Billie Eilish is a debut author with several successful books under her belt. It’s not a surprise that she has attracted a good amount of acclaim. At first glance, I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to read her debut novel “Bad Luck.”
So, the title “Bad Luck” is about this eight-year-old girl who gets caught in a time loop every time she eats. This is really a slice of life story that takes place in the suburbs. What I found most intriguing about this book was the theme of repetition.
It is a common theme in children’s literature that there is something strange about the events of our lives that repeat themselves over again. I wanted to know more about the author and about her characters. I found her unique style and characters to be entertaining and interesting. So, I decided to go ahead and read the book.
I was impressed with the heroine named Grace – she’s an average teenager who lives in the suburb with her parents and four younger siblings. It is so unusual to find a ten-year-old girl living in the suburbs, but this is Billie Eilish’s world. She also has a father that teaches at a local elementary school. Grace and her older brother, Hugo, live in a two story house that is located near the school.
A simple friendship gets Grace into a situation where she may lose her memory and lose her ability to change time but this is not what happens in “Bad Luck.” Her mother moves into the neighborhood. Grace is scared of her new neighbor, Mrs. Conklin, who constantly abuses her animals and speaks in an uncaring manner. Grace only hopes that she can befriend her new neighbor. However, it doesn’t take long for Grace to realize that she can’t really change the events of her life, but that she can control her mind and time to avoid them happening.
Grace also witnesses a scary tragedy involving her little brother in “Bad Luck.” Grace and Hugo are pushed out of their home by their mother because of the abuse that Mrs. Conklin is inflicting on the animals at the Conklin Farm. Grace doesn’t want to leave her younger siblings behind and decides to stay with them while she searches for a way to change the time and avert the tragedy. She is able to get help from Hugo who she uses to help her find her way out of the loop and eventually, she is able to return home to her mother.
I like the way that Billie Eilish uses repetition and her characters’ struggles to make the story very engaging. This is the main reason why I like her books and read them. It is the stories that pull me back in my chair after I have finished the first chapter and that make me think about the book and the characters.
I really enjoyed “Bad Luck.” I found that it was a very well written story about something that I found to be very interesting and thought provoking. I know that there will be a sequel to this book and I look forward to reading it because I found the story very interesting. I am glad that I picked up a book about time, but unfortunately, I think I am stuck in a time loop.
