After the previous two audiobooks, Sadie and The Au Pair, I decided to pick up the next audiobook right away. This time, I chose Book of Essie by Meghan McLean Weir.
“It’s men who trust they will suffer no consequences for their actions, while women suffer no matter what they do.”
The Book of Essie follows the story of Ester Hicks a.k.a Essie, a sixteen-year-old girl who grows up in the spotlight because of her family’s reality show called Six for Hicks. One of the reasons why this book is interesting is it’s divided into three POVs, Essie’s, Roarke, a school friend of Essie, and Liberty Bell, a reporter who previously was a member of a cult.
The story begins with Essie’s POV; with her telling the reader that she is pregnant and what follows is her clever (or cunning depends on your view) plan to handle her pregnancy. The first part of Essie’s POV works as an introduction to the family and their life before and after their reality show success. Essie introduced us to the “glamorous” life of the Hicks through her lens.
The second POV belongs to Roarke. He is a school friend of Essie who is targeted by Essie to be a part of her plan. Roarke is a character I like from the moment his POV starts. He is very chill, laidback, and always mind his own business. Roarke’s POV also work as a representation of how the public around them perceives the stars of their hometown.
Last but not least, we have Liberty Bell. She is a reporter who was previously a member of the cult. She becomes Essie’s trusted and go-to journalist. Over the course of the story, we got to listen to her life story – when she was a part of the cult and how she eventually left it all behind. Her story gives me a bit more understanding of how and why she could understand Essie and become one of the biggest help in Essie’s plan.
The story may start at a slow pace however the writing is suspenseful and will definitely keep the readers engaged and captivated. I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook, hoping to quickly uncover the truth about the Hicks. The Book of Essie is very well-written and emotionally driven. I was surprised at how the book just pulled you right in and how invested I was in the story. I was immediately invested in Essie and really rooting for her to get out of the hellhole that is her family.
The Book of Essie & The Uncomfortable Truth in Pop Culture
There are many stories that hit you once in a while and The Book of Essie is definitely one of them. You’ll learn that there are no secrets that stay in the dark; the truth will always come out in the end. Unfortunately, the Hicks’ truth is the embodiment of the ugly side of human nature. It highlights the ugly truth about this supposedly perfect, loving, and godly family. Their downfall? They put fame and fortune before the wellbeing of their family members.
On the other side of the coin, the story also shows us how the truth can set you free. Through Essie, Rourke, and Liberty Bell stories, we see how much some people are willing to sacrifice and to bring the truth to light in order to set themselves free.
All in all, The Book of Essie is a compelling story. It will stir your emotion and raises questions about our obsession with reality TV and how truthful pop culture actually is.
Leave a Reply