Life in High Def is a story that revolves around its main character, Reilly. Through her eyes we see the price of fame, how far she falls, and how she gets back up again.
Summary
You’d think that Academy Award actress Reilly Ransome has it all. She has the popularity, parties every night, and a nomination for a second Academy Award. But while Reilly realizes the self-destructive path she walks, it becomes harder and harder for her to right herself. All of her drinking, drugs, and toxic relationships culminate in a night she has no memory of and an unthinkable crime. Can she right herself and get back on track?
Review
I definitely feel that Reilly’s character is the strongest aspect of the book. At first, I didn’t really like Reilly at all. She was self-centered and full of toxic relationships. However, I think that’s one of Griffin’s goals, because it reflects how out of tune Reilly is with herself. At the end of the day, she doesn’t like herself and because we see the world through her eyes, the readers pick up on it. Her entire character goes through a personal transformation, in which Reilly needs to think long and hard about the person she wants to be and the mistakes she has made.
This is when her characterization shines. Through her actions and the various struggles Reilly undergoes, we are able to not only witness her full journey, but her evolution as a person. While it may not be a pretty journey, I think many of us, me including, can empathize with her difficulty with toxic people. By learning to accept and forgive herself, Reilly learns a lesson we could all learn. Even though the plot was somewhat predictable until the ending, it is the best way for us to examine Reilly’s character.
All in all, for me this book was good, but it didn’t blow me out of the water. No matter how much I enjoyed Reilly’s character, the book felt a little long. The entire journey we are in her head, so while the lack of setting detail doesn’t weight too heavily, it can get a little claustrophobic there. The entire story is very Reilly focused, so while there are side characters, I feel like they’re only there to advance her own storyline.
In conclusion,
That being said, you may still enjoy this if you love novels which feature the main character’s personal journey, self-acceptance, and ultimately her own forgiveness. I’m just not quite sure if I did. If this sounds like your cup of tea, you can pre-order a copy on Amazon and add it to Goodreads.
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
Discussion
Let’s Discuss: What would you do for fame?
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I think the topic of the novel is rather interesting but I feel as if it might bore me so I’ll have to make a pass.
What would I do for fame?
Mukbang xD I would never do anything dangerous or crazy to be honest.
Yeah it’s easy to get caught up, but if you’re a cautious person, it’s harder!