Book Review: The Nicest Girl by Sophie Jo

‘The Nicest Girl’ was author, Sophie Jo’s debut novel. The book was released in 2022 and told an important story of why setting boundaries and putting yourself first is imperative.

The story follows seventeen-year-old Anna Campbell, who seems to have a big arrow pointing to her, calling her a ‘yes’ girl. She never says no, doesn’t share her opinion, minces her words, and isn’t being true to herself.

When she is asked by her teacher to offer a new Year Thirteen, Ryan, a warm welcome, and a friend at his new school, she obligingly agrees, despite not really wanting to extend the hand of friendship to a new student when she has a lot happening in her life. But she does as she’s asked. Just as she always done.

This is a story about finding yourself, being able to set boundaries and respect your own wants and needs over being a doormat for other people, it established early on that helping a friend, handing out flyers with them, or lending them lunch money if they run out or forget is completely different to bending over backwards to coddle, protect and accommodate for other people. You ought to be your priority.

I think this book really ought to be essential reading for anyone and everyone, it is an eye-opening story that offers incredible perspective on how it feels to feel like you are being overlooked by your friends, or the group therapist, versus how what you consider cathartic ranting or a dependence on people in your inner circle could actually be overstepping boundaries and violating the foundations of an equal friendship. You can easily feel like Anna in most of your social circles, and still be a Marla to others. Being able to identify your own potentially harmful and toxic traits through characters’ behaviour is incredibly insightful and powerful.

I loved this book, it helped me understand more about myself than I thought it would, especially considering that I’m older than Anna. I think being able to access a story which addresses the implications of being perceived as too nice is incredibly important. I loved, loved, loved it. Anna was so relatable, as was Marla, and Ben, too! You could read the book from every perspective and see how everyone got to the points they were at. It was fantastically well-written and I’d definitely recommend it.