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The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's
An all-girls school is struck with mysterious cases of screaming hysteria in this chilling dark academia thriller haunted by a deeply buried history clawing to the light.
For over a hundred years, girls have fought to attend St. Bernadette’s, with its reputation for shaping only the best and brightest young women.
Unfortunately, there is also the screaming.
When a student begins to scream in the middle of class, a chain reaction starts that impacts the entire school. By the end of the day, seventeen girls are affected—along with St. Bernadette’s stellar reputation.
Khadijah’s got her own scars to tend to, and watching her friends succumb to hysteria only rips apart wounds she’d rather keep closed. But when her sister falls to the screams, Khad knows she’s the only one who can save her.
Rachel has always been far too occupied trying to reconcile her overbearing mother’s expectations with her own secret ambitions to pay attention to school antics. But just as Rachel finds her voice, it turns into screams.
Together, the two girls find themselves digging deeper into the school’s dark history, hunting for the truth. Little do they know that a specter lurks in the darkness, watching, waiting, and hungry for its next victim…
For over a hundred years, girls have fought to attend St. Bernadette’s, with its reputation for shaping only the best and brightest young women.
Unfortunately, there is also the screaming.
When a student begins to scream in the middle of class, a chain reaction starts that impacts the entire school. By the end of the day, seventeen girls are affected—along with St. Bernadette’s stellar reputation.
Khadijah’s got her own scars to tend to, and watching her friends succumb to hysteria only rips apart wounds she’d rather keep closed. But when her sister falls to the screams, Khad knows she’s the only one who can save her.
Rachel has always been far too occupied trying to reconcile her overbearing mother’s expectations with her own secret ambitions to pay attention to school antics. But just as Rachel finds her voice, it turns into screams.
Together, the two girls find themselves digging deeper into the school’s dark history, hunting for the truth. Little do they know that a specter lurks in the darkness, watching, waiting, and hungry for its next victim…
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 280 reviews
June 27, 2024
Students at a Malaysian boarding school are struck by a mysterious screaming illness. Is it mass hysteria, a haunting, or something else? The book explores trauma, bodily autonomy, and sisterhood.
This is my first Hanna Alkaf book, but I can tell it’s not her first YA novel. She writes her characters with an emotional depth I wish I saw more frequently in YA.
Thanks to Simon Teen for providing an ARC!
This is my first Hanna Alkaf book, but I can tell it’s not her first YA novel. She writes her characters with an emotional depth I wish I saw more frequently in YA.
Thanks to Simon Teen for providing an ARC!
December 19, 2024
2.5
I would have DNFed but I wanted to figure out the sweeping and if it was a metaphor. Kinda but not really
I would have DNFed but I wanted to figure out the sweeping and if it was a metaphor. Kinda but not really
November 2, 2024
My favourite Hanna Alkaf yet - absolutely haunting and brilliantly embedded in oppressive, violent silence, and the way teen girls' voices and bodies are tamped down into palpable rage. This was so aggressively written for me, from the local elite girls' mission school to the type A chinese girl top student going crazy via the theatre. Rachel Lian no one understands you but I do !!
**
wtr: HELLOO?? HANNA ALKAF MALAYSIAN GIRLS SCHOOL THRILLER?
**
wtr: HELLOO?? HANNA ALKAF MALAYSIAN GIRLS SCHOOL THRILLER?
Read
September 9, 2024first arc!!!!
September 16, 2024
At an all girls school in Malaysia a curious case of mass hysteria has broken out amongst the students. Girls have randomly been struck by fits of screaming. When asked about the experience, most cannot remember what caused it. But those who do all agree on the presence of a shadow, lurking and watching.
We follow two POVs, the first being Khadijah who has been mute ever since she was sexually assaulted by her stepfather. She becomes overly invested in investigating the hysteria after her sister falls prey to the screams. And her obsession gets even worse after girls begin to go missing. The second POV is Rachel. Her school life has been burdened by the overbearing expectations of her mother to be a top student. When she decides to pursue solo acting without her mother’s permission, she begins to find that her character is taking over her personality. Even haunting her. For most of the book their storylines run parallel to each other, but soon their fates become intertwined as they get closer to uncovering the dark secret of their school.
This novel incorporates a lot of interesting elements such as sisterhood, female rage, and bodily autonomy. This story critiques cultures that protect sexual abusers and allows them access to their victims. There are discussions around the commodification of women’s bodies, the dismissal of young women’s voices, and the idea of the “perfect” victim. This was a really powerful story that portrays girls protecting each other, and gaining a voice in the face of horrors.
The ending was a little abrupt. I wish there was more of a resolution for Julianna and her mom, as well as some kind of interaction with the school faculty. But otherwise I did think it was a satisfying conclusion of the story. I love a good sentient building.
Thank you Simon Teen for the ARC!
We follow two POVs, the first being Khadijah who has been mute ever since she was sexually assaulted by her stepfather. She becomes overly invested in investigating the hysteria after her sister falls prey to the screams. And her obsession gets even worse after girls begin to go missing. The second POV is Rachel. Her school life has been burdened by the overbearing expectations of her mother to be a top student. When she decides to pursue solo acting without her mother’s permission, she begins to find that her character is taking over her personality. Even haunting her. For most of the book their storylines run parallel to each other, but soon their fates become intertwined as they get closer to uncovering the dark secret of their school.
This novel incorporates a lot of interesting elements such as sisterhood, female rage, and bodily autonomy. This story critiques cultures that protect sexual abusers and allows them access to their victims. There are discussions around the commodification of women’s bodies, the dismissal of young women’s voices, and the idea of the “perfect” victim. This was a really powerful story that portrays girls protecting each other, and gaining a voice in the face of horrors.
The ending was a little abrupt. I wish there was more of a resolution for Julianna and her mom, as well as some kind of interaction with the school faculty. But otherwise I did think it was a satisfying conclusion of the story. I love a good sentient building.
Thank you Simon Teen for the ARC!
August 4, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for young readers for an ARC of this book!
2.5 /5 ⭐️
This novel has such a compelling synopsis and plot, but ultimately lacked the pacing and narrative structure to create an effective novel.
“The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s” primarily follows the perspectives of Khadijah and Rachel as they deal with the high expectations of their families while attending the competitive school: St. Bernadette’s. One afternoon a student begins screaming in the middle of class for no apparent reason, by the end of the day, more students become affected. As each day passes, the girls become more on edge as more girls fall victim to the scream.
The biggest problem with this book is the lack of set up to make the cause of a scream a mystery. The girls are more concerned with their personal lives that when they do find a potential piece of evidence for the cause of the screams, the internal monologue just jumps back to their dissatisfaction with their lives. I wanted to see the girls actually solve the mystery by obtaining clues and working together but in the end, when the mystery is “solved”, I was not satisfied as a reader because the characters did not really do anything.
Another main issue was the lack of pacing, which created no suspense within the plot. All of the biggest plot points are given away in the synopsis, which lead to absolutely no suspense to the story. Within the first 50 pages, I was able to guess the cause of the screams because it followed a very familiar archetype.
A final aspect of this book that I believe is worth discussion is the idea of marketing a book as a “dark academia thriller”. While the book is in an academic setting, we never critically see the characters interact or use their studies in a meaningful way to propel the plot forward. Because of this, I would not consider the novel to fit within the dark academia sub-genre, but rather a YA novel that takes place at a school.
2.5 /5 ⭐️
This novel has such a compelling synopsis and plot, but ultimately lacked the pacing and narrative structure to create an effective novel.
“The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s” primarily follows the perspectives of Khadijah and Rachel as they deal with the high expectations of their families while attending the competitive school: St. Bernadette’s. One afternoon a student begins screaming in the middle of class for no apparent reason, by the end of the day, more students become affected. As each day passes, the girls become more on edge as more girls fall victim to the scream.
The biggest problem with this book is the lack of set up to make the cause of a scream a mystery. The girls are more concerned with their personal lives that when they do find a potential piece of evidence for the cause of the screams, the internal monologue just jumps back to their dissatisfaction with their lives. I wanted to see the girls actually solve the mystery by obtaining clues and working together but in the end, when the mystery is “solved”, I was not satisfied as a reader because the characters did not really do anything.
Another main issue was the lack of pacing, which created no suspense within the plot. All of the biggest plot points are given away in the synopsis, which lead to absolutely no suspense to the story. Within the first 50 pages, I was able to guess the cause of the screams because it followed a very familiar archetype.
A final aspect of this book that I believe is worth discussion is the idea of marketing a book as a “dark academia thriller”. While the book is in an academic setting, we never critically see the characters interact or use their studies in a meaningful way to propel the plot forward. Because of this, I would not consider the novel to fit within the dark academia sub-genre, but rather a YA novel that takes place at a school.
June 24, 2024
ARC for review. To be published September 24, 2024.
I love that this YA book is set in Kuala Lumpur…that alone makes it stand out from a lot of what’s out there. And the book covers a tough topic, though not explicitly.
St. Bernadette’s is the best school for girls around, perched atop a hill…only the best make it through the gates. One ordinary day a new girl starts to scream in class. Then another. Then another. By the end of the day there are seventeen of them.
Khadijah is a girl with her own problems; she doesn’t speak. But her sister is one of the screamers.
Rachel is trying desperately to live up to her strict mother’s expectations while also trying to carve out a life for herself. Is it possible?
And why are the girls screaming? And what will happen next?
This is definitely YA for YA, but I like that it exists for girls, even if I don’t know that I was crazy about the ending. Probably a 3.5 for me.
I love that this YA book is set in Kuala Lumpur…that alone makes it stand out from a lot of what’s out there. And the book covers a tough topic, though not explicitly.
St. Bernadette’s is the best school for girls around, perched atop a hill…only the best make it through the gates. One ordinary day a new girl starts to scream in class. Then another. Then another. By the end of the day there are seventeen of them.
Khadijah is a girl with her own problems; she doesn’t speak. But her sister is one of the screamers.
Rachel is trying desperately to live up to her strict mother’s expectations while also trying to carve out a life for herself. Is it possible?
And why are the girls screaming? And what will happen next?
This is definitely YA for YA, but I like that it exists for girls, even if I don’t know that I was crazy about the ending. Probably a 3.5 for me.
October 10, 2024
3.25🌟 rounded off to 3🌟
I don't know if I've outgrown Hanna Alkaf's works or if the quality in her works has been declining but I have been finding myself feeling pretty meh about her recent few releases, including this one.
This novel is not scary. The mystery is pretty see through, imo. I kept reading because Hanna Alkaf's writings is always so smooth and easy to read; this one is no different. There were also at least a couple inconsistencies in the story which I can't recall anymore tbh.
Anyways, I don't know if I'll be looking forward to her future releases as much anymore, which is a pretty sad thing to admit.
TL; DR The scariest thing about this is the thought that I'm outgrowing this author😔
‼️SPOILER‼️
So...... is it just me or did the ending imply that they left Julianna's remains in the building? Because if so, LOL
I don't know if I've outgrown Hanna Alkaf's works or if the quality in her works has been declining but I have been finding myself feeling pretty meh about her recent few releases, including this one.
This novel is not scary. The mystery is pretty see through, imo. I kept reading because Hanna Alkaf's writings is always so smooth and easy to read; this one is no different. There were also at least a couple inconsistencies in the story which I can't recall anymore tbh.
Anyways, I don't know if I'll be looking forward to her future releases as much anymore, which is a pretty sad thing to admit.
TL; DR The scariest thing about this is the thought that I'm outgrowing this author😔
‼️SPOILER‼️
So...... is it just me or did the ending imply that they left Julianna's remains in the building? Because if so, LOL
January 2, 2025
So glad I chose to listen to this instead of reading the physical book. It's not that it was bad, it just probably wouldn't have kept my attention otherwise. The narration was amazing and immersive, and the story wasn't too bad either. It definitely picked up more during the second half of the book and we finally realize just what is going on with the screaming, and the school as a whole. Probably not one I'd have to read again, but it was an enjoyable listen.
October 20, 2024
Loads to say but the second half was a bit of a downer. The story started of so-so good.
RTC.
RTC.
December 20, 2024
If there's one thing you need to know about Southeast Asia, it's that every school is haunted. (Kidding. Sort of. Not really.) If the school was around during World War II, expect stories of the ghosts of POWs and other service personnel haunting the halls, secret tunnels, and curses cast by surviving comfort women. Every old school was a hospital or a military base or prison camp. (As a UST graduate myself, I beg you to look up the Santo Tomas Internment Camp. Those creepy old buildings where people died slow and painful deaths? That's where I finished university. Lmao.) It's a thing as universal in this region as our fear of the scent of frangipani/jasmine.
Hanna Alkaf taps into this unique cultural context to bring us The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's, set in all-girls school where the students are suddenly afflicted by a sudden hysteria that causes them to scream. Protagonists Khadijah and Rachel, each suffering their own scars, must deal with their own internal struggles and trauma while simultaneously digging into the school's dark history. The result is an incredibly compelling young adult tale that blends themes of sisterhood, bodily autonomy, and female rage. In no uncertain terms, this novel critiques the culture of shame and keeping the peace that protects sexual abusers, keeps them in positions of power, and allows them uninterrupted access to their victims. It also portrays girls protecting girls, and the power of raising your voices together.
The writing in this book was also incredibly vivid and atmospheric. I come from similar schools, so it was all too easy for me to imagine the sense of dread and impending doom that surrounded St. Bernadette's. If there's one thing Southeast Asians can do, it's tell a damn good school ghost story, and Hanna Alkaf carries on that tradition in the best way.
Perhaps the one thing I didn't like was how abrupt the ending was, but not enough to totally derail my enjoyment of this book. Highly recommended!
Hanna Alkaf taps into this unique cultural context to bring us The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's, set in all-girls school where the students are suddenly afflicted by a sudden hysteria that causes them to scream. Protagonists Khadijah and Rachel, each suffering their own scars, must deal with their own internal struggles and trauma while simultaneously digging into the school's dark history. The result is an incredibly compelling young adult tale that blends themes of sisterhood, bodily autonomy, and female rage. In no uncertain terms, this novel critiques the culture of shame and keeping the peace that protects sexual abusers, keeps them in positions of power, and allows them uninterrupted access to their victims. It also portrays girls protecting girls, and the power of raising your voices together.
The writing in this book was also incredibly vivid and atmospheric. I come from similar schools, so it was all too easy for me to imagine the sense of dread and impending doom that surrounded St. Bernadette's. If there's one thing Southeast Asians can do, it's tell a damn good school ghost story, and Hanna Alkaf carries on that tradition in the best way.
Perhaps the one thing I didn't like was how abrupt the ending was, but not enough to totally derail my enjoyment of this book. Highly recommended!
November 10, 2025
3.5. i love dark Academia thrillers.
August 12, 2024
Super grateful to Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster for the arc!
Rounding up from 2.5 stars.
I'm not sure if this fully finds itself for me. The ideas and concepts presented are very thoughtful, often times very dark, but more often than not simply brushed over with no real exploration. Grief and trauma are the main themes here and while they are certainly palpable, to me they felt like plot devices without any true intention of diving deeper. I think it would be easy to excuse this away saying that it's YA and that's the reason. But I've read plenty of YA, even middle grade, that is not afraid to go for it. Where I think this falls to most is the characterization of our dual MCs.
I'm not sure there is a fairness in how our two MCs, Khadijah and Rachel, are written. Khadijah feels slightly more developed and realized in comparison to Rachel, but neither of them feel FULLY lived in. More often than not, I found myself wanting Rachel's POV to end so we could get back to Khadijah. But that's half of the book. The synopsis also mentions that these two MCs "find their fates intertwined" but that intertwining doesn't occur until at least 75% of the way through. I would have rather not known that the plots would intersect instead of knowing and waiting/begging for them to.
The horror/thriller/mystery elements didn't fully land for me either. Once again, I found the concept of "is it or isn't it supernatural" fun and engaging but it simply didn't know how to cross the finish line. The plot is rather slow and the pace certainly leaves you wanting more with chapter cliffhangers that make you think things will happen soon and they never really do. I'm not exaggerating when I say the ENTIRE climax/twist/reveal happens in the final 10 pages and then the book just ends with the conclusion/resolution truly being less than a page. For how the rest of the book was paced it was almost like whiplash with how quickly things were closed out. It also didn't help that I anticipated the reveal within the first quarter of the book.
All in all, this was fine. It does nothing offensive or outright wrong, it just wasn't up to the standards I expected prior to going in. I think people who don't normally read horror/thriller/mysteries might find this very successful. But with those aforementioned genres being my bread and butter this couldn't quite live up to what I wanted/needed from it.
Rounding up from 2.5 stars.
I'm not sure if this fully finds itself for me. The ideas and concepts presented are very thoughtful, often times very dark, but more often than not simply brushed over with no real exploration. Grief and trauma are the main themes here and while they are certainly palpable, to me they felt like plot devices without any true intention of diving deeper. I think it would be easy to excuse this away saying that it's YA and that's the reason. But I've read plenty of YA, even middle grade, that is not afraid to go for it. Where I think this falls to most is the characterization of our dual MCs.
I'm not sure there is a fairness in how our two MCs, Khadijah and Rachel, are written. Khadijah feels slightly more developed and realized in comparison to Rachel, but neither of them feel FULLY lived in. More often than not, I found myself wanting Rachel's POV to end so we could get back to Khadijah. But that's half of the book. The synopsis also mentions that these two MCs "find their fates intertwined" but that intertwining doesn't occur until at least 75% of the way through. I would have rather not known that the plots would intersect instead of knowing and waiting/begging for them to.
The horror/thriller/mystery elements didn't fully land for me either. Once again, I found the concept of "is it or isn't it supernatural" fun and engaging but it simply didn't know how to cross the finish line. The plot is rather slow and the pace certainly leaves you wanting more with chapter cliffhangers that make you think things will happen soon and they never really do. I'm not exaggerating when I say the ENTIRE climax/twist/reveal happens in the final 10 pages and then the book just ends with the conclusion/resolution truly being less than a page. For how the rest of the book was paced it was almost like whiplash with how quickly things were closed out. It also didn't help that I anticipated the reveal within the first quarter of the book.
All in all, this was fine. It does nothing offensive or outright wrong, it just wasn't up to the standards I expected prior to going in. I think people who don't normally read horror/thriller/mysteries might find this very successful. But with those aforementioned genres being my bread and butter this couldn't quite live up to what I wanted/needed from it.
October 6, 2024
I’ll begin this review the way I’ve had to begin way too many reviews before it: Please stop labeling books as Dark Academia just because they are set at a school.
This is not Dark Academia, and leaves the book at a disadvantage from the outset because the reader is expecting something different. I enjoy the school setting whether it’s truly DA or not, but I don’t love being misled.
This is mostly about mass hysteria, which I don’t think is an especially compelling subject on its own, and this needed another element along side that to help keep the reader invested. If you just want to read about teenage girls and mass hysteria, Megan Abbott wrote a really good novel called The Fever that fits the bill.
What’s good about this one is the setting, which is really unique for a school novel and pretty well-rendered. And the writing itself is fine, though a lot of the secondary characters are sort of fuzzy archetypes who aren’t especially singular. The girls mothers, for example, pretty much all read as the same person.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is not Dark Academia, and leaves the book at a disadvantage from the outset because the reader is expecting something different. I enjoy the school setting whether it’s truly DA or not, but I don’t love being misled.
This is mostly about mass hysteria, which I don’t think is an especially compelling subject on its own, and this needed another element along side that to help keep the reader invested. If you just want to read about teenage girls and mass hysteria, Megan Abbott wrote a really good novel called The Fever that fits the bill.
What’s good about this one is the setting, which is really unique for a school novel and pretty well-rendered. And the writing itself is fine, though a lot of the secondary characters are sort of fuzzy archetypes who aren’t especially singular. The girls mothers, for example, pretty much all read as the same person.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
November 9, 2024
EXQUISITE PREMISE!!!! but the execution...:/
October 21, 2024
Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing an e-ARC of this book. This, in no way, influenced my review.
“Because all anyone ever asked me about was my pain. My body for their belief, a complete transaction”
Coming from Catholic schools for most of my life, the pull that this book had on me when I first saw the announcement was palpable. I just know I need to read it; made even more evident since it’s by Hanna Alkaf! I loved The Girl and the Ghost so I had high expectations jumping in on this one. Honestly? I was not disappointed!
The story and plot were full of intrigue: imagine an all-girls school that has a sudden case of mass hysteria with girls literally screaming one by one. You’d be left wondering and wanting to fly through the pages because you badly need the answers pronto.
Paired with the very imaginative and vivid writing, the horrific scenes play out like a classic Asian horror movie in my head as I was reading it, which I really enjoyed!
While the pacing was pretty slow (for me), it painted a chilling and jarring picture of just how deep and messed up the real issue is at this school. Don’t even get me started with the irony of silencing screaming girls! This alone will rile you up and make you so angry because the adults who were supposed to keep these students safe and heard were the ones setting them aside to save face and uphold the school’s reputation for producing only the brightest students; the parents and guardians who were responsible for creating a safe space failed to protect them. That for the girls to be believed, there has to be something extreme and detrimental that has to happen to them first. That they have to be a victim first. That they have to find out for themselves that the shadows lurking aren’t always the ghosts they fear.
Characters like the school’s counselor, Mr. B, were extra infuriating because they mask their judgment and backhanded comments with fake empathy. Because at least with Rachel’s obsessive and perfectionist mother, you’ll have obvious reasons to hate her.
Also at the heart of this story are friends who’ve always been with the girls to show their support and to the friendships made along the way. It realistically displayed how friends can also disappoint us despite having their hearts in the right places. That sometimes we’ll have to sit with our issues and challenges alone before we can open up and trust again.
I’ll have to say, though, that the ending wasn’t fully satisfying. While I’m glad to see character developments towards the end, I felt that with the level of frustrations that the story built up, it wasn’t able to fully realize the same level of satisfaction in having the real villains accountable. I feel like people would just set aside the girls’ account of the events and brush these off as accusations of hysterical runaway girls.
But I guess that’s also the beauty of the ending, you’d just have to trust the girls’ grit, courage, and booming voices.
If you’re going to pick this up (which you should!), prepare to be scared, engaged, and enraged!
“Because all anyone ever asked me about was my pain. My body for their belief, a complete transaction”
Coming from Catholic schools for most of my life, the pull that this book had on me when I first saw the announcement was palpable. I just know I need to read it; made even more evident since it’s by Hanna Alkaf! I loved The Girl and the Ghost so I had high expectations jumping in on this one. Honestly? I was not disappointed!
The story and plot were full of intrigue: imagine an all-girls school that has a sudden case of mass hysteria with girls literally screaming one by one. You’d be left wondering and wanting to fly through the pages because you badly need the answers pronto.
Paired with the very imaginative and vivid writing, the horrific scenes play out like a classic Asian horror movie in my head as I was reading it, which I really enjoyed!
While the pacing was pretty slow (for me), it painted a chilling and jarring picture of just how deep and messed up the real issue is at this school. Don’t even get me started with the irony of silencing screaming girls! This alone will rile you up and make you so angry because the adults who were supposed to keep these students safe and heard were the ones setting them aside to save face and uphold the school’s reputation for producing only the brightest students; the parents and guardians who were responsible for creating a safe space failed to protect them. That for the girls to be believed, there has to be something extreme and detrimental that has to happen to them first. That they have to be a victim first. That they have to find out for themselves that the shadows lurking aren’t always the ghosts they fear.
Characters like the school’s counselor, Mr. B, were extra infuriating because they mask their judgment and backhanded comments with fake empathy. Because at least with Rachel’s obsessive and perfectionist mother, you’ll have obvious reasons to hate her.
Also at the heart of this story are friends who’ve always been with the girls to show their support and to the friendships made along the way. It realistically displayed how friends can also disappoint us despite having their hearts in the right places. That sometimes we’ll have to sit with our issues and challenges alone before we can open up and trust again.
I’ll have to say, though, that the ending wasn’t fully satisfying. While I’m glad to see character developments towards the end, I felt that with the level of frustrations that the story built up, it wasn’t able to fully realize the same level of satisfaction in having the real villains accountable. I feel like people would just set aside the girls’ account of the events and brush these off as accusations of hysterical runaway girls.
But I guess that’s also the beauty of the ending, you’d just have to trust the girls’ grit, courage, and booming voices.
If you’re going to pick this up (which you should!), prepare to be scared, engaged, and enraged!
Read
August 8, 2024Thank you Kak Hanna and Salaam/Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC!!🩷
I love the story line, especially the main plot points the Hysterical Girls! Because I live in SEA (so it is quite common). The story itself was so firmly grasping that I couldn't put down my book until I found out what happened to the girls, but the ending /sigh/ kept me yearning more!!!
I love the story line, especially the main plot points the Hysterical Girls! Because I live in SEA (so it is quite common). The story itself was so firmly grasping that I couldn't put down my book until I found out what happened to the girls, but the ending /sigh/ kept me yearning more!!!
August 16, 2024
Hanna Alkaf's The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's is a gripping novel that captivates readers with its short, straightforward chapters and alternating points of view between the main characters, Khadijah and Rachel. This structure keeps the narrative pace brisk and engaging, making it difficult for me to put the book down from start to finish.
One of the novel's standout features is its stark and distinctive characterization. Both Khadijah and Rachel are complex, vividly painted characters with their own unique struggles. It's hard to choose a favorite because each girl is so relatable and well-developed. Rachel's narrative, burdened by her mother's relentless expectations, resonates deeply. Her constant fear of disappointing her strict mother is a theme that I believe many readers—especially Malaysians—will identify with.
Khadijah's story, on the other hand, is heart-wrenching. Traumatized into muteness by the sexual assault from her stepfather, she battles against a world that too often dismisses and victim-blames her. This is all too real for us women, of course. Even though things are done TO us, we are always treated as if we're the ones in the WRONG. Hanna Alkaf created the painstakingly realistic portrayal here through these St. Bernadette's girls.
Although people eventually listened to Khadijah when it was already too late. The assault had to happen for people to listen to her, and her journey highlights the painful reality of being unheard and invalidated.
The setting of St. Bernadette's school itself becomes a character in the novel, much like the creepy house in the movie Monster House. Mind you, I love that movie. Hanna Alkaf breathes life into the school, giving it a personality that stands out among the girls, known as the "screamers." The red herrings sprinkled throughout the story add to the suspense, and I was more than intrigued to uncover the mysteries of the school and its tragic history with previous screamers.
However, the book's ending did feel rather abrupt and anticlimactic. It seems rushed, leaving many loose ends untied, such as the resolution of Rachel's relationship with her mother and the extent of the missing girls' trauma. While open endings can be effective, this one lacks the closure needed to feel satisfying. The absence of clear resolution for the characters' struggles is the only reason this book isn't a solid 5 star read for me.
I NEED ANSWERS TO A LOT OF QUESTIONS !!!
But overall, this book is a compelling read with strong, relatable characters and an intriguing plot. Despite the somewhat unsatisfying conclusion, the vivid writing and engaging storyline really make it a worthwhile read!
One of the novel's standout features is its stark and distinctive characterization. Both Khadijah and Rachel are complex, vividly painted characters with their own unique struggles. It's hard to choose a favorite because each girl is so relatable and well-developed. Rachel's narrative, burdened by her mother's relentless expectations, resonates deeply. Her constant fear of disappointing her strict mother is a theme that I believe many readers—especially Malaysians—will identify with.
Khadijah's story, on the other hand, is heart-wrenching. Traumatized into muteness by the sexual assault from her stepfather, she battles against a world that too often dismisses and victim-blames her. This is all too real for us women, of course. Even though things are done TO us, we are always treated as if we're the ones in the WRONG. Hanna Alkaf created the painstakingly realistic portrayal here through these St. Bernadette's girls.
Although people eventually listened to Khadijah when it was already too late. The assault had to happen for people to listen to her, and her journey highlights the painful reality of being unheard and invalidated.
The setting of St. Bernadette's school itself becomes a character in the novel, much like the creepy house in the movie Monster House. Mind you, I love that movie. Hanna Alkaf breathes life into the school, giving it a personality that stands out among the girls, known as the "screamers." The red herrings sprinkled throughout the story add to the suspense, and I was more than intrigued to uncover the mysteries of the school and its tragic history with previous screamers.
However, the book's ending did feel rather abrupt and anticlimactic. It seems rushed, leaving many loose ends untied, such as the resolution of Rachel's relationship with her mother and the extent of the missing girls' trauma. While open endings can be effective, this one lacks the closure needed to feel satisfying. The absence of clear resolution for the characters' struggles is the only reason this book isn't a solid 5 star read for me.
I NEED ANSWERS TO A LOT OF QUESTIONS !!!
But overall, this book is a compelling read with strong, relatable characters and an intriguing plot. Despite the somewhat unsatisfying conclusion, the vivid writing and engaging storyline really make it a worthwhile read!
January 28, 2025
If this book is a soup, it would be the one made with love but without seasonings. Bland. Flavorless. In Malaysia's style, we call it boleh lah~buat ghaso2 alas perut.
What is this boring and slow-ass book I just wasted my Chinese New Year's holiday and angpao on? I fell asleep multiple times on different days when I wasn't even sleepy as I tried to get through it. I hate reading badly written books, but I hate it even more when I'm (intentionally or accidentally) misled by the blurb and then forced to sludge my way through mediocre plots.
I'm familiar with Hanna's books/stories, and her writing is simple and easy to read—a blessing, really; if that wasn't the case, I would've DNF'd this book so fast. Don't get me wrong, I love her books targeted for middle grades. But I remember hating TWOOS for almost the same reason. This book was marketed as Young Adult but reads to me like Middle Grade. All the mystery and suspense were revealed too early in the book, which made it slow and predictable. And the cringe pop culture references pleaseeee staphhh.
I also got annoyed with the sweep sweep sweep revelation at the end. That's it??? That's the secret? And what's with the ending? Apooo tergantung. The ending felt like something out of Majalah Mastika, example: budak lelaki ditelan tanah kerana buka sampul duit raya depan tuan rumah. Gitu lah vibe dia. 😂
Spoiler:
What happened to Rachel's relationship with her mother? Julianna's corpse? Her mother didn't get any closure? Don't just "Oh well" me at the end while cracking your knuckles and walking away with a smug smile on your face. Finish the damn story! 😂
What is this boring and slow-ass book I just wasted my Chinese New Year's holiday and angpao on? I fell asleep multiple times on different days when I wasn't even sleepy as I tried to get through it. I hate reading badly written books, but I hate it even more when I'm (intentionally or accidentally) misled by the blurb and then forced to sludge my way through mediocre plots.
I'm familiar with Hanna's books/stories, and her writing is simple and easy to read—a blessing, really; if that wasn't the case, I would've DNF'd this book so fast. Don't get me wrong, I love her books targeted for middle grades. But I remember hating TWOOS for almost the same reason. This book was marketed as Young Adult but reads to me like Middle Grade. All the mystery and suspense were revealed too early in the book, which made it slow and predictable. And the cringe pop culture references pleaseeee staphhh.
I also got annoyed with the sweep sweep sweep revelation at the end. That's it??? That's the secret? And what's with the ending? Apooo tergantung. The ending felt like something out of Majalah Mastika, example: budak lelaki ditelan tanah kerana buka sampul duit raya depan tuan rumah. Gitu lah vibe dia. 😂
Spoiler:
What happened to Rachel's relationship with her mother? Julianna's corpse? Her mother didn't get any closure? Don't just "Oh well" me at the end while cracking your knuckles and walking away with a smug smile on your face. Finish the damn story! 😂
Want to read
February 21, 2024I hurried to look up this book and found out that I needed to wait seven months :(
September 28, 2024
DNF @ 42%
October 19, 2024
Good gravy, this book was so slow. Rachel and Khad don't even meet until around the 75% mark of the book and by that point I was so annoyed by the pacing that I. Just. Did. Not. Care. Anymore.
March 15, 2025
At the private school St. Bernadette's in Malaysia, there is a screaming epidemic. Girls start screaming and can't stop. Khadijah hasn't spoken since an incident months ago, and she doesn't want to get involved with the screaming - until her little sister starts screaming. With her best friends she begins to investigate a previous incident of screamers at St. Bernadette's involving a missing girl.
This was a thriller that took me a little bit to get into as the setting of a private school in Malaysia wasn't apparent from the blurb. The screaming phenomenon hooked me, though, as did the situations of both Khadijah and Rachel, both of whom struggled to find their voices - Khad literally, and Rachel in trying to stand up to her domineering mother. I was so sure the screaming had something to do with the school's colonial history (at times the school is referred to as a mission school). I did figure out the big secret long before it was revealed just because that character was so obviously creepy. Still, this was a fast-paced thriller with a solid message.
Content advisory: Mentions of sexual assault / molestation without graphic details.
This was a thriller that took me a little bit to get into as the setting of a private school in Malaysia wasn't apparent from the blurb. The screaming phenomenon hooked me, though, as did the situations of both Khadijah and Rachel, both of whom struggled to find their voices - Khad literally, and Rachel in trying to stand up to her domineering mother. I was so sure the screaming had something to do with the school's colonial history (at times the school is referred to as a mission school). I did figure out the big secret long before it was revealed just because that character was so obviously creepy. Still, this was a fast-paced thriller with a solid message.
Content advisory: Mentions of sexual assault / molestation without graphic details.
August 10, 2024
releasing 9/24!!!I picked up this book because I love YA thriller and I went to an all girls high school so it seemed right up my alley and it was! One of my favorite things in books is when the setting of the book takes on a character role and that's a huge component of The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's. The school has a personality and history and is a vital component to the story.
A huge element in this book is also how teenage girls are usually just labeled as "hysterical" whenever they are going through something difficult, This book touches on the fact that so many times girls are just pushed to the wayside because people don't believe them or their stories, the characters in this book are just expected to ignore and move passed the screaming epidemic that seems to be taking over their school, along with all the internal battles people around them don't know they're fighting.
Overall I'd consider it part YA thriller part young coming of age and finding their voice.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A huge element in this book is also how teenage girls are usually just labeled as "hysterical" whenever they are going through something difficult, This book touches on the fact that so many times girls are just pushed to the wayside because people don't believe them or their stories, the characters in this book are just expected to ignore and move passed the screaming epidemic that seems to be taking over their school, along with all the internal battles people around them don't know they're fighting.
Overall I'd consider it part YA thriller part young coming of age and finding their voice.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 24, 2024
I find stories about hysteria and how it spreads so fascinating. There is an overall underlying message about being a woman/girl and how we are not believed. Our girls come together and take control of their lives and narrative. There is a supernatural element here that I absolutely enjoyed. I was so happy it didn’t back down from that in the end! It’s has a lot of heavy topics and triggers. It is YA and I could see how this could be incredibly powerful for young women to read, and I love it for that!
We follow a few POVs here. I think it would have been a bit better if we only followed one. We get thrown into a lot of intense topics with the characters that I didn’t feel quite had the correct set up. I had a few issues with the writing overall. Still I thoroughly enjoyed this.
We follow a few POVs here. I think it would have been a bit better if we only followed one. We get thrown into a lot of intense topics with the characters that I didn’t feel quite had the correct set up. I had a few issues with the writing overall. Still I thoroughly enjoyed this.
October 26, 2024
3.75* Unsettling, heartbreaking and powerful.
It took a little while for me to get into this one, as I struggled a little with the slower pacing and story structure but as soon as the story started to come together, I was hooked. I think Alkaf did a brilliant job of exploring topics such as trauma and the way society treats young girls and victims of assault.
Whilst this didn't completely blow me away, it was a compelling read written with care and passion and one I'd definitely recommend to older teens.
It took a little while for me to get into this one, as I struggled a little with the slower pacing and story structure but as soon as the story started to come together, I was hooked. I think Alkaf did a brilliant job of exploring topics such as trauma and the way society treats young girls and victims of assault.
Whilst this didn't completely blow me away, it was a compelling read written with care and passion and one I'd definitely recommend to older teens.
December 1, 2024
i really really like this story!
i enjoyed the way, each character -especially khadijah and rachel- had these strong character depths and emotions with them. you could really feel them.
also the way hanna alkaf wrote the story was very mesmerising, i couldn’t put it down bcs of how good it was written :)
i enjoyed the way, each character -especially khadijah and rachel- had these strong character depths and emotions with them. you could really feel them.
also the way hanna alkaf wrote the story was very mesmerising, i couldn’t put it down bcs of how good it was written :)
October 22, 2024
I really enjoyed this but the ending felt a bit rushed :( it didn’t feel super YA other than the main characters ages, and I loved Alkaf’s writing style. Not being Malay, there were some parts that were a lil confusing to me but nothing Google can’t help with
January 1, 2025
(3.25 ⭐)
July 17, 2025
3.5
idk i definitely have some questions abt the ending (moreso what happens after they closed the curtains of the book) but this was a really good read (heh) with a compelling story.
idk i definitely have some questions abt the ending (moreso what happens after they closed the curtains of the book) but this was a really good read (heh) with a compelling story.
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