Unstoppable!

November 15, 2023
Resilience and persistence in the gym and beyond take center stage in this memoir from a premier gymnast that opens with an introduction by Simone Biles. This work details Nichols' dedication to gymnastics and her lifelong dream of competing in the Olympics. Despite intense training, countless injuries, personal sacrifice, and consistently high scores, Nichols was passed over for the 2016 Olympic team, something "widely believed" to be a consequence of her being the first team member to report sexual abuse by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Yet Nichols persevered, thriving as a collegiate gymnast, gaining her master's, and advocating for sexual abuse awareness. Each chapter starts with an inspirational quote, and the core of the story, which is laser-focused on gymnastics and includes little about Nichols' personal life, is compelling. The book handles sexual abuse with sensitivity and includes a list of warning signs. The development of Nichols' disordered eating patterns is heartbreaking: Even though they were aware of her extreme diet, neither her parents (both medical professionals) nor her coaches intervened. The narrative is slowed by a litany of training plans, scoring methods, competition results, and injuries, and the legal proceedings and summaries can be challenging to parse. The casual writing style is inviting, but the excessive use of superlatives is distracting. Still, this is a courageous and important cautionary tale. Somewhat dense and most likely to appeal to diehard gymnastics fans, but readers will find much to learn from. (content note, photos, resources, official record, glossary) (Nonfiction. 14-18)

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January 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-Part autobiography, part memoir, this book both recounts Nichols's stellar elite and collegiate gymnastic career and serves as a tell-all about the abuse and trauma she experienced as a USA gymnast. Though the root of the abuse was at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar, Nichols tastefully unearths a lot of systematic issues that plagued USA Gymnastics at various levels. The story reads fast overall, but some information, such as character descriptions of many coaches as well as daily schedules information, slows the narrative. Each chapter focuses on a character trait and begins with a positive quote which Nichols is well known for via her social media platforms. Nichols concludes the book with a call to action to be vulnerable, open, and aware of everyone because often people aren't alone in what they're experiencing. The book has a lot of technical gymnastic information, from how scoring works to what different levels of performance might include. There is a glossary of terms at the end of the work as well as Nichols's career highlights, and sexual abuse warning signs and other resources. Contains an introduction by Simone Biles. VERDICT A worthwhile purchase only if other gymnastic memoirs tend to circulate often. The writing style is very causal and tends to read like a young person's journal at times yet obviously touches on topics of sexual abuse, eating disorders, and associated legal matters.-Samantha Hull

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