Reviewed by Kate

Adriana Trigiani is a well known writer in the chick- lit circles; however this is her first novel listed as a young adult title. Viola in Reel Life revolves around sassy Viola, who is sent to the Prefect Academy for Young Women in South Bend, Indiana whilst her parents are away. Vowing to be miserable and unhappy no matter what, Viola soon finds this is difficult to upkeep in light of her amazing roommates and the opportunities there present themselves as a result of her filming interest.

Having to work her way around a new school, new friends and new experiences Viola soon slowly comes round to her new life in South Bend and draws the reader into it as well. What I found most interesting was the film factor; there is a lot of cinematography and filming techniques which are a brilliant addition to the novel. Viola literally does see the world through the lens of a camera in some cases, especially when glimpsing the mysterious “Red Woman”. The key idea behind this book is growing up and becoming independent, Viola has to realise that she has had a pretty comfy lifestyle up until Prefect Academy. With this new found freedom come the boys: BFF Andrew and Jared Spencer, both real heart throbs, but who is the one for Viola? At points the novel does drag a little bit as it does cover a whole year of Viola’s life, but all in all it is a genuinely lovely book that surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. Outrageous and outspoken Viola and her housemates mix well with the other characters, especially the boys and an interesting camera angle make it is an absolutely irresistible novel. By the end it was very difficult not to start all over again.

Adriana Trigiani has proved herself over and over again in her writing and it is just as brilliantly witty with her teen debut. I would strongly recommend Viola in Reel Life to teens and adults alike. And to top it all if you get as hooked on Viola as I am there are rumours of a further three books in the series and the next, Viola in the Spotlight, is out in August!

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