happy bad by delaney nolan
All of the characters who make an appearance in this level are incredibly interesting and have their own set of problems, but as a narrator, Beatrice interests me a lot. She has a complicated past that she often falls back into in moments of stress and it is through these flashbacks that we see how the flimsy scaffolding that held people's lives together fell apart as it was pummeled by Cat 5 hurricanes and intense drought. The way that these moments slip in and out of focus, as Beatrice herself does, may make The narrative a little bit harder to follow for some readers who have difficulty following timelines if they aren't chronological or clearly demarcated. However, these slips and time add a unique sense of urgency to the presence somehow in a way that I don't think I've seen in a while.
In its dystopian setting, Happy Bad manages to somehow be terribly dreary and claustrophobic, but also extremely hopeful at the same time. People find a way to move ahead, and though it might not necessarily be the "right" way, it's progress to a better future all the same. this becomes especially apparent when comparing and contrasting Beatrice and the other adults looking after the troubled girls, and the troubled girls themselves.
These girls are in this facility for many reasons and just like now, a lot of those reasons are more the fault of the system than any individual action. Regardless of why though, it's apparent that the girls are incredibly unstable. This is further emphasized by the fact that they're currently participating in a drug trial for a medication called BeZen which numbs all of the emotions that they're feeling. It would take a lot more time and spoilers for me to tease this out more, but it brings to mind the arrogance of humanity to assume that it's possible to truly control any part of our lives, especially when it comes to the Earth.
I tend to write these reviews more or less immediately after I finish the book. I don't stop to think about the book for several days or write down some kind of deep analysis. I share my first thoughts. And my first thoughts when it comes to Happy Bad are this: Life is tough and we face a lot of challenges. The climate is changing rapidly and radically around us, political systems are swinging towards a very public dehumanization of anybody who is deemed unfit (POC, those with disabilities, LGBTQ+, etc.). Yet in this dystopian little novel, there remains hope and a reminder of the power of human kindness.
Times are tough, but we're far stronger together than we are apart. And it's not always easy to work together, but it's worth it. Happy Bad feels better sweet, but it's worth it. And much like Beatrice and her coworkers and the girls she helps look after, we are all worth it too.
Updated 1Â month, 3Â weeks ago