Jawbreaker: A Guide to the (U)niverse was a fun, confidence-boosting pep talk. Extended metaphors, anecdotes and the use of 2nd person made the book easy to read and understand. I enjoyed trying out the "muscle testing," and the bold, confidence-boosting language definitely brightened my mood.
My favorite part about the book is it's light, entertaining tone. The book throws around words like "razamatazically" and "niggles," and includes anecdotes about fish, stealing, and bad job experiences. These elements, along with the confidence-boosting language, make the book perfectly suited for pre-teen and teen girls looking for inspiration in their quest for happiness and self-assurance.
Despite this light and happy tone, I found some statements in the book to be very off-putting. These bold claims are meant to be empowering, but felt awkward and misplaced. At one point, the author claims that "You are the center of everything. The world revolves around you." The book continues with the idea that the reader is the most important thing in the world, and even suggests that individuals can "decide exactly what [they] want, order it, and completely relax until it arrives." While I can certainly see the confidence-building potential of these statements, I feel as though they are not particularly relevant in today's society. This line of thinking could easily encourage self-centeredness, and blind trust in "the universe" to deliver our dreams on a silver platter is ridiculous in this economy.
All in all, I would have preferred to see more practical ways for the reader to achieve their goals included in the book. However, I would definitely recommend this book to pre-teen and teen girls who need a confidence boost, feel stuck in their situation, or want to take some time to get to know themselves.
