Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Summary (from the publisher): In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime - from the 'New York Times' best-selling author of 'Malibu Rising', 'Daisy Jones & The Six', and 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo'.
Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed 20 Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. Javier - a former champion himself - has trained her since the age of two.
But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.
At 37 years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the “Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.
In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.
Review: This is the story of the lengths a professional athlete must go to in order to win. Carrie Soto was raised by her father Javier, who was a former champion himself, and who raises his daughter to win at any cost. By the time she reaches the end of her career, Carrie is the best tennis player in the world - but her ruthless approach to the game has not made her popular with fans or fellow players. Six years after her retirement, Carrie decides to come back out of retirement for one last season. At 37, she will attempt to reclaim her record as the best player in the world.
I really liked that the novel takes the reader back in time to get Carrie's whole story. We are able to see her evolution as an athlete. I also liked the setting of this; rather than be present day, it's set in the near past. When Carrie returns from her years' long retirement, it is 1994.
The father daughter relationship between Carrie and her father Javier was a pivotal element of this novel. After raising Carrie as a single father, they have an incredibly close bond, and his role as her coach only solidifies this. But Carrie will even betray her loyalty to the one person most devoted to her if it means getting ahead in the game.
I enjoyed this book but didn't love it as much as other books by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This is probably on me. I am not a huge sports person and had a hard time staying focused during the descriptions of different matches without a visual. I was also disappointed that Carrie didn't have more character development as time went on. Obviously, a top athlete needs a certain level of ruthlessness when it comes to the sport, but Carrie is arrogant and felt fairly one-dimensional to me. I do think this has the potential to be absolutely stunning as a screen adaptation! Between the fierce competition and the setting, which is largely between the 1970s through the 90s, this would be such a fun watch.
The audiobook was absolutely stunning. Beautifully done with a full cast of characters, it added so much to the story.
Stars: 3.5
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