what the musical could not.
Jagged Little Pill is about how humanity is stronger as one, and it is about understanding that your family and friends have a large impact on the person you are today. It's about accepting help and being honest with your loved ones, even if it means exposing your deepest vulnerabilities. It's about how even though the world might be cruel, it won't be as intimidating if you only join forces with others, and there is never any power in pretending to be someone you're not.
As a fan of the Jagged Little Pill musical, which I was able to see twice on Broadway, I was very much looking forward to reading this book. While reading this book, I tried to focus on what this book had compared to the musical, what it didn't have, and how it fared entirely as a standalone book for readers who have not seen the original musical.
The novelization of Jagged Little Pill penned by Eric Smith is a great example of what a YA book should be, and I found that it excellently depicted the voices of all five main characters that rotated throughout the book—Jo, Frankie, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella. Jagged Little Pill is a tricky story, because it takes on a plethora of social issues, but it is all done with the correct pacing, and the most intense of it was handled very well.
I think that Jagged Little Pill will be able to resonate with readers in the way that it treates the idea of a perfect family that is really just hiding all of their faults. The Healy family starts off as a family that brags to other families about how well their children are doing, and how successful their parents are, but over the course of the book, all of that changes.
Aside from issues within the family, Jagged Little Pill also tackles issues such as infidelity and sexual assault. While I don't believe the former was handled well, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the latter was done. I am not a sexual assault survivor myself, but I have read a lot of articles and first-hand experiences of it, and to me, Bella's experience in the book was portrayed in a very realistic and evocative manner. I was able to get a glimpse of the same frustration that she felt, and that only helped in my overall experience of the book.
As for how good of a novelization this was, I think that fans of the musical should be excited for this book, as it gives more characterization to Nick, Bella, and most especially Phoenix, who weren't given that much prominence in the musical. Those said three characters were more fleshed out, given qualities and backstories that were never present in the musical, and all of the new additions seemed very appropriate to their characters. Even Jo, who could be counted as a main character of the musical, was given more backstory in the novelization.
The added bonus of more characterization helped shape the story of Jagged Little Pill into something more cohesive, which I found lacking in the original musical. So even though this features no songs, and only song references, I believe that it is on par with the original musical just for excelling in what the musical could not.
Jagged Little Pill is about how humanity is stronger as one, and it is about understanding that your family and friends have a large impact on the person you are today. It's about accepting help and being honest with your loved ones, even if it means exposing your deepest vulnerabilities. It's about how even though the world might be cruel, it won't be as intimidating if you only join forces with others, and there is never any power in pretending to be someone you're not.
April 26, 2022
The very last trip I took before the world crumbled in 2020 was to NYC, and one of three Broadway shows I experienced was Jagged Little Pill. When I was asked if I wanted to read an arc of the new YA book of JAGGED LITTLE PILL by Eric Smith with Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard, which is based on the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical, my immediate answer was yes! I’m so glad this book exists now; if only it existed years ago for a young me.
I’ve seen the show (if you haven’t, the tour begins this fall, please do yourself a favor and see it!), and I know the cast recording by heart. I also know the original Jagged Little Pill album by Alanis by heart as I bought it when it came out, but we aren’t going to discuss that since it will definitely age me. 😉 So, reading this book, I expected just to enjoy the story. I didn’t expect to get hit with the feels and be full out crying by the end because I was so overcome with emotion. I mean, hello! I know how the story ends; I know the musical! But Eric Smith’s writing pulled me, and I got swept up in the story, and feelings were felt.
The thing about this JAGGED LITTLE PILL is that Smith expanded the characters. We get the emotions in the music on stage, and we learn about these characters a little bit. But here in the book, Frankie, Jo, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella become more because we are inside their heads.
Yes, I admit, I’m already attached to them because I know the show, but you don’t have to know the musical or Alanis’ music to enjoy this book. This is a coming-of-age book. Teens figuring out who they are and the difference between right and wrong. It tackles gritty topics like sexual assault, what you do if you know something, and what power a victim has. The book deals a lot with people figuring out their identity and where they fit in.
This is a very easy read - I read it in one sitting. I was enamored by it. It’s one I’ll love having on my shelf and one that I’m happy is out in the world. I think it’s important that books like this are written. Not just to attract people to the theatre but to make kids feel less alone.
PS - For anyone who loves the musical and Alanis’ music, there are a lot of hidden easter eggs that you can find hidden throughout!
Thanks Abrams Books and Amulet Books for the gifted book!
Content Warnings: sexual assault, infidelity, outing, drug addiction, drug overdose, terminal illness
I’ve seen the show (if you haven’t, the tour begins this fall, please do yourself a favor and see it!), and I know the cast recording by heart. I also know the original Jagged Little Pill album by Alanis by heart as I bought it when it came out, but we aren’t going to discuss that since it will definitely age me. 😉 So, reading this book, I expected just to enjoy the story. I didn’t expect to get hit with the feels and be full out crying by the end because I was so overcome with emotion. I mean, hello! I know how the story ends; I know the musical! But Eric Smith’s writing pulled me, and I got swept up in the story, and feelings were felt.
The thing about this JAGGED LITTLE PILL is that Smith expanded the characters. We get the emotions in the music on stage, and we learn about these characters a little bit. But here in the book, Frankie, Jo, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella become more because we are inside their heads.
Yes, I admit, I’m already attached to them because I know the show, but you don’t have to know the musical or Alanis’ music to enjoy this book. This is a coming-of-age book. Teens figuring out who they are and the difference between right and wrong. It tackles gritty topics like sexual assault, what you do if you know something, and what power a victim has. The book deals a lot with people figuring out their identity and where they fit in.
This is a very easy read - I read it in one sitting. I was enamored by it. It’s one I’ll love having on my shelf and one that I’m happy is out in the world. I think it’s important that books like this are written. Not just to attract people to the theatre but to make kids feel less alone.
PS - For anyone who loves the musical and Alanis’ music, there are a lot of hidden easter eggs that you can find hidden throughout!
Thanks Abrams Books and Amulet Books for the gifted book!
Content Warnings: sexual assault, infidelity, outing, drug addiction, drug overdose, terminal illness
March 26, 2022
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 14/15+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Special thanks to TLC Book Tours and Amulet Books for an ARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
TW: sexual assault, rape, outing, religious trauma, cheating, addiction (painkillers and alcohol) + more
Alannis Morrisette’s debut album got the Mamma Mia treatment and was made into a musical. That musical got the Dear Evan Hansen treatment, and was made into a YA novel.
I think the driving force behind this novel is Alannis and her fame, however I’m not sure how affective that will be in bringing readers to this book. Most Alannis fans are older millennials and gen x, who are unlikely to be interested in reading a YA book. I picked it up because my mom was a huge fan in college, so I’m familiar with her name and music, but I’m not sure how many of today’s teens are. And, honestly, I find that disappointing, because this book was good, and I definitely recommend it—whether or not you’ve heard of Alannis Morrisette or Jagged Little Pill.
This story hits on so many hard, important topics. At it’s center, it is a story of a survivor and those around her fighting for justice, but it touches on so much more. Bella’s assault and the aftermath are the driving factor of the plot, and while nothing is directly described, it still has the potential to be triggering. However, Frankie deals with what it’s like to be a Black girl who was adopted into a white family, as well as feeling like you come in second to your sibling, and figuring out you sexuality and being closeted/coming out. Jo deals with being out in a non-accepting home and environment, and it touches on religion as a factor of that. This book tackles the #MeToo movement, race, sexuality, interracial adoption, religious trauma, addiction, and more in 300 some pages, and it manages to do all of that well, and in a way that never feels too overwhelming or heavy handed.
A large part of Frankie’s story revolves around cheating, and I really didn’t enjoy that aspect of the book. Frankie’s character started off strong, but as the book went on, she started to bug me more and more. I feel like that whole fiasco took away from the main focus of Bella, and almost undermined all the other serious issues Frankie was dealing with. And yes, I understand she did what she did because she was overwhelmed by the other things going on in her life, but to me that felt like it was used to excuse her actions. It was never made out to be “that bad” and I felt like we were supposed to feel bad for Frankie for what she was doing, and I just couldn’t.
Outside of that one storyline, I really enjoyed the book, and I do recommend it as long as you check all the trigger warnings.
Age Rating: 14/15+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Special thanks to TLC Book Tours and Amulet Books for an ARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
TW: sexual assault, rape, outing, religious trauma, cheating, addiction (painkillers and alcohol) + more
Alannis Morrisette’s debut album got the Mamma Mia treatment and was made into a musical. That musical got the Dear Evan Hansen treatment, and was made into a YA novel.
I think the driving force behind this novel is Alannis and her fame, however I’m not sure how affective that will be in bringing readers to this book. Most Alannis fans are older millennials and gen x, who are unlikely to be interested in reading a YA book. I picked it up because my mom was a huge fan in college, so I’m familiar with her name and music, but I’m not sure how many of today’s teens are. And, honestly, I find that disappointing, because this book was good, and I definitely recommend it—whether or not you’ve heard of Alannis Morrisette or Jagged Little Pill.
This story hits on so many hard, important topics. At it’s center, it is a story of a survivor and those around her fighting for justice, but it touches on so much more. Bella’s assault and the aftermath are the driving factor of the plot, and while nothing is directly described, it still has the potential to be triggering. However, Frankie deals with what it’s like to be a Black girl who was adopted into a white family, as well as feeling like you come in second to your sibling, and figuring out you sexuality and being closeted/coming out. Jo deals with being out in a non-accepting home and environment, and it touches on religion as a factor of that. This book tackles the #MeToo movement, race, sexuality, interracial adoption, religious trauma, addiction, and more in 300 some pages, and it manages to do all of that well, and in a way that never feels too overwhelming or heavy handed.
A large part of Frankie’s story revolves around cheating, and I really didn’t enjoy that aspect of the book. Frankie’s character started off strong, but as the book went on, she started to bug me more and more. I feel like that whole fiasco took away from the main focus of Bella, and almost undermined all the other serious issues Frankie was dealing with. And yes, I understand she did what she did because she was overwhelmed by the other things going on in her life, but to me that felt like it was used to excuse her actions. It was never made out to be “that bad” and I felt like we were supposed to feel bad for Frankie for what she was doing, and I just couldn’t.
Outside of that one storyline, I really enjoyed the book, and I do recommend it as long as you check all the trigger warnings.
January 30, 2022
Thank you to Amulet Books and Netgalley for a review copy of this book.
This is my first book adaptation of a musical that I’ve read. As someone who loves musicals, this was a musical that had gone under my radar somehow but after reading this book, I’m really interested in listening to the music to hear how it works with Alanis’s songs, especially as I grew up with her music.
The story itself was one I enjoyed. It was relevant to today and I liked that it didn’t just gloss over the hard subjects covered in the storyline. Even when someone tried to make amends, it wasn’t just a quick “okay everything is better now.” It felt more real and like seeing a slice of life into the small town.
I think teenagers and adults will enjoy this book, and it can be used to open up the lines of communication about subjects that parents may not know how to address or talk about with their kids. It’s not easy to have those conversations, but as the book teaches us, we don’t always know what’s going on with someone, and we may have more in common than we think.
This is my first book adaptation of a musical that I’ve read. As someone who loves musicals, this was a musical that had gone under my radar somehow but after reading this book, I’m really interested in listening to the music to hear how it works with Alanis’s songs, especially as I grew up with her music.
The story itself was one I enjoyed. It was relevant to today and I liked that it didn’t just gloss over the hard subjects covered in the storyline. Even when someone tried to make amends, it wasn’t just a quick “okay everything is better now.” It felt more real and like seeing a slice of life into the small town.
I think teenagers and adults will enjoy this book, and it can be used to open up the lines of communication about subjects that parents may not know how to address or talk about with their kids. It’s not easy to have those conversations, but as the book teaches us, we don’t always know what’s going on with someone, and we may have more in common than we think.
April 21, 2022
As a fan of the Broadway musical by the same title, I was curious to read the novel adaptation of the book by Eric Smith. Jagged Little Pill is based on Alanis Morissette studio album by the same title. Of course, the musical uses Morissette's music to play out a new story in traditional jukebox musical fashion. The novel, obviously, doesn't have the luxury of Morissette's music to help tell the story, but I think the author does a good job encapsulating the general feel of the original musical.
The book itself does a good job of sticking to the different characters and perspectives from the original musical. There are also a lot of text messages that go back and forth, which is artfully handled.
Overall, I really enjoyed this musical adaptation. I think the book offers an interesting look into a series of provocative issues for older high school students and young adults.
I want to thank the publisher for the advanced review copy of this book. Although I am grateful for the opportunity, the review was completely my own.
The book itself does a good job of sticking to the different characters and perspectives from the original musical. There are also a lot of text messages that go back and forth, which is artfully handled.
Overall, I really enjoyed this musical adaptation. I think the book offers an interesting look into a series of provocative issues for older high school students and young adults.
I want to thank the publisher for the advanced review copy of this book. Although I am grateful for the opportunity, the review was completely my own.
July 28, 2022
Content warning: rape, mental illness, drug abuse
It seems that every problem I have with the narrative in this book is endemic to the musical. In my opinion, the narrative bites off way more than it can chew in terms of exploring trauma, with none of the characters gets the depth or complexity necessary to pull this off. Every character seemed to serve a role in the plot rather having their own place. For example, Bella seems to be exist only to be assaulted and to be a martyr. Phoenix exists to cause a rift between the sapphic couple of Jo and Frankie. Any one of the stories given the space to breathe could be compelling. Less than 300 pages is simply not enough.
If you're a fan of the original musical, you will enjoy this book. Otherwise, it's not really reflection of the author's artistic ability when it comes to characterization and plotting. I will also note that if you're expecting the character of Jo to be a they/them-pronoun using nonbinary person, this is never stated in the text.
It seems that every problem I have with the narrative in this book is endemic to the musical. In my opinion, the narrative bites off way more than it can chew in terms of exploring trauma, with none of the characters gets the depth or complexity necessary to pull this off. Every character seemed to serve a role in the plot rather having their own place. For example, Bella seems to be exist only to be assaulted and to be a martyr. Phoenix exists to cause a rift between the sapphic couple of Jo and Frankie. Any one of the stories given the space to breathe could be compelling. Less than 300 pages is simply not enough.
If you're a fan of the original musical, you will enjoy this book. Otherwise, it's not really reflection of the author's artistic ability when it comes to characterization and plotting. I will also note that if you're expecting the character of Jo to be a they/them-pronoun using nonbinary person, this is never stated in the text.
December 21, 2022
Pretty good! I've always felt this story had great YA novel or movie potential. I enjoyed how the lyrics and their meanings were incorporated and how the characters were able to be fleshed out.
My main 2 issues are MJ's presence and the author being a guy. In the musical, MJ and Frankie are the two clear leads, mostly MJ. I get focusing on the teen characters here, but it feels unbalanced and leaving out MJ's pov as she goes through her arc makes it seem like it comes out of nowhere and she's underdeveloped. We really did not need that many Phoenix chapters. Second, Frankie is such a great YA protagonist but having a male author try to write her perspective as a black queer woman in a white dominated town... feels whack. It just seemed like such a given to hire a black femme author to write Frankie. I still enjoyed this and hope it gets some love from its target audience.
My main 2 issues are MJ's presence and the author being a guy. In the musical, MJ and Frankie are the two clear leads, mostly MJ. I get focusing on the teen characters here, but it feels unbalanced and leaving out MJ's pov as she goes through her arc makes it seem like it comes out of nowhere and she's underdeveloped. We really did not need that many Phoenix chapters. Second, Frankie is such a great YA protagonist but having a male author try to write her perspective as a black queer woman in a white dominated town... feels whack. It just seemed like such a given to hire a black femme author to write Frankie. I still enjoyed this and hope it gets some love from its target audience.
April 5, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!
This is such an iconic album that for me now symbolizes the raw feelings of youth and this story hits all those sharp edges that are catalysts for teen angst.
This story based on the musical by the same name follows a small group of teens, separately and together, as they experience some of life's more difficult issues. Even with such harsh realities it's easy to see from a perspective of a reader how these problems at once create differences between the individuals but at the same time binds them together. That's the main vibe I get from certain music, including this album, a connection to others who feel and understand it like I do.
I definitely want to see the show now, too!
Out on April 26th!
This is such an iconic album that for me now symbolizes the raw feelings of youth and this story hits all those sharp edges that are catalysts for teen angst.
This story based on the musical by the same name follows a small group of teens, separately and together, as they experience some of life's more difficult issues. Even with such harsh realities it's easy to see from a perspective of a reader how these problems at once create differences between the individuals but at the same time binds them together. That's the main vibe I get from certain music, including this album, a connection to others who feel and understand it like I do.
I definitely want to see the show now, too!
Out on April 26th!
April 14, 2023
I just have to say I am a 90s girl, Alanis was my sound track, I also was on the cusp of really good young adult novels. I still was slogging through the remnants of serials of Sweet Valley and Christopher Pike and definitely dealing in VC Andrews and Stephen King because there was just nothing out there for my age group that kept me
Reading. This made me realize how awesome
The YA novels have become, not that it was an amazing book, but just combined that perfect amount of nostalgia of my teen music experience and reading something quick about people my age dealing with the things. For sure not deep, yeah maybe a little PG but Maybe I need to go back and read more YA. I think I lost out.
Reading. This made me realize how awesome
The YA novels have become, not that it was an amazing book, but just combined that perfect amount of nostalgia of my teen music experience and reading something quick about people my age dealing with the things. For sure not deep, yeah maybe a little PG but Maybe I need to go back and read more YA. I think I lost out.
December 4, 2022
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I’m sad that it took me so long to getting around to reading this book, but so happy I finally did! The story is a coming of age teenage drama that deals with real family any everyday problems. The writer did a fantastic job of taking a broadway play and turning it into a inspiring book for young adults, which leaves you feeling warm and wanting to call your family! I wasn’t sure how this book would work well without Alanis’s music to accompany it, but found the story so engaging, I didn’t end up missing it at all! Definitely recommend!!!
I’m sad that it took me so long to getting around to reading this book, but so happy I finally did! The story is a coming of age teenage drama that deals with real family any everyday problems. The writer did a fantastic job of taking a broadway play and turning it into a inspiring book for young adults, which leaves you feeling warm and wanting to call your family! I wasn’t sure how this book would work well without Alanis’s music to accompany it, but found the story so engaging, I didn’t end up missing it at all! Definitely recommend!!!
April 4, 2022
There is something timeless about Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill album. Her soul, raw and messy, is on full display. That complex tapestry of emotion and longing connects all the threads of Jagged Little Pill: A Novel, as well anything sharing that name should.
Eric Smith masterfully captures the core of his teenage characters and sets them loose in the world. Frankie, Jo, Phoenix, Nick and Bella - all wildly alive and wildly different - just want to be seen, to be heard. Their voices and desires are as clear as Alanis’s vocals
Their intertwined stories knot together when Bella is assaulted at a party and someone posts about it online. Frankie, Jo, Phoenix and Nick circle around Bella in different ways. Frankie and Jo are in there trying to help. Phoenix is supporting Frankie. And Nick is trying to figure out what he saw that night at the party — what he didn’t interrupt — and how to help his friend while keeping his overbearing mother happy.
Among these five characters, there are so many relationships. Brother and sister. Best friends. More than friends. New crushes. New friendships. Within all this, hearts break. Things splinter. And it all hits like a punch to the gut.
As a YA contemporary, I think Eric nailed it. And as an adaptation, he knocked it out of the park! (BTW, you do not have to have seen the musical to enjoy this book. Though I highly recommend listening to the OBC album as you read.) My biggest critique of the show has always been this: I felt like there was one too many story line. I just wanted to sink my teeth in with the characters a bit more and I couldn’t do that because of everything that happened on stage. In the book, one of those storylines moves to the background and Eric gives me what I’ve wanted: time to get to know the characters better. Basically, Eric fills in all those spaces and I loved it!
There are recurring moments across Eric’s books that I love, like the girls (rather than the boys) going in for the kisses first. And the most important of these is that all of his teens of color call racism what it is. They point at it, confront it, and dismantle it. Sometimes people listen. Sometimes they don’t. Just like in real life. These teens are so brave in the face of racism and I cheer every time.
I also have to mention that Eric brought an authenticity to Frankie, as they are both adoptees. I felt like I was given the gift of a glimpse into an experience I can never know. And those are some of the best moments in books.
If you’ve ever felt stranded, unmoored in a room full of people…
If you’ve ever felt like you’re screaming but no one can hear you…
If you’ve ever been in love with your best friend…
If you’ve ever been let down by the people you trust most…
If you’re ever found your strength in your lowest moments…
If you’ve ever felt seen in Alanis’s music, read this book.
Eric Smith masterfully captures the core of his teenage characters and sets them loose in the world. Frankie, Jo, Phoenix, Nick and Bella - all wildly alive and wildly different - just want to be seen, to be heard. Their voices and desires are as clear as Alanis’s vocals
Their intertwined stories knot together when Bella is assaulted at a party and someone posts about it online. Frankie, Jo, Phoenix and Nick circle around Bella in different ways. Frankie and Jo are in there trying to help. Phoenix is supporting Frankie. And Nick is trying to figure out what he saw that night at the party — what he didn’t interrupt — and how to help his friend while keeping his overbearing mother happy.
Among these five characters, there are so many relationships. Brother and sister. Best friends. More than friends. New crushes. New friendships. Within all this, hearts break. Things splinter. And it all hits like a punch to the gut.
As a YA contemporary, I think Eric nailed it. And as an adaptation, he knocked it out of the park! (BTW, you do not have to have seen the musical to enjoy this book. Though I highly recommend listening to the OBC album as you read.) My biggest critique of the show has always been this: I felt like there was one too many story line. I just wanted to sink my teeth in with the characters a bit more and I couldn’t do that because of everything that happened on stage. In the book, one of those storylines moves to the background and Eric gives me what I’ve wanted: time to get to know the characters better. Basically, Eric fills in all those spaces and I loved it!
There are recurring moments across Eric’s books that I love, like the girls (rather than the boys) going in for the kisses first. And the most important of these is that all of his teens of color call racism what it is. They point at it, confront it, and dismantle it. Sometimes people listen. Sometimes they don’t. Just like in real life. These teens are so brave in the face of racism and I cheer every time.
I also have to mention that Eric brought an authenticity to Frankie, as they are both adoptees. I felt like I was given the gift of a glimpse into an experience I can never know. And those are some of the best moments in books.
If you’ve ever felt stranded, unmoored in a room full of people…
If you’ve ever felt like you’re screaming but no one can hear you…
If you’ve ever been in love with your best friend…
If you’ve ever been let down by the people you trust most…
If you’re ever found your strength in your lowest moments…
If you’ve ever felt seen in Alanis’s music, read this book.
August 12, 2023
3.27 / 5
January 31, 2023
Frankie has never felt like she fits in with her adopted family. It's not just that she's Black in a white family. It's also that no matter how much she talks (or yells) her mother always cares more about making the right impression than speaking up for what she believes him. It's that no one talks about how much her mom and dad have been fighting. It's that her older brother, Nick, is marking time until he can start college in the fall.
No one gets Frankie the way Jo does. She's there for every cause, every protest, and everything else Frankie needs--including kissing an maybe starting to date? It's easier being around Frankie than it is to deal with her stifling home life where her conservative mother refuses to see Jo for who she really is.
Phoenix wants to help his mom, be present for his sister, and keep a low profile at school when his family moves so that his older sister can get better hospital care. That goes out the window once he meets Frankie.
Nick is so tired of doing well at school, keeping things together at home, being the guy everyone counts on. After spending his whole life looking out for other people he just wants one night to himself--one night where maybe he and Bella can get beyond awkwardly flirting to something more.
Bella has always liked Nick and knowing that he's looking out for her. But after that party and Bella's sexual assault all she really wants is to be believed in Jagged Little Pill (2022) by Eric Smith with Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard.
Jagged Little Pill is the official novelization of the musical by the same name. Both are inspired by, and feature music from, Alanis Morissette's seminal album Jagged Little Pill. The novel alternates first person point of view between Frankie, Jo, Phoenix, Nick and Bella with texts and other online messaging between chapters to further expand the story. Frankie is Black and Phoenix is Latinx--all other main characters (like most of the Connecticut suburb where the novel is set) are white.
All five points of view intersect in the aftermath of Bella's assault while Bella tries to process her trauma, Frankie and Jo sweep in urging Bella to demand justice in a public way first by going to the police and then with a protest rally, and Nick waits to come forward while he tries to decide if he believes his longtime crush Bella or his best friend who assaulted her. Phoenix plays the role of observer even as he's drawn to Frankie and--later--drawn into an ill-advised fling with Frankie who chooses to ignore that she is cheating on Jo in all the ways that matter even though the girls haven't officially defined their relationship.
Morisette's iconic lyrics are integrated into the text as subtle Easter eggs for fans and less subtly as poetry written by Frankie in a painful class seen where Phoenix can see how little she's able to fit in with her other white classmates and how little space they are willing to give Frankie or her ideas in a classic show of microaggressions. Side plots in the story deal with opioid addiction and advocacy. While some things tie up neatly (as musical fans might well expect), there are no easy answers for many of the characters' messier choices including Frankie's cheating and Nick's failure to stand by Bella when she needs him most. This choice does leave some character growth up in the air, but it also lends authenticity to a story with no easy answers.
Although intrinsically tied to the album, readers can and will appreciate Jagged Little Pill without any familiarity with the musical production or the album itself. That said, readers of the book will also find a QR code link at the end to the original cast recording.
Possible Pairings: We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds, Tricks by Ellen Hopkins, Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh, All We Left Behind by Ingrid Sundberg, Nothing Burns As Bright As You by Ashley Woodfolk
No one gets Frankie the way Jo does. She's there for every cause, every protest, and everything else Frankie needs--including kissing an maybe starting to date? It's easier being around Frankie than it is to deal with her stifling home life where her conservative mother refuses to see Jo for who she really is.
Phoenix wants to help his mom, be present for his sister, and keep a low profile at school when his family moves so that his older sister can get better hospital care. That goes out the window once he meets Frankie.
Nick is so tired of doing well at school, keeping things together at home, being the guy everyone counts on. After spending his whole life looking out for other people he just wants one night to himself--one night where maybe he and Bella can get beyond awkwardly flirting to something more.
Bella has always liked Nick and knowing that he's looking out for her. But after that party and Bella's sexual assault all she really wants is to be believed in Jagged Little Pill (2022) by Eric Smith with Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard.
Jagged Little Pill is the official novelization of the musical by the same name. Both are inspired by, and feature music from, Alanis Morissette's seminal album Jagged Little Pill. The novel alternates first person point of view between Frankie, Jo, Phoenix, Nick and Bella with texts and other online messaging between chapters to further expand the story. Frankie is Black and Phoenix is Latinx--all other main characters (like most of the Connecticut suburb where the novel is set) are white.
All five points of view intersect in the aftermath of Bella's assault while Bella tries to process her trauma, Frankie and Jo sweep in urging Bella to demand justice in a public way first by going to the police and then with a protest rally, and Nick waits to come forward while he tries to decide if he believes his longtime crush Bella or his best friend who assaulted her. Phoenix plays the role of observer even as he's drawn to Frankie and--later--drawn into an ill-advised fling with Frankie who chooses to ignore that she is cheating on Jo in all the ways that matter even though the girls haven't officially defined their relationship.
Morisette's iconic lyrics are integrated into the text as subtle Easter eggs for fans and less subtly as poetry written by Frankie in a painful class seen where Phoenix can see how little she's able to fit in with her other white classmates and how little space they are willing to give Frankie or her ideas in a classic show of microaggressions. Side plots in the story deal with opioid addiction and advocacy. While some things tie up neatly (as musical fans might well expect), there are no easy answers for many of the characters' messier choices including Frankie's cheating and Nick's failure to stand by Bella when she needs him most. This choice does leave some character growth up in the air, but it also lends authenticity to a story with no easy answers.
Although intrinsically tied to the album, readers can and will appreciate Jagged Little Pill without any familiarity with the musical production or the album itself. That said, readers of the book will also find a QR code link at the end to the original cast recording.
Possible Pairings: We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds, Tricks by Ellen Hopkins, Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh, All We Left Behind by Ingrid Sundberg, Nothing Burns As Bright As You by Ashley Woodfolk
May 5, 2022
Looking forward to reading this. Saw the Broadway play in October 2021. It is an AWESOME show!
I saw the Broadway play before I read the book. While reading the book, I read sections where I knew what music/score was used in the play.
I saw the Broadway play before I read the book. While reading the book, I read sections where I knew what music/score was used in the play.
Read
May 31, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Rape
Drug abuse
Chronic illness
Rape
Drug abuse
Chronic illness
July 30, 2022
no ok but why was every other word in this book supposed to be ~ deep ~ and ~ dramatic ~ it was so cringey 😭
July 11, 2022
When I first started this book, I thought it would easily be a 4- or 5-star read. Having 5 POV characters can be a risk, but each character's backstory was compelling and unique, and they each easily stood apart from each other. I never mixed up any of the protagonists while reading, which can be difficult to pull off as an author, especially the more POV characters that you add. I was equally invested in all five characters and was eager to see where their stories took me. Unfortunately, the story started to fall off for me as I got closer to the end.
The story takes place over a pretty brief period of time--the majority of the book takes place over just a few days, with the last chapter taking place a year later. And in that time, there's immediate insta-love that takes place essentially within a 24-hour period. After going on one singular date, one character tells another that they are in love with them and is shocked and offended when the other character can't reciprocate those feelings. Insta-love is a huge pet peeve of mine, so that drove me insane.
There was also definitely some problematic content within this book that I don't think was handled well at all. For one example, a character outed another character to her family, which I absolutely hated and found very unnecessary. Also, the main POV character, Frankie, is bisexual and cheats on her girlfriend with the new kid, Phoenix, and she also lies to him about having a girlfriend in the first place. I never like seeing the harmful bisexual stereotype in media that being bisexual means you are going to cheat on your partner because it's just not true.
Another issue that I had is that the ending didn't feel satisfying. We didn't get answers about what the entire book was about--each POV character had these interesting, unique journeys (a terminally ill sister, a complicated family relationship, being in a homophobic and religious family as a lesbian teenager, etc.), but we didn't get to see any resolution for any of those stories.
Instead, the only person we got any ending for was Frankie. We didn't even get one for Nick, who's Frankie's brother. And since the remaining four POV characters didn't get any resolution, the book didn't feel satisfying at all and honestly ruined the point of them as POV characters, since their arcs were all unresolved and all ended up just revolving around their relationship with Frankie instead of their own journeys.
Something I did appreciate about this book was that I haven't seen the musical and I'm also not at all familiar with Alanis Morisette's music, but you don't have to be familiar with either to read this book. There are a few poems throughout that are clearly from Alanis's lyrics, but otherwise, it really could stand on its own as a YA novel, which I think is important for when musicals are adapted into novels.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this book. I don't think the subject matter was handled well, and the ending just wasn't satisfying at all.
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, cheating, homophobia, character with terminal illness, drug use, drinking
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place over a pretty brief period of time--the majority of the book takes place over just a few days, with the last chapter taking place a year later. And in that time, there's immediate insta-love that takes place essentially within a 24-hour period. After going on one singular date, one character tells another that they are in love with them and is shocked and offended when the other character can't reciprocate those feelings. Insta-love is a huge pet peeve of mine, so that drove me insane.
There was also definitely some problematic content within this book that I don't think was handled well at all. For one example, a character outed another character to her family, which I absolutely hated and found very unnecessary. Also, the main POV character, Frankie, is bisexual and cheats on her girlfriend with the new kid, Phoenix, and she also lies to him about having a girlfriend in the first place. I never like seeing the harmful bisexual stereotype in media that being bisexual means you are going to cheat on your partner because it's just not true.
Another issue that I had is that the ending didn't feel satisfying. We didn't get answers about what the entire book was about--each POV character had these interesting, unique journeys (a terminally ill sister, a complicated family relationship, being in a homophobic and religious family as a lesbian teenager, etc.), but we didn't get to see any resolution for any of those stories.
Instead, the only person we got any ending for was Frankie. We didn't even get one for Nick, who's Frankie's brother. And since the remaining four POV characters didn't get any resolution, the book didn't feel satisfying at all and honestly ruined the point of them as POV characters, since their arcs were all unresolved and all ended up just revolving around their relationship with Frankie instead of their own journeys.
Something I did appreciate about this book was that I haven't seen the musical and I'm also not at all familiar with Alanis Morisette's music, but you don't have to be familiar with either to read this book. There are a few poems throughout that are clearly from Alanis's lyrics, but otherwise, it really could stand on its own as a YA novel, which I think is important for when musicals are adapted into novels.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this book. I don't think the subject matter was handled well, and the ending just wasn't satisfying at all.
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, cheating, homophobia, character with terminal illness, drug use, drinking
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
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