Elite athletes are incredibly fascinating to me. It doesn’t matter if they make the Olympics or not; anyone who can train that hard from such a young age is amazing to me, and I’ve read a little bit about the world of elite gymnastics, so the mountain of sacrifices they have to make from a young age wasn’t a huge surprise to me, but The Happiest Girl in the World gave me an alarming new perspective on elite gymnastics and the terrible recent crimes and coverups that plagued USA Gymnastics.

Sera was a strong character, both physically and mentally, and I enjoyed the chapters from her perspective, but I didn’t enjoy the ones from Charlene’s perspective as much - I felt like either way more narration from her or none would have been a better choice.

I also liked that the reality of COVID was incorporated and not ignored.

A terrifyingly-real story of the dark world of young gymnasts being taken advantage of. It did feel like it was straight out of current headlines. It explores how it could get to that point with no one exposing what was happening, as well as how individuals surrounding the story felt (parents, coaches, friends).

This was a very powerful book about the personal, physical, and financial price paid by elite athletes and their families. Timely events such as the US Gymnastics scandal and COVID pandemic delay of the Olympics bring realism to the challenges and disappointments these athletes face. The author did an excellent job with the protagonist and secondary characters. I will never be able to casually watch the Olympics as entertainment again.

THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD ended up being a bit of a mixed bag for me. There was a lot to like about it to be sure. I thought that Dillon did a really good job of portraying the ups and downs (so many downs) of a girl pursuing her dream of becoming an elite gymnastic Olympian. Sera's voice was well presented and authentic, and her complexities were laid bare for all to see. She makes some really serious mistakes, but at the same time you can see why she would make those mistakes. She is a girl who has a tremendous amount of pressure on her to get an Olympic Gold medal, be it from her mother (the typical living vicariously through her daughter archetype), her coaches, of the humongous debt that her family has racked up over the years so she could devote everything to gymnastics. And the debt isn't just financial. But I really liked that it was made clear that Sera is a willing participant in the high stakes, and while she has probably been manipulated by adults in her life, even when she has opportunities to stop, EVERY opportunity, she keeps on pushing, and you will question if her willingness is because of who she is, or who she has been molded to be because of this constant, decades long pressure. That felt very effective as well as uncomfortable. I also thought that she handled the issue of sexual assault and the silencing of young girls in a really good way, and how the pressure to be quiet within the world of sports is incredibly damaging and dangerous. This book is unflinching when it comes to these issues, and I would definitely tell people that there are content warnings abound in this book, though they are handled very well. Then there were the things that didn't work. Dillon tries to get into Charlene's head (Sera's mother), every once in awhile giving us chapters from her POV, and while I think that the point is made about her lack of options and squashed ambitions being imposed upon her child, she always felt fairly two dimensional. The other thing was a stylistic choice, for lack of better word. This is VERY clearly paralleling the Larry Nassar Sexual Abuse scandal within the story. But instead of fictionalizing it, Dillon pretty much lifts everything that happened and inserts it in, using actual names of gymnasts, actual quotes from gymnasts, and actual timelines and events (sometimes even giving dialogue to these gymnasts). But that doesn't extend to Nassar or the Karolyis, as all their names have been changed even if actual quotes are taken from them and put into the story. I imagine this has to do with libel issues maybe? But it felt weird and stunted to me, and definitely took me out of the story at times.

Overall, THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD is a page turner and I was thoroughly entertained by it. It also has some really good things to say about how abusive the gymnastics world can be, especially for young girls. But some of the choices made in the storytelling building blocks felt awkward. Overall, worth the read!

Let's start with the fact that The Happiest Girl in the World tells a story that really needs to be told. And I'm not restricting that purely to the abuse that occurred within USA Gymnastics. In stark, yet bubble gum optimism from the perspective of a young girl/woman aspiring to be a member of the Olympic team - Dillon paints a disturbing picture of children and young adults and elite sports, as well as the parents and coaches that help create an environment where the aspirations of a child turn into the obsession of a teenager. There was absolutely nothing about Sera's experience as a gymnast that made me envy her. The sacrifices her family made and the lasting damage it had on her twin brother is something I would never want to inflict on my own sibling. The pain, the mother living through her daughter's achievement, the lack of friends and a normal childhood, and abusive coaches and doctors are all laid bare with the question of "is it worth it?" And it's a very slippery slope for Sera throughout the book. The occasional chapters told by Sera's mother, Charlene, to me are unnecessary. The reader can get a feel for what drives Charlene without disrupting the flow of Sera's story to get her mother's "tough tomatoes" perspective. And while the book starts with a preface that this is a work of fiction, Dillon incorporates so many real people, whether by actual name or by thinly veiled ones for people associated with USA Gymnastics that fueled years of abuse and harassment that despite Sera, her family, her friend Lucy and her personal coaches being fictional, that argument that this isn't mostly a recounting of real life events is about as thin as the one inch balance beam. This story is definitely thought-provoking but not entirely without interpretive mistakes that a judge just might deduct for.

The Happiest Girl in the World by Alena Dillon is a gripping, dark, harrowing, and suspenseful novel that takes the reader into the depths of professional level gymnastics, the politics that are included, and we see that the depths that the human psyche will go to for the ultimate win.

This book really kept me on edge throughout. The reader gets to follow along and peak inside the harsh world of Olympic-level/professional gymnastics. We see the sacrifices, the physical, emotional , mental, and sexual abuse that takes place during this story. It literally felt as if at times this was a true story as it mirrored the recent women’s gymnastics Olympic/coaching scandals that took place just a short time ago. As a compliment to the author, the narrative written was at times hard to differentiate between what was fiction and what was reality.

I felt such sorrow, fear, and sympathy for these young girls that are thrust into this situation, sometimes through no control of their own. Really a thought-provoking story with some heavy material present. It kept me engaged, and wanting to know what happens next, till the end.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow/Custom House for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

The tale of a young woman looking to make her dreams of Olympic fame a reality at the cost of her health and intricate lies. I felt this novel was extremely emotional and thought provoking.

4.5 stars. The entire novel is great, but the prologue is a work of art. Sera Wheeler (and her mother) is determined to become an Olympic gymnast. Set during the time period of #MeToo and the Nasser scandal, this novel asks what is the price of greatness? Is there a price to high? A sacrifice too great? As horrified as I sometimes was at Sera's lifestyle, I still found myself rooting for her - her desire to succeed greatness, knowing she was so close and not wanting to give up. The ending demonstrates the price, but also offers a glimmer of hope.

"For Sera Wheeler, the Olympics is the reason for everything. It’s why she trains thirty hours a week, starves herself to under 100 pounds, and pops Advil like Tic Tacs.

For her mother, Charlene, hungry for glory she never had, it’s why she rises before dawn to drive Sera to practice in a different state, and why the family scrimps, saves, and fractures. It’s why, when Sera’s best friend reports the gymnastics doctor to the authority who selects the Olympic Team, Sera denies what she knows about his treatments, thus preserving favor.

Their friendship shatters. But Sera protected her dream—didn’t she?

Sera doubles down, taping broken toes, numbing torn muscles, and pouring her family’s resources into the sport. Soon she isn’t training for the love of gymnastics. She’s training to make her disloyalty worthwhile. No matter the cost.

The Happiest Girl in the World explores the dark history behind an athlete who stands on the world stage, biting gold. It's about the silence required of the exceptional, a tarnished friendship, and the sacrifices a parent will make for a child, even as a family is torn apart. It’s about the price of greatness."

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Why and how do athletes persevere? This fictional story of girls training for the USA Gymnastics has a lot of real life woven into it. Sera Wheeler is followed from a tween to an “older” gymnast (age 20ish). She endures sprains, fractures, psychological abuse from coaches and loneliness. But the hardest was the loss of a friendship of a fellow gymnast at her denial of “treatments” the friend received from the team doctor. The sacrifices that Sera and her whole family make to try to get Sera to the Olympics are excruciating. Fastly paced, engrossing book, but disturbing.

The Happiest Girl in the world is an alarming look into the world of elite gymnastics. The story of Sera and her journey as an Olympic hopeful shines a light into the extreme conditions necessary to achieve success. I found the book disturbing on several levels. Reading about 12 year old girls with eating disorders and starving themselves while trainings 40 hours a week was difficult. Also, the abuse of the girls at the hand of the team doctor was disturbingly similar to the US Olympic team scandal a few years back. With the suicide death of John Geddert this week, this book was a little too close to real life for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of The Happiest Girl in the World. Although well written, I found the book to be a rehashing of headlines concerning the gymnastics world. I thought the book was a sad commentary on the Olympics, coaches, parents of athletes and athletes themselves.

Crimes of physical, emotional and sexual abuse are real as we've heard in the recent news with the gymnastic coaches: John Geddert and Larry Nassar. While this book is fiction, it opens up your eyes to how vulnerable the girls have been over the years - training for the gold. It shows us what is ignored and what it takes to win.

Charlene is the mother who has one goal: for her six-year-old daughter to dedicate years of her life at all extents towards winning the gold. Sera is her daughter; Bob the father and Joe the twin brother. There is a huge sacrifice of time and money for Sera's gymnastic's career. She doesn't have a normal school life, social life or friends like most kids her age. Everyday she trains. She is always hungry to keep her weight down and prone to body injuries. And there's talk about coaches molesting the girls and working them too hard.

Sera's soul sister is Lucy - also from Indiana attending camps and training. They have the same goals - both training extensively,. There's one thing on their mind: to push their bodies to the limit. Lucy says, we are the "luckiest girls in the world." The girls have to give up parties, sleep overs, town fairs and other sports.

The world watches and cheers the Olympic gymnastic teams with unbelievable twist, turns and body moves. But what's at stake? For once, this is a book that brings our attention to the surface of what most of us don't know. The mother said, "I wanted my daughter to be what I wasn't. Someone special....who riveted the world." This book is a well written eye 0pener.

3-1/2 stars. Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for my ARC. I wanted to really love this book as the premise was very interesting. There were parts that I thoroughly enjoyed and I’m not sure that I can put my finger on exactly what I didn’t like about it. This story of Sera Wheeler, an up and coming Olympic gymnast had many moments that were so raw but I just never felt as emotionally overwhelmed as I expected. A good, quick easy read, just wasn’t great for me

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.
The Happiest Girl in the World exceeded my expectations, and I would recommend this one to anyone with an interest in elite gymnastics, Olympic athletes, or just an overall fight-to-the-finish type story. Sera Wheeler has ate, slept, and breathed gymnastics since the age of 6, with one goal: become an Olympic gymnast. Throughout this novel we see an image of the sheer determination and heart wrenching challenges competitive athletes encounter, both physically and mentally, including the complicated family dynamics that come with it. Though fictional, the story also parallels some of the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal and the accounts of olympians such as Aly Raisman. My only criticism is there were a few parts that seemed repetitive, but the storyline would pick back up pretty quickly. Overall 5-star. 🌟 (Pub date: 4/20/21)

A powerful story of the elite world of gymnastics and the stark price these talented young women pay for the ultimate Olympic prize. What starts out as something joyful for Sera Wheeler and her friend soon turns into something dark and soul-searing, involving sacrifice, betrayal, abuse and denial.

One can only imagine the lingering effects of the years spent in an attempt to achieve Olympic glory: catastrophic injuries, drug abuse, eating issues, missed childhood experiences and lost educational opportunities. Only to come out on the other side with such a loss of sense of self and waning physical health that it is uncertain where these young women will go on in their lives from there.

An excellent read by Alena Dillon, and thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this advance reader copy!

Spanning over the course of a decade, The Happiest Girl in the World follows Sera Wheeler, an elite gymnast on an Olympic track, as she navigates the world of competitive gymnastics alongside her best friend Lucy. Through numerous injuries, a sexual abuse scandal, and self-harm, we see Sera through the highs and lows of this universe, culminating with the postponement of the 2020 Olympics and what that means for athletes who have worked their entire lives to compete.

While parts of the story are clearly ripped from the headlines, overall this is a completely original story. This book tackles numerous sensitive issues, and manages to not only do it well, but with the grace it needs. Alena Dillion did a remarkable job weaving fact and fiction together, especially when it came to minor characters who are real people. I was curious how the cancellation of the 2020 Olympics due to COVID-19 would be addressed, especially as I’m sure much of the plot was already mapped out, if not already written when the pandemic hit. But once again, the author beautifully incorporated reality, and even showed us a potential post-COVID world. This is a heartbreaking and uncomfortable read showing us just how far some people are willing to go to accomplish their dreams, no matter what the sacrifices.

ARC review of The Happiest Girl in the World by Alena Dillion. This is the story of Sera and Lucy and their journey to the Olympics as gymnasts.. I know this is a fictional story, but it reads like the names have been charged to protect the innocent. Because it could certainly be a true story. This journey begins as little girls and covers up until the Olympic Trials in 2021. It covers the good, the bad and the ugly. The girls friendship over the years, what gymnasts go through, what the families go through and yes it even covers the MSU physician. The author's description are so real, you feel like you are on the bars, beam, vault, and floor with them. An awesome read! Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. The Happiest Girl in the World by Alena Dillon follows gymnast Sera Wheeler and her mom, Charlene. Mom supports and lives vicariously through Sera as she trains, starves, and hopes to make the olympic team. Along the way, a friend of Sera's reports the gymnast physician for misconduct. This shatters the friendship. As Sera continues down the path to reach her ultimate goal, she realizes sacrifices of family and friends may be required. I liked this book, but didn't love it. Honestly, it felt too, "ripped from the news headlines."

The goal to get to the Olympics drives Sera to giver her all in everything she takes on. She pushes the limits of health & good judgment in the process, the only thing mattering is that ultimate achievement being reached. Sera’s mom only fuels the fire with her expectations and desire for Sera to have and achieve what she had not. Sera goes to dangerous lengths to try to make everyone happy & preserve an image, but at what cost?
This story is heartbreaking in its detail, and in its reflection of true recent news events. We know these types of families that place impossibly high demands on their children exist all around, and we are learning how it can affect the kids in countless devastating ways.

For her mother, Charlene, hungry for glory she never had, it’s why she rises before dawn to drive Sera to practice in a different state, and why the family scrimps, saves, and fractures. It’s why, when Sera’s best friend reports the gymnastics doctor to the authority who selects the Olympic Team, Sera denies what she knows about his treatments, thus preserving favor.

Their friendship shatters. But Sera protected her dream—didn’t she?

Sera doubles down, taping broken toes, numbing torn muscles, and pouring her family’s resources into the sport. Soon she isn’t training for the love of gymnastics. She’s training to make her disloyalty worthwhile. No matter the cost.

The Happiest Girl in the World explores the dark history behind an athlete who stands on the world stage, biting gold. It's about the silence required of the exceptional, a tarnished friendship, and the sacrifices a parent will make for a child, even as a family is torn apart. It’s about the price of greatness.

I really enjoyed this book. It was not the normal genre of books that I read, however I found it very interesting and well written. The book delves into the world of elite gymnastic training in America. An enlightening read about the personal and family sacrifice for elite gymnasts and the sometimes dark and manipulative world that they have to navigate. I will certainly watch gymnastics in a different light at the Olympic level.
Very enjoyable - could not put it down. #Thehappiestgirlintheworld #NetGallery