The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir
Publication Date: June 12th, 2018
Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
Genre: Adult Contemporary
Source: Library
Summary
Esther Ann Hicks--Essie--is the youngest child on Six for Hicks, a reality television phenomenon. She's grown up in the spotlight, both idolized and despised for her family's fire-and-brimstone brand of faith. When Essie's mother, Celia, discovers that Essie is pregnant, she arranges an emergency meeting with the show's producers: Do they sneak Essie out of the country for an abortion? Do they pass the child off as Celia's? Or do they try to arrange a marriage--and a ratings-blockbuster wedding? Meanwhile, Essie is quietly pairing herself up with Roarke Richards, a senior at her school with a secret of his own to protect. As the newly formed couple attempt to sell their fabricated love story to the media--through exclusive interviews with an infamously conservative reporter named Liberty Bell--Essie finds she has questions of her own: What was the real reason for her older sister leaving home? Who can she trust with the truth about her family? And how much is she willing to sacrifice to win her own freedom?
My Review
I picked up The Book of Essie because of all the hype it's been receiving in the book review community. It seemed like an interesting read -- a story about a teenage girl, but written for a more adult audience. Even from the synopsis, I knew it was going to be a book dealing with some tough topics. Like everyone else, I immediately thought about that TV show about the religious family with all the kids (you know which one I'm talking about) and was expecting something vaguely superficial but got so much more.
