Scrappymags 3 word review: semi-unrealistic face plant

Oooooh gymnastics!! Topical! The U.S. gymnastics team were the recent golden faces of this 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. Oooooh so combine that with a dead body for a raucous mystery? Get ready to solve some crime up in the gym? But like me trying to vault… It kinda fell flat on its ass.

The plot starts solid enough (goodreads full synopsis here) in the competitive gymnastics world and the crazy parents who inhabit all competitive sports (Ugh! Who doesn’t know a parent like this, unfortunately.) A death happens and soon everyone is whispering. Was this an accident? Intentional? I couldn’t help but think of my tiny 5 year old niece with her little compact gymnast body and how our entire family commented on how awesome it would be if she went to the Olympics one day.

Eff that after this book! If competitive gymnastics is anything like this, keep these evil, lying despicable people away from my niece! Yikes! I don’t doubt that some of this is realistic, but I was still appalled and bewildered by much of the parent behavior.

It starts off in what I felt was realism, but then dips far into the unfathomable pool. Cover-ups created and lies manufactured that make no sense. The sheer number of people who would have to be “in” on the lies is not comprehensible nor realistic. The redemption is in the stoicism of Devon and the unhealthy drive of parents Katie and Eric for a daughter they deem “extraordinary”.

I’m not sure if we are suppose to like this family. The parents are the textbook definition of “hot mess”, the Olympic hopeful daughter is selfish and self-centered, and that leaves the younger brother as the only likable character in the whole book. 

Recommend to: I believe those in the gymnastics world might find it amusing, but other than that…

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown and Co. for an ARC in exchange for this honest review. Even though I wasn’t crazy about this book, I appreciate the opportunity!