This is definitely a book I picked up for one reason - BUZZ. This book was all over #bookstagram so I just had to check it out. And like most books that I read because of the buzz, I was disappointed.
Summary from goodreads.com
Northern California,
during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely
and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park,
and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their
dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a
mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be
infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the
hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is
exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be
accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms
of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie
does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable
violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go
horribly wrong.
What I Liked
It's just all so believable. Cults are of course a very real and very scary part of our past and future, but the path of the main character is pretty accessible- a young girl getting sucked into a terrible situation like the main character, Evie, did is a familiar story. Every step of the way you know Evie is making risky decisions, even she seems to know she is playing with fire- but at the end of the day she is lonely, or confused, or mad and that emotion trumps logic.
I loved the writing style, at parts - read more below. There were a lot of great quotes from the book that have stuck with me. One of my favorites -
“That was our mistake, I think. One of many mistakes. To believe that
boys were acting with a logic that we could someday understand. To
believe that their actions had any meaning beyond thoughtless impulse.
We were like conspiracy theorists, seeing portent and intention in every
detail, wishing desperately that we mattered enough to be the object of
planning and speculation. But they were just boys. Silly and young and
straightforward; they weren't hiding anything.”
I also enjoyed the layout of the story. While the majority of the book is about 14 year old Evie, there are also chapters that follow an older, middle aged Evie. Each story line gave the other context, and I love the way the book played out because of that structure.
What I Didn't Like
Maybe
it's the nine years of Catholic school under my chastity belt, I dunno - but this book definitely had an uncomfortable level of sex scenes. Totally a personal preference, but like one or two per a book is my comfort level. So, if that makes you uncomfortable or just isn't your taste - I definitely recommend skipping this one.
The primary reason I did not enjoy The Girls was the writing. There are *many* parts of the book that feel very over written. It wasn't too difficult for me to push past it but it just kept happening! Overall it was frustrating and definitely took away from my enjoyment of the book.
Have you read The Girls yet? What did you think? Let me know below in the comments! Considering reading it? Click the link below to find a copy at your local library.
