Brilliant [Hardcover]

In two previous novels, Rachel Vail has explored the ups and downs of Avery sisters Phoebe (in LUCKY) and Allison (in GORGEOUS). Now, in her third and final book about this family in crisis, Vail turns her attention to oldest sister Quinn.

Quinn is the mature one, the responsible one, the one her mother chooses as a confidante and her sisters choose as a role model ("the one who handles things well and doesn't curse"). She gets good grades, has nice friends (even if they're a bit nerdy and their idea of a good time is watching a "West Wing" marathon), and has landed the perfect resume-building job for the summer before junior year. She'll be a counselor at a day camp for underprivileged kids, a job not without its ironies: "Like all the other counselors...I am (or at least have been) overprivileged, and this job, while fulfilling on its own merits, was also designed, not just coincidentally, to help me get into an elite college eventually, so that I could continue on my overprivileged path."

The trouble is, Quinn and her family aren't feeling quite so overprivileged anymore. Quinn's mom, formerly the breadwinner, has lost her high-powered job amid a financial mismanagement scandal. And, in turn, the Avery family has lost its staff, its home, even many of its most valuable possessions, including the piano Quinn loves, not least because it gives her a connection with her teacher's son, Oliver, on whom she's had a crush forever. Quinn is confused, angry, and more than a little resentful toward her mom. So it's no real surprise that good-girl Quinn, the brilliant one in the family, starts making some really stupid choices.

First, she steals a pair of her mom's fabulous (and fabulously expensive) high-heeled shoes. Then she gets a bit too close to her little sister's boyfriend. Meanwhile, she's enjoying the attention of a beautiful camp counselor, who promises to hook her up with a guy rumored to be a bad boy, who normally would be way out of her league. But, as Quinn discovers, breaking free from expectations isn't always that simple: "Once a girl has crawled out of her usual box," Quinn reflects, "it is so hard for her to fit herself back into it. But a girl not in a box of any kind, it's sort of like being a turtle who shrugs free of her shell, right? How bad a plan is that? Where the heck do I find a new exoskeleton if I'm shedding the old one?"

Much like her sisters in their respective books (not to mention her parents, who are also in upheaval), Quinn's major hurdle is trying to define what her life means in the wake of the major turmoil happening in her family. High school is complicated enough, but for her, these complications are confounded by her desire to do the right thing and her realization that she might not have any idea what the "right" thing is.

BRILLIANT is also noteworthy because of its complex portrayal of Quinn's evolving relationship with her mother. Often in YA novels, parents serve as minor supporting characters at best (when they're even on the scene at all). Here, however, a major plot point is Quinn's growing awareness of her mother as a person --- a deeply flawed, beautiful and proud but sometimes thoughtless person --- apart from her role as a parent.

Quinn's newly mature awareness of herself as part of --- and apart from --- her rapidly changing family is the real outcome of her personal crisis. And despite some bumpy patches in her journey, it appears that, in the long run, Quinn is going to do an absolutely brilliant job of growing up.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

The last book of the Avery sisters' trilogy comes from the eldest sister, Quinn's, perspective. She's always been the one in control, the good girl, the serious girl, and the nerdy girl. Her youngest sister is lucky and her middle sister is gorgeous. Quinn finds herself wanting to compete with them and become someone. Quinn wants to shed her good girl image.

A new friend she meets at camp might help her. She wants to fix up Quinn and her best friend with boys. They start going to parties and meeting new people. Quinn isn't sure she wants a boyfriend, since she's been crushing over her piano teacher for years, who is now in college. He's slowly beginning to notice her just as she has other dating options.

Besides finding herself, Quinn's family is going through a rough patch. Her mother's in hot water at work. The family must sell their home and downsize considerably. Quinn's always held her mother in high regard, but now she doesn't know how to feel. She's angry, hurt, and confused.

With boy trauma, family upheaval, and trying to change her image, will she go off the deep end?

BRILLIANT is the simultaneous companion story to LUCKY and GORGEOUS from the eldest sister's perspective. The three grow up, find themselves, and find their true strength in these books about sisters, romance, friendship, and dreams - all while dealing with family drama.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

Due to being part of a three girl family, I always look forward to reading books that focus on families involving three sisters. I have been especially looking to this story as it focuses on the eldest daughter, which being one myself I always can relate too. This book was a nice step back into realism as the second book in the series, which focused on Allison, involved some situations that could be as fantasy.

While I enjoyed the book, I was a bit disappointed at how Quinn was portrayed in this book. I guess after reading the first two books in the series that were from the younger sisters' POVs, I just assumed that Quinn was more mature and older than what she really was. I'm not sure if it's because that's how her sisters viewed her and that's just how she came across because it was through their eyes. It wasn't anything that was traumatic but I just thought that she would have handled things differently. I was glad to finally find out what exactly the girls' mother had done to the company. The other books kept giving hints but we never knew what it was until now. I can't say that I agreed with everything that the family did but it was obvious that they do love each other and a close family.

I really have loved the covers of the books of this series and Brilliant is another beautiful one. I don't even like the shoes but they look absolutely lovely on the cover. The colors just pop out at you and the simplicity of the cover really makes a statement. As I stated, this is the third book in the series about the Avery sisters. While this book could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first two books in the series to get a better understanding of the entire Avery family. Knowing what happened before is crucial to understanding why Quinn acts the way she does in this book. Overall, I enjoyed her story and I'm sad that the series is ending. This isn't fluffy teen chick lit yet it's not hard core intense stuff. It's a great blend that YA readers will enjoy.

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