The Brittanys

April 19, 2021
Ackerman (The Perpetual Motion Machine) follows the travails of a group of five high school freshman girls named Brittany in this heartfelt if flat story. The two closest Brittanys, Brittany Jensen and the narrator, are tumbling through adolescence—dyeing their hair for Halloween, wearing Victoria’s Secret push-up bras, carrying trendy Coach purses—but as the narrator explores her developing sexuality, Brittany Jensen accuses her of being boy crazy. Now without her best friend, the narrator dips into the dating pool, seeing one boy who neglects to say he has a girlfriend and another too timid to kiss her. When Brittany’s birthday comes around and none of the other Brittanys participate in the celebration, the narrator begins to wonder if losing one’s childhood friends is an inevitable part of growing up. Unfortunately, only the two main Brittanys receive more than surface-level treatment, and sections told from a later-in-life perspective add little to the story. Though the skimpy plot reads as true to life and the elements of nostalgia are spot-on, the narrative fails to get off the ground. Fans of coming-of-age novels will have seen better.

May 1, 2021
The five Brittanys aren't the most popular girls, but they're certainly the most recognizable. In 2004 Florida, our narrator is part of this unique group at her elite prep school. At fourteen, she's excited about every first that has yet to come her way, from kisses to joints to periods. Brittany is in a hurry to grow up, but her best friend, Brittany Jensen, is not so much. As our protagonist fumbles to find her way on her own, she finally experiences the firsts she's been longing for, but none of them are what she expects. A retrospective voice sneaks in every so often to reflect on this past. Ackerman (The Perpetual Motion Machine, 2018), a Brittany herself, writes in an easy, compelling voice. The novel's conflict lies in its lack of one, even when trauma emerges. Narrator Brittany expects explosions of drama to mark her young life, but her privilege insulates her, leading her to a future where she might one day process her struggles. For book groups and readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories.

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June 1, 2021

DEBUT Filled with self-doubt and anxiety, 14-year-old Brittany navigates the social intricacies of her south Florida prep school. Her clique of affluent friends, consisting of four other Brittanys, a Mackenzie, and a Leigh, spends time hanging out at one another's houses, going to the mall, and obsessing over boys. But Brittany and her best friend, Brittany Jensen, are slowly growing apart, as interests change, jealousy arises, and a forgotten birthday causes a rift. Brittany falls for a different boy every other month and faces growing depression and anxiety about not being perfect. She finds it hard to talk to anyone--not her mother, not the other Brittanys, and especially not Brittany Jensen. VERDICT Ackerman's debut deftly captures turmoil in the teenage mind as the desire to become an adult competes with the longing to stay a child. It can fall flat with random insertions of the adult perspective that interrupt the flow of scenes. Angst and insecurity abound in this decent first effort; for fans of coming-of-age stories.--Joy Gunn, Paseo Verde Lib., Henderson, NV

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