Unscripted

by Nicole Kronzer

A funny and timely debut YA about the toxic masculinity at a famous improv comedy camp

 

Seventeen-year-old Zelda Bailey-Cho has her future all planned out: improv camp, then Second City, and finally Saturday Night Live. She’s thrilled when she lands a spot on the coveted varsity team at a prestigious improv camp, which means she’ll get to perform for professional scouts—including her hero, Nina Knightley. But even though she’s hardworking and talented, Zelda’s also the only girl on Varsity, so she’s the target for humiliation from her teammates. And her 20-year-old coach, Ben, is cruel to her at practice and way too nice to her when they’re alone. Zelda wants to fight back, but is sacrificing her best shot at her dream too heavy a price to pay? Equal parts funny and righteous, Unscripted is a moving debut novel that Printz Award winner Nina LaCour calls “a truly special book, written at exactly the right time.”

• ISBN13: 9781419740848
• Publish Date: 21 April 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Abrams
• Imprint: Amulet Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://abramsandchronicle.co.uk/book/9781419740848-unscripted/

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Someday, Zelda hoped to be a comedy writer for SNL, and she knew, many of her idols had roots in the improv scene. Therefore, her summer at improv camp was a vital stepping stone on her path to attaining her dream. When she arrived at the male dominated camp, she went along with the status quo, though she found the behavior of her fellow campers unacceptable. Eventually, their aggressions grew, and Zelda decided she had had enough, and was not going down without a fight.

It's a well known fact that misogyny and toxic masculinity runs amok in the comedy industry, and Kronzer takes on that, as well as other issues such as identity, gender equality, and consent. I appreciated her examination of the various heavy topics, while also balancing it by showing lighter moments, as well as the positive side of camp and comedy.

This book had so many wonderful characters, and it was fantastic to see how unique and diverse they were. Though a majority of the campers were male, they were of different races and sexual orientations, and even different family structures. All of that was wonderful, but I must admit, it was the friendships, which really made my heart soar.

First, there was the relationship between Zelda and her brother, Will. Though they were not related by blood, they had grown up together, and were somewhat like twins, being both close in age, and having the uncanny ability to sense things about each other. They were constantly supporting and encouraging one another, and that would prove vital for Zelda in this environment.

There were also the Gildas, the five female campers, who formed a tight-knit group among the sea of males. These young women were very aware of their situation, but their connection and loyalty to one another helped steady them. They were each others champion and harbor in the storm, and their friendship was a thing of beauty.

I also loved the Boy Scout trio Zelda connected with. They provided the contrast necessary to see how wrong the situation at Zelda's camp was. These were young men, who had integrity and empathy. They respected Zelda as a fellow human. They were kind and helpful, and in my opinion, were examples of real "men". I was so glad Zelda happened upon them in the woods, because a rather adorable romance emerged, which brings me to another thing I thought was done so well.

At one point in the story, the varsity team coach showed an interest in Zelda. This entanglement served several purposes in the story, but let's just say, it was "bad love". That's why I was so grateful, that Kronzer allowed Zelda to have a second chance at romance. Her second love interest was the antithesis of the first. I liked the juxtaposition of the two, and how she illustrated a healthy and unhealthy situation.

I believe this book has a lot to offer, when it comes to the issues of sexism, toxic masculinity, and consent. Kronzer does a great job giving examples of both right and wrong, as well as exploring the confusing emotions of someone caught up in the situation. There some difficult moments along the way, but in the end, it was wonderful to see Zelda persevere, and not give up on her dream.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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