“Carrie Soto Is Back” – Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Grand Slam

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s new novel “Carrie Soto is Back” has soared to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

The titular Carrie Soto is the greatest tennis player of all time. Coached by her father and former tennis star, Javier “the Jaguar” Soto, Carrie climbed to the top ranks of women’s tennis in the ‘80s with her domineering attitude and aggressive style, giving her the nickname ‘the Battle Axe.’ With 20 Grand Slam titles under her belt, Carrie is untouchable. Unbeatable.

That is until 1994. Carrie no longer plays tennis, and Nicki Chan is the new face of the sport. Through her climb to the top, Nicki has accumulated 20 Grand Slam singles titles, making her the first woman to do so after Carrie Soto in 1987. If there is one thing Carrie despises more than her descent into obscurity, it’s being bested. After six years, Carrie comes out of retirement with one goal: to reclaim her record.

Due to Reid’s affinity for setting her books in the same universe, readers first see Carrie in “Malibu Rising” as the cruel and cold ‘other-woman’ in a seemingly perfect marriage. She’s the girl everyone loves to hate—the girl no one wants to root for.

Surprisingly, she is no different in “Carrie Soto is Back.”

Carrie is by no means a likable character. She is brash, abrasive, cold and reserved. Carrie relishes that she is an unflinching pillar in the tennis community and doesn’t feel the need to change. Her once admirable behavior on and off the court has now earned her the nickname ‘the Bitch’. She is Aggravating, with a capital ‘A’. But the beauty of Reid’s writing is her ability to create empathy for characters where that originally seemed unimaginable. Somehow, it feels natural to cry, scream and laugh with Carrie. She feels so real that you can’t help but identify with her — even if you’re not a tennis champion.

Reid creates situations and tensions that feel incredibly immersive, making tennis — a sport I’ve never played or watched — feel gripping. I screamed, ranted, cried, and I’m sure my heart grew ten sizes. The audience gets to know Carrie through her young age, her retirement and, eventually, her comeback. With the addition of newspaper articles, interviews and talk show transcripts, Reid places the reader right in the middle of the ’90s. 

“Everything we achieve is ephemeral. We have it, and then the next second, it’s gone.”

Carrie’s relationship with her father highlights the true meaning of the novel at its core. Much like Carrie, Javier is a character that sprouted off the pages. Early on, the reader was able to hear about the rise and fall of his tennis career through the eyes of Carrie, as well as his determination to raise a daughter he could live vicariously through. Throughout the novel, the lines of their relationship blur from father and daughter to coach and athlete. Both thrive off the trophies, the applause and the records, making themselves mirror images of the other. This relationship is not only honest but refreshing in a genre where parent and child relationships aren’t normally highlighted.

‘Carrie Soto Is Back’ is more than just a book about tennis. It is a book about heart and the thin line between self-discipline and self-destruction. It is a book about female ambition and the anger that meets women who refuse to be cut down to size. As Serena Williams — the very woman who inspired the character of Carrie Soto — says, “I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top position.” And most importantly, it is a book about family and the sacrifices and meaningfulness that come along with it.

“Carrie Soto is Back” is a whirlwind from the first page to the acknowledgments. The novel is a fast-paced read with relationships as tense as any match point. If any book deserves more than five stars, this is the one. Do yourself a favor and pick it up; you won’t regret it.