“The Unfortunate Events of Connie Mills” by Alexandra Banks

• 08/29/2023
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The Unfortunate Events of Connie Mills

Alexandra Banks
Lulu.com (2023)
ISBN: 978-1387694440
Reviewed by Lily Andrews for Reader Views (08/2023)

“The Unfortunate Events of Connie Mills” by Alexandra Banks follows a 15-year-old girl who experiences a sequence of lamentable occurrences which seem to only transpire when her newly found friend is around.

Connie is a 15-year-old student at Feldman County High School who has been utilizing her laptop for schoolwork only, until she meets Chase, an irresistibly charming new student who implores her to join him in playing the War Man game later in the evening. She manages to get to the third level before taking a break, but upon coming back, she is dazed by a bone-chilling warning message that is continuously flickering on the screen of her laptop.

A couple of days later, she wakes up with a fever of 100.3 degrees which on further inquisition is found to be caused by a virus outbreak.  The virus is traced back to Adam’s meat supply house, which is run by Chase’s uncle. The next week in school appears smooth as her body recovers from the viral attack, until one day when the fire alarm deafeningly goes off. The science lab is filling up with smoke, and siren sounds are becoming louder as fire trucks make their way toward the school. To her surprise, Chase knows about the source of the fire but as he narrates the incident, her mind quickly drifts back to the mystery novel she has been reading. The book’s main character, Millie, was always around when something bad happened. Dumbfounded, Connie listens on.

This is a fast and well-detailed contemporary story that is brilliantly told. The characters are funny and well-hewn, and the unrelenting prose is warm and fresh. The main character’s debacles and internal conflict are well-written in a manner that makes readers empathize with her. She admits to her feelings early in the read and her perspectives are shared with readers, aptly grabbing a reader’s attention with her relatable suspicions and apprehensions.

“The Unfortunate Events of Connie Mills” by Alexandra Banks is suitable for young readers between 10-15 years of age, particularly those who have been mere victims of circumstance. It is overall a deeply inspiring text that demonstrates compassion and understanding as essential facets that can help one overcome even the darkest of calamities.