Jagged Little Pill: The Novel

Five teens navigate the aftermath of sexual violence in this raw novelization of the musical Jagged Little Pill. The adoptive daughter of a white family in suburban Connecticut, Black 16-year-old Frankie feels that “I don’t belong here, in this family.” Her white older brother, Harvard-bound Nick, is desperate to please their parents. Transfer student Phoenix, who is Latinx, is struggling to balance his growing feelings for Frankie with caring for his hospitalized older sister. Frankie’s best friend with benefits, queer white Jo, craves her homophobic mother’s acceptance while also nursing feelings for Frankie. And white Bella simply wants to enjoy the end of high school before escaping to college. The teens’ lives untether following an act of sexual violence, and they must come together to pick up the pieces. Though the intertwining story lines cause the jam-packed narrative to feel unbalanced, the five narrators’ voices are distinct, providing a multilayered perspective. The teens explore gender and sexual identity, substance dependency, and complicated relationships in this edgy interpretation of the sometimes traumatizing experience of growing up. Morissette’s lyrics, woven throughout, resonate powerfully with the group’s turbulent adolescence. Ages 14–up. Agent (for Smith): Jen Azantian, Azantian Literary. (Apr.)