Book Review - Amandine
BOOK REVIEW
AMANDINE - ADELE GRIFFIN
BOOK RATING : 5/5!
I really enjoyed how the author took this larger than life character and made her spiteful and mean. It shows, in my opinion, exactly how transparent people can seem to us. This girl, who acted many different parts and never truly let herself be who she really was, is someone that most people have encountered atleast once in their life. To me, she's like a chameleon. A cruel, desperate to please chamelon that doesn't mind destroying someone else's life to make it clear that she's the victim in her "play." Many times throughout the story I kept thinking, how much crueler can she get? Then she would do something else that topped it and I'd wonder how exactly did she turn out this way? You never know really, why a person does what they do but, like Delia does in the end, you can feel sorry for them.
It is rather a waste though. Amandine was talented. She danced ballet, played many different roles, and she drew very well. Instead of using these talents for good she used them to manipulate and torture other people. The drawing of Mary was particularly evil and I found myself wondering why the heck Delia was smiling about it. Actually, I don't know why Delia found anything that Amandine did funny. To me, she was just a horrible bully.
Delia herself went through a lot of troubles in the book and I'm not talking about the lie that Amandine spread about her father. I'm talking about Delia finding herself and not letting Amandine take control of who she was. For awhile there, she started doing everything Amandine was doing even though she knew it was wrong, because she wanted so badly to belong. I was relieved when it finally came to a head and Delia could see just how wrong she'd been at accepting Amandine's friendship. In the end, Delia transforms into a much better person and I applaud her for throwing Amandine's fake apology note into the trash.
Part of the reason Delia even bothers to make up the lies about her "fake brother" and whatnot is because of her self-esteem. Her mother and father always seem to make her feel as if she needs to improve herself. Her teacher, Mrs. Gogglio, was probably the only person who truly understood Delia and everytime Delia was with her she became more open and who she really was inside. I don't exactly fault her parents though because in the end, they did the right thing and stuck by their daughter no matter what Amandine had to say about her.
I couldn't help but flash back to the movie "Mean Girls" when it came to the part where Delia, Amandine, and Mary were in that weird trio and Amandine seemed to be maniuplating the both of them into thinking bad things about the other and the inevitable fallout was just like something Regina George would do. Put a horrible note in a girl's locker and blame it all on the other girl.
In the end, it seems I came away with a fresher point of view on myself as an individual. I don't want to become like Amandine, flitting from one personality to the next. I want to fit in where I belong and use the gifts that I was meant to use. Poor Amandine never really understood that concept of "good" I guess. Maybe she built a wall around her heart and is afraid to show anyone who she really is. I don't know exactly for sure what drives her to be so cruel, but I do know I'm glad that I'm not afraid to be who I am.
I do reccomend this book because it has a certain darkness and lightness in it together that highlights the good and evil in a person. No matter what probelms or flaws we have in ourselves, we can overcome the fear of them if we try hard enough. Delia finally let go of that fear, even if Amandine didn't. I am glad that I picked up Amandine by Adele Griffin. You should too!
--------------------
Book Info ---> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7198453-amandine
About the Author --> https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/311468.Adele_Griffin