Book Review: The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom

‘The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom’ by Allison L Bitz was released in 2023. I was fortunate enough to listen to the audiobook.

This book follows an ambitious girl from a small town, who lives for the theatre, who gets the opportunity of a lifetime to attend a pretentious school with a fantastic music program – except she fails to get into the music program, and loses the opportunity to get financial aid from sponsors and has to attend as a GenEd student.

An avid and passionate performer, Bridget is absolutely devastated by this information and is determined to get a position in the music program, begs the Dean, Octavia Lawless for another chance, but due to her abysmal music theory score. Instead of being given the chance she dreamed of, Octavia said she needed to practice her humility and in order to do this, is offered a chance to join the advanced soloist class as a piano accompanist. No singing. No showing off. Modesty. Humility.

Bitz writes incredibly well. She has a great command of imagery. I loved her understanding of cliche teenage imagery and how she spun it. I loved the metaphors and imagery that Bitz used, from the character of Hans and his ethos of teaching Bridget what people like and love, and to know the difference.

I loved how the audiobook allowed me to get into Bridget’s head. Her internal monologue was very interesting and easy to get into. I loved getting to know her and understanding her more. She was incredibly self-centered and selfish, but hearing her voice in my ears made it harder to dislike her. Because I understood her and saw her and felt her struggles with her loneliness, and her longing to be in the spotlight.

I loved how Bitz described the concept of music and the way that different ways that people love music and how can be encapsulated through a variety of different methods and a variety of nuanced behaviours. I was astounded by how much I loved this book and Bridget’s character development. I loved how Bridget was able to bloom *badum tiss* through facing those challenges that Octavia and the school had in her way.

Although there were some storytelling elements that seem predictable – the secret ghostwriter, the self-centered girl who wanted to be more than her small town, struggling to understand others. Even still, I found myself hurting for her and understanding her frustrations and anguish. I loved the story. I’d definitely recommend it. In a heartbeat!