Book Review: You Should See Me In A Crown by
The Details
Media Type: Audiobook
Title: You Should See Me In A Crown
Author: Leah Johnson
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Pages/Length: 7 hrs 18 min
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Source: Purchased
Add it on: Goodreads | LibroFM
Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay—Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down…until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams…or make them come true?
The Narrator(s)
Alaska Jackson was the perfect choice for this audiobook. Her voice is animated, warm, and expertly puts the right emotion into every scene. Her portrayal of Liz is spot on. I highly recommend this on audio!
The Review
Where do I even start with this book? I bought You Should See Me In A Crown during the summer when it came out, but hadn’t had a chance to get to it yet. When it popped up as a choice on Libro.FM I knew it was going to be my next audiobook and I’m so glad that I made that choice! Leah Johnson has crafted one heck of a story here. Liz Lighty is my kind of character, and I loved every second of my time with her.
First off, can we give kudos to how well the whole relationship is done in this story? So often I get disenchanted with a story because of uncomfortable instant love that appears out of nowhere. Not here, my friends. Not here. In fact all of Liz’s relationships, from her friendships, to her family interactions, to her love interest are all beautifully done. Liz feels like someone who could be your best friend. I warn you, you’re going to get attached and you’re probably going to grin a lot during this story.
I also couldn’t get over how well done the high school backdrop is built up here. Liz lives in a city that frowns upon anything that isn’t “perfect” and well-mannered. We’ve seen that before. However I appreciated how this story went deeper and showed how ready the younger generation was to show up for Liz no matter what. I won’t spoil anything, but this story perfectly points out how often those kinds of negative attitudes are actually deeply seeded in the adult population. When I tell you I cheered more than once during this book, I’m being serious.
Honestly I could gush about this book for an entire term paper’s worth of time, but I feel like I’d definitely accidentally give something away that you should discover for yourself. I’ll leave it at the fact that I was so impressed with this entire story. The characters, the plot, the development, all of it just blew me away. If you’re looking for a read that is heartfelt, deals gorgeously with some tough topics, and gives the teen population a big old hug for being themselves, this is it.
