Again but Betteras in Do It Again but Better

Earlier this month I mentioned in another post that I don't read YA contemporary romance anymore, and here I am eating my words. In all fairness I did not pick up Christine Riccio's Again, But Better because of its synopsis. I've been following Riccio's writing updates on her Booktube channel since early 2016; though my interest in YA content (and thus most of her videos) has severely declined, I stuck with her writing series.

When Again, But Better was finally published this spring, I had to check it out because 1) seeing a physical, finished product after watching a complete stranger talk about it conceptually on my phone screen for several years seemed like a fascinating experience I couldn't pass up, and 2) there's been a lot of backlash against Booktuber books, which some believe are published for their easy marketability rather than story quality; that's a judgment I didn't feel I could chime in on without ever having read a Booktuber book. After waiting on a long hold list, I finally got my chance this month to pick up Riccio's book. Results: It's not the most accomplished debut I've read, but I certainly don't resent its publication!

In the novel, Shane leaves New York for a study abroad semester in London. Though she's been making good grades and pleasing her parents with her progress toward a medical degree, she's not happy with her college experience and is eager for a fresh start. So eager, in fact, that she signs up for a creative writing program in London that has nothing to do with her major, and takes an internship at a travel magazine. And, best luck of all, she's rooming next to a cute boy who makes her want to stick to her resolution to try new things! But of course, it's all too good to be true. When the trip takes a sour turn, Shane's left wondering what she would do with a second chance.

"I was trying really hard to do what I thought was the right thing for so long, and turns out maybe the right thing was the wrong thing… It's hard to come to terms with that."

Riccio states in an author's note before the novel proper that this is a fictional story, based on her own experiences. I think the extent to which Shane is Christine will be fairly obvious from the start for readers who have any familiarity with the author. Her sense of humor and personality (such as I have gleaned without having met her) seem to be a direct match with her characterization of Shane. If you pick this up because you enjoy Riccio's social media presence, I think you're far more likely to find this an appreciable book.

Again, But Better is divided into two parts that each take up about half of the book's space. The first half features Shane's semester abroad in 2011. (There are so many pop culture references that forgetting the year is impossible.) The second half features Shane's second chance. Both parts are immersive and entertaining, though perhaps longer than necessary. The transition between the two is abrupt, with an unexplained magical element tying the two together; this feels like lazy writing- the magic is easy, convenient, and totally unviable as an option for readers looking to take advice on second chances from this story- but it allows Riccio to demonstrate her point clearly and keep the story light, so I suppose it serves its purpose in the end.

" 'Could we have gone through a wormhole?'

'Magic is more plausible than a wormhole,' I argue.

'Wormholes are scientific.'

'Magic is just science we don't understand yet.'

'Shane it's magic; that's why we can't understand it.'

'Hogwarts could be real!'

'I can't believe this is a serious conversation I'm having.' "

The constant attempts at humor were somewhat exhausting and unnecessary in my opinion, but the characters ultimately struck me as believable. Shane is painfully awkward, the love interest is flawed but kind, their roommates bring new and worthwhile perspectives to the mix. Though I would argue that both halves of the story could have endured some shortening without losing anything vital, Riccio does an excellent job of circling back on even the smallest scenes to imbue meaning; every inclusion is deliberate and the layering of detail complex. The writing is not without skill, though I'm sure time and experience will hone it further.

I did have a few small hangups with the premise, though. Thematically, this is a story about stepping out of your comfort zone (particularly in college, though not necessarily limited to that environment) and taking chances. Making room for your dreams instead of focusing only on obligations. I can get behind that. And while I don't think the narration means to present study abroad as the cure for introversion, and it certainly doesn't present introversion as some sort of serious personality flaw that must be overcome at all costs, I did find the implication that the key to jump-starting your life is to travel and abandon your major a rather privileged and simplistic stance. Additionally, I think the book skirts one of the biggest issues it raises: how to make that grab for independence. Shane learns the hard way that she can't make her stand on her parents' dime, and though their lack of support adds an interesting challenge to the narrative, the story skips straight from that conflict to Shane's settled life several years later. Of course, Again, But Better is a fictional romance, not a self-help book. I love that it depicts a young woman falling in love without giving up her own goals. But I did feel a bit of disconnect between its apparent aim to inspire and its lack of realistic suggestions.

But, Riccio says in her acknowledgments:

"I hope you enjoyed my first book. I hope it made you happy in some way or another. I hope you laughed. I hope it made you want to face your fears."

I did enjoy the read, parts of it made me happy, I laughed twice, and I did close the cover in the end with the mindset of wanting to take a chance in my own life. In this, Riccio's intent seems to have been met. She also states that this was the story she wanted to read when she was twenty (Shane's age), and I am quite sure that if I had read this as the naive, introverted twenty-year-old that I was, I would have loved this book. It does have a lot of elements that were missing for me in the books I was reading at that time- modern college-aged protagonists, a search for elusive independence, proof that failures and disasters even of one's own making are survivable, familial discord, YA pop cultural references, Beatles appreciation, etc. It might not have been a perfect fit for me even then, but I would have appreciated knowing I wasn't the only one skipping parties to stay in and read. And as such, I'm grateful that other twenty year-olds who struggle to find their place in college will have the opportunity to discover a book they might relate to in that way.

My reaction: 3 out of 5 stars.All in all, an interesting reading experiment. Would I read more from this author? I'm not sure. Though I enjoyed this book and am curious to see where Riccio goes with her writing career, this isn't a genre I reach for often and I don't particularly want to read another self-insert story. I picked upAgain, But Better to cap off my experience with her writing videos for this novel; in the future, I'll decide whether or not to pick up her work based more directly on my interest level in the synopses.

How do you process reading a book written by someone you know, or feel like you know? Do you find it difficult to separate the author from the story?

The Literary Elephant

wolfgangtaintimand.blogspot.com

Source: https://literaryelephant.wordpress.com/2019/07/31/review-again-but-better/

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