Book Review: Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don’t worship as attentively, teachers don’t fall for her wide-eyed “who me?” look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she’s always loved--Liam Ward--can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she’s wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she’s inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget’s about to learn that, sometimes, saying you’re sorry just isn’t enough. (From Paige Harbison's website)

The premise of Here Lies Bridget was really unique, and that was what originally drew me to the book. I was lucky enough to get a chance to read an ARC edition through Around the World ARC Tours, and I enjoyed it.

One of the things that Harbison does well is create interesting, relatable characters. I mean, I can't honestly say that I liked Bridget, but she was intriguing. Alright, I'll admit that I really disliked her. She was nasty to her friends, her stepmother, and jealous. I did, however, understand why she had created her mean girl persona. Her insecurities are pretty apparent, and they keep her in her own little world. It was those insecurities that kept me from loathing Bridget. I also thought that the supporting characters were well-written. It would have been easy to have these characters fall flat, especially when we're seeing them from Bridget's point of view. The reader understands that there's more to these characters, which is revealed after Bridget meets her tragic end. My favorite character was, without a doubt, Meredith. She obviously cared about Bridget, despite being treated like an evil stepmother.

The first half of the book allows the reader to get to know Bridget in all of her glory. We see her mistreat everyone in her life, and it can get frustrating for the reader. In the end, I hoped Bridget would see the err of her ways. I really wanted her to mend the relationships that she had ruined. Then again, we know what's going to happen to her. I think the thing that kept this book from getting a "B" rating was the second half of the book. I don't think it's ruining things for anyone when I say that after Bridget dies, she takes a good look at her life. This portion of the book, however, seemed to fly by. I wanted more depth, and another 50 pages in which Bridget could have explored her behavior more.

I enjoyed this one, despite wishing that it was a bit longer. Harbison did a great job of revealing the weaknesses and insecurities of a popular "mean girl", and get the reader to root for her.

Here Lies Bridget
By Paige Harbison
Published by Harlequin Teen
208 Pages
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Rating: C