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A darkly comic suspense in the vein of All’s Well and Yellowface, She’s a Lamb! is an edgy and incisive novel that marches toward showtime with a growing unease about the dangers of magical thinking and the depths of delusion Jessamyn St. Germain is meant to be a star. Not an actor who occasionally books yogurt commercials and certainly not a lowly usher at one of Vancouver’s smallest regional theaters. No, she is bound for greatness, and that’s why the part of Maria in the theater’s upcoming production of The Sound of Music is hers. Or it’s going to be. Jessamyn may have been relegated to the position of childminder for the little brats playing the von Trapp children, but it’s so obvious she’s there for a different reason — the director wants her close to the role so when Samantha, the lead, inevitably fails, Jessamyn will be there to take her place in the spotlight. This must be it. Because if it isn’t, well, then every skipped meal, every brutal rehearsal, every inch won against a man attempting to drag her down will have all been for nothing. Sharp, relentless, and darkly funny, She’s a Lamb! is a cutting satire about the grotesque pall patriarchy casts over one woman’s delusional quest to achieve her dreams and the depths she will sink to for a chance at the life she’s convinced she deserves.
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Did you ever know someone who thought they were good at singing? Maybe good at acting too? Really thought they were meant to be famous? If not, you will after reading this. Jessamyn has wanted to be in musicals on broadway since she can remember and she would do absolutely anything to achieve her lifelong goal of becoming a star. She may only be landing commercials, and is only an usher at her local theater, but that's just because she's been unlucky. People don't understand her talent. They're jealous and they don't want to see her succeed because it hurts their own egos. But don't worry she has her support system including her Tony Award winning voice coach who swears she's meant to be a star and her two boyfriends who know she's meant for the fame. One day, her theater announces they're putting on The Sound of Music, Jessamyn's favorite play. She knows she's prepared her whole life for this exact moment and will do whatever it takes to become the lead role. The author did something new with the obsession and raging woman trope that kept this fresh amidst many books trying to accomplish the same thing. I loved being inside Jessamyn's self-absorbed mind and hearing her hot takes on the people around her, especially with the dramatic theatre atmosphere. You can't help but laugh at her absurdity and endless need for attention and validation. If you love drama and a delusional, unreliable main character I highly recommend the audiobook!
0(thank you netgalley, meredith hambrock and ecw press for providing me an e-arc of the novel in exchange for an honest review).
*3.5 stars
picture this: evelyn hugo with yellowface energy (and i’m here for it!)
that book was a wild, unhinged ride from start to finish. the plot had a lot of twists and turns that kept me intrigued with it’s unpredictable, chaotic energy that ran through the story. the main character’s deep irrational introspective made the journey feel raw and authentic while shining a light on important mental health struggles.
there were however a few repetitive moments that could have been streamlined, but they didn’t detract much from the overall experience. hambrock definitely has a knack for creating a protagonist who feels intensely real, even as she describes situations that range from relatable to downright bizarre. it’s wasn’t a perfect read for me but it’s undeniably entertaining and refreshingly unfiltered.
If you’re looking for something unique, character-driven, and just a little bit (very) unhinged: ‘she’s a lamb!’ delivers and i’ll certainly be looking forward to seeing more of meredith’s work in the future.
0[2.5] i understand that to tell a story like jessamyn's, the character in question is not always going to make decisions that you as a reader, will agree with or support, but from what i gather, the whole point of this book was for us to see her downward spiral into chaos / psychosis, etc. and i think for that to be done effectively, we needed to at least sympathise with her from the beginning, but unfortunately i just couldn't connect to any of the characters, and found them all really unlikeable. i did find the plot okay, despite thinking the ending to be a bit rushed - i get this added to the chaotic finale, but it read like the author just wanted it to be over and done with at times.
thank you to netgalley and ecw press for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
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