This Is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi

Abstract

Reviewed by: This Is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi Alaine Martaus Safi, Aminah Mae This Is All Your Fault. Feiwel, 2020 [304p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781250242341 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781250242358 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 8-10 Wild Nights Bookstore is a safe haven for its misfit high school staffers: Daniella, the secret poet; Rinn, the social media star; Imogen, the rebel; AJ, the artist; and Eli, the screw-up. Now it’s in danger of closing forever, though, and when Eli loses the profits meant to keep the store afloat, the staff have one day to set things right. A late-night, last-minute poetry festival may just save them, if run-ins with an arrogant bestselling author, on hand for a signing, don’t ruin things first. Fans of the ’90s cult-classic film Empire Records will recognize the plot here, and an abundance of references to the source material (confirmed in the author’s note) make this a clear work of fandom. The retelling moves the story from music store to bookstore, notably recasts for diversity, and shifts the focus to the female staffers. The filmto-text translation emphasizes thought over action, though, and narrative flow is often stymied by a burdensome amount of explication; while the narrative shifts perspective with each chapter, no distinct voices emerge from the pack. Still, the girls’ relationships bring a sense of growth as they learn to support, rely on, and even like each other. The novel trades the film’s simple, if unrealistic, happy ending for something oddly convoluted but bittersweet, and readers and film fans alike may appreciate the “fight for what you love” vibe and stick around for the celebratory final dance party on the rooftop. Copyright © 2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois