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The Lives of Desperate Girls
One small, northern community. Two girls gone -- one missing, the other dead. A riveting coming-of-age debut young adult novel for fans of Everything I Never Told You and All the Bright Places.
Sixteen-year-old Helen Commanda is found dead just outside Thunder Creek, Ontario. Her murder goes unremarked, except for the fact that it may shed light on the earlier disappearance of Chloe Shaughnessy. Chloe is beautiful, rich and white. Helen is plain, and from the reservation. They had nothing in common except that they were teenage girls from an unforgiving small town. Only Chloe's best friend Jenny Parker knows exactly how unforgiving, but she's keeping some dangerous secrets of her own.
Jenny begins looking for answers about Helen's life and death, trying to understand larger questions about her town and her best friend. But what can a teenage girl really accomplish where adults have failed? And how much is Jenny actually complicit in a conspiracy of silence?
Sixteen-year-old Helen Commanda is found dead just outside Thunder Creek, Ontario. Her murder goes unremarked, except for the fact that it may shed light on the earlier disappearance of Chloe Shaughnessy. Chloe is beautiful, rich and white. Helen is plain, and from the reservation. They had nothing in common except that they were teenage girls from an unforgiving small town. Only Chloe's best friend Jenny Parker knows exactly how unforgiving, but she's keeping some dangerous secrets of her own.
Jenny begins looking for answers about Helen's life and death, trying to understand larger questions about her town and her best friend. But what can a teenage girl really accomplish where adults have failed? And how much is Jenny actually complicit in a conspiracy of silence?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2017
About the author
MacKenzie Common
5 books31 followersMacKenzie Common is a Canadian author who was born in Newfoundland, spent most of her childhood in North Bay, Ontario and then at 21 moved to the UK where she lived for twelve years. She has a PhD in Law and worked as an expert on human rights issues in social media content moderation. MacKenzie loves swimming, travelling, paddleboarding, good chocolate, bad TV, Mexican food and comedy. As a child, she was frequently called morbid but she seems to have found a market for that. She currently lives in Alberta, Canada with her partner, two children, and one very spoiled pug.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 18, 2017
This is a beautifully written book that unfolds slowly. I've read some negative reviews about this one. I can't say that I don't agree with any of the points they make, but I still felt a bit surprised. It's not an action packed book, but I still enjoyed it so much. It made a lot of excellent points and featured some very poignant quotes, some of which I'll include in my review. Topics touched upon include racism, bullying, shaming, and rape. That's a lot for a book of only slightly over three hundred pages to cover, and I think it did it well.
Jenny is a sixteen year old girl missing her other half. Not a significant other... her best friend. She disappeared one winter night and nothing has been the same for Jenny since. Chloe left no note, no clues for her parents or the police as to her whereabouts. She simply vanished. The police hound Jenny for information, rightfully believing that she's holding out on them. She is. She's not as clueless as everyone else is... but she's also not willing to share.
A body is found locally, and it's a teenage girl... but not Chloe. A girl has been murdered: Helen. Jenny is immediately interested in the case. Her interest increases as a response to noticing that everyone else's dies... none of her fellow students are talking about Helen. The police are concentrated on finding Chloe, who is still missing, and not getting justice for Helen and finding out who brutally murdered her. This confuses Jenny, but she soon realizes the difference between the two girls: Chloe is white. Helen is Native.
Soon Jenny is learning about the history of violence against Natives in Canada. Crimes go officially unsolved, murders go unpunished... it's a disturbing part of history that isn't staying in the past... it's still happening.
Some reviews mention a dislike of Jenny. I didn't like her at first either. What we need to remember is that she's sixteen. She's naive, she makes bad decisions, she does things the reader won't understand.... but she's in the process of becoming the person she's going to be. I ended up appreciating her even with all her flaws. Lots of us make terrible mistakes without the excuse of being a teenager!
Along with calling attention to the real problem of violence against Natives and the apathetic response of both civilians and the police, this book touches on other important topics. Sometimes the author described a thought or feeling so well I had to go back and read it several times because it was like something I have felt or could have said, though her version is much more eloquent than I could manage. Including a couple of those here:
"The inequality in life was clear. Men treated the world like an extension of their living room, a safe place where they could do whatever they pleased. Women spent their entire lives on guard against rape and abduction. We walked home with our house keys cutting indents into our palm because a streetwise cousin told us to. We looked back constantly to make sure that every person and car that passed us at night kept going. And like everything else that bothered me this year, this wasn't likely to change. Life would always be a playground for men and a survival course for women."
"Everyone loves to blame a victim; it lets them believe that bad things don't happen to good people."
I thought this was a very well written debut and I'm looking forward to seeing what else the author comes up with. It was slow and at times frustrating and you may never get all of the answers, but I thought it was done so well.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Penguin Teen, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Jenny is a sixteen year old girl missing her other half. Not a significant other... her best friend. She disappeared one winter night and nothing has been the same for Jenny since. Chloe left no note, no clues for her parents or the police as to her whereabouts. She simply vanished. The police hound Jenny for information, rightfully believing that she's holding out on them. She is. She's not as clueless as everyone else is... but she's also not willing to share.
A body is found locally, and it's a teenage girl... but not Chloe. A girl has been murdered: Helen. Jenny is immediately interested in the case. Her interest increases as a response to noticing that everyone else's dies... none of her fellow students are talking about Helen. The police are concentrated on finding Chloe, who is still missing, and not getting justice for Helen and finding out who brutally murdered her. This confuses Jenny, but she soon realizes the difference between the two girls: Chloe is white. Helen is Native.
Soon Jenny is learning about the history of violence against Natives in Canada. Crimes go officially unsolved, murders go unpunished... it's a disturbing part of history that isn't staying in the past... it's still happening.
Some reviews mention a dislike of Jenny. I didn't like her at first either. What we need to remember is that she's sixteen. She's naive, she makes bad decisions, she does things the reader won't understand.... but she's in the process of becoming the person she's going to be. I ended up appreciating her even with all her flaws. Lots of us make terrible mistakes without the excuse of being a teenager!
Along with calling attention to the real problem of violence against Natives and the apathetic response of both civilians and the police, this book touches on other important topics. Sometimes the author described a thought or feeling so well I had to go back and read it several times because it was like something I have felt or could have said, though her version is much more eloquent than I could manage. Including a couple of those here:
"The inequality in life was clear. Men treated the world like an extension of their living room, a safe place where they could do whatever they pleased. Women spent their entire lives on guard against rape and abduction. We walked home with our house keys cutting indents into our palm because a streetwise cousin told us to. We looked back constantly to make sure that every person and car that passed us at night kept going. And like everything else that bothered me this year, this wasn't likely to change. Life would always be a playground for men and a survival course for women."
"Everyone loves to blame a victim; it lets them believe that bad things don't happen to good people."
I thought this was a very well written debut and I'm looking forward to seeing what else the author comes up with. It was slow and at times frustrating and you may never get all of the answers, but I thought it was done so well.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Penguin Teen, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
April 20, 2017
DNF @ 23%
-I can't stand the writing??? I hate the first person pov and the writing is so bland. the The author wrote about so many unnessecary details that I just don't care about. It's so childish and annoying and I literally cannot stand it.
-The (possible???) romance is terrible. Jenny and Tom just meet. Jenny immediately climbs into his car and goes off to somewhere knowing that her best friend Chloe disappeared and a girls dead body was found somewhere near her house. Tom and Jenny start kissing a lot and what the fuck is even happening with them??
-Jenny sounds really annoying and I just don't like her???
Idk i might come back to this like 69 years later
I recieved an arc in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
-I can't stand the writing??? I hate the first person pov and the writing is so bland. the The author wrote about so many unnessecary details that I just don't care about. It's so childish and annoying and I literally cannot stand it.
-The (possible???) romance is terrible. Jenny and Tom just meet. Jenny immediately climbs into his car and goes off to somewhere knowing that her best friend Chloe disappeared and a girls dead body was found somewhere near her house. Tom and Jenny start kissing a lot and what the fuck is even happening with them??
-Jenny sounds really annoying and I just don't like her???
Idk i might come back to this like 69 years later
I recieved an arc in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
June 11, 2017
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, MacKenzie Common, and the publisher, Penguin Teen, for this opportunity.
The vague synopsis of this suggested a rather tried but interesting enough plot: two girls gone - one missing, the other dead. In actuality this was so much more than the straight-up thriller it was packaged as.
The central plot circled around the disappearance of these two teenage girls but this was merely used as a catalyst to spark a bigger debate about larger social problems and the current political climate. Everyday racism was called out and the author did not hold back when confronting triggering and dark subject matters.
One of the missing girls is Chloe - beautiful, rich, and most importantly (as far as the media and the police are concerned) white. The other is Helen - a 'native' of the reservation. When Helen's body is discovered the police seem to be unable or unwilling to further investigate her murder. Chloe's disappearance, however, is still a source of constant contention in this isolated Canadian community, with constant vigils, searches and discussions about the missing teen still being held.
Chloe's best friend, Jenny, seems to be the only one to notice the difference in treatment the two girls have received and, despite her close bond with the one missing girl, she spends her day's since her best friend's disappearance investigating the other forgotten female.
This is a very slow-moving plot, but this is what I loved about the novel. The central storyline, put forward in the synopsis, does not expand or progress for much of the novel and, instead, important political topics are discussed. The author, it seems, cleverly used this fictional scenario to highlight some very important discrimination very dominant in today's society.
Eye-opening is the words I would use to describe this. There wasn't so much an obvious disregard for those with colour; it was as though the white-skinned members of society were not even aware of the casual racism they inflicted everyday. The members of the reserve, in retaliation, often harboured a hatred or mistrust of their white neighbours because of this.
It was interesting to be given an insight into the opposing sides of this small community and to see the impact the treatment they have lived their lives with has affected how they, in turn, confront the heart-breaking scenario of the the two missing girls.
The other subject matter this book challenges is sexism and slut-shaming. Chloe, before her disappearance, was involved in a multitude of scenarios that ruined her reputation with her peers and caused them to view her as less than human as a judgement for her supposed misdeeds. The truth mattered little when there was drama to be caused and gossip to be shared. This is a moralistic story on how comments and a falsely perceived image of someone can damage one's own self-worth.
Two highly triggering subject matters were tackled here and both, in my opinion, treated with the sensitivity yet hard-hitting realism they deserved. The plot of this story can be a source of contention with readers expecting an easy read or a fast-paced thriller, but this book deserves to be read by all because of the important issues it highlights. Relevant and impactful - this book delivers on both fronts.
The vague synopsis of this suggested a rather tried but interesting enough plot: two girls gone - one missing, the other dead. In actuality this was so much more than the straight-up thriller it was packaged as.
The central plot circled around the disappearance of these two teenage girls but this was merely used as a catalyst to spark a bigger debate about larger social problems and the current political climate. Everyday racism was called out and the author did not hold back when confronting triggering and dark subject matters.
One of the missing girls is Chloe - beautiful, rich, and most importantly (as far as the media and the police are concerned) white. The other is Helen - a 'native' of the reservation. When Helen's body is discovered the police seem to be unable or unwilling to further investigate her murder. Chloe's disappearance, however, is still a source of constant contention in this isolated Canadian community, with constant vigils, searches and discussions about the missing teen still being held.
Chloe's best friend, Jenny, seems to be the only one to notice the difference in treatment the two girls have received and, despite her close bond with the one missing girl, she spends her day's since her best friend's disappearance investigating the other forgotten female.
This is a very slow-moving plot, but this is what I loved about the novel. The central storyline, put forward in the synopsis, does not expand or progress for much of the novel and, instead, important political topics are discussed. The author, it seems, cleverly used this fictional scenario to highlight some very important discrimination very dominant in today's society.
Eye-opening is the words I would use to describe this. There wasn't so much an obvious disregard for those with colour; it was as though the white-skinned members of society were not even aware of the casual racism they inflicted everyday. The members of the reserve, in retaliation, often harboured a hatred or mistrust of their white neighbours because of this.
It was interesting to be given an insight into the opposing sides of this small community and to see the impact the treatment they have lived their lives with has affected how they, in turn, confront the heart-breaking scenario of the the two missing girls.
The other subject matter this book challenges is sexism and slut-shaming. Chloe, before her disappearance, was involved in a multitude of scenarios that ruined her reputation with her peers and caused them to view her as less than human as a judgement for her supposed misdeeds. The truth mattered little when there was drama to be caused and gossip to be shared. This is a moralistic story on how comments and a falsely perceived image of someone can damage one's own self-worth.
Two highly triggering subject matters were tackled here and both, in my opinion, treated with the sensitivity yet hard-hitting realism they deserved. The plot of this story can be a source of contention with readers expecting an easy read or a fast-paced thriller, but this book deserves to be read by all because of the important issues it highlights. Relevant and impactful - this book delivers on both fronts.
August 8, 2017
Thanks to NETGALLEY for an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.
Thunder Creek, Northern Ontario Canada. Jenny's best friend Caitlin is missing and a young girl from a local reservation named Helen is dead. However, the police in the community appear to be only interested in solving Caitlin 's disappearance. This book tackles the racism that runs rampant in the Canadian justice system. For this the book received a 3 star for bringing to reader's attention the plight of missing and murdered women from across Canada.
But Jenny as a character is an idiot and a terrible choice to start this discussion. Yes, we have the white girl from the small town that becomes more self aware, but there's just too much YA drama involving her and the "bad boy" from Vancouver. Jenny, herself, is a desperate girl. Desperate to lose her virginity and emerge from the shadow of her missing friend. I just couldn't care enough about this character and read until the end only curious to see how the story would unfold. I am a bit disappointed in the resolution and expected far more than what I was given.
Thunder Creek, Northern Ontario Canada. Jenny's best friend Caitlin is missing and a young girl from a local reservation named Helen is dead. However, the police in the community appear to be only interested in solving Caitlin 's disappearance. This book tackles the racism that runs rampant in the Canadian justice system. For this the book received a 3 star for bringing to reader's attention the plight of missing and murdered women from across Canada.
But Jenny as a character is an idiot and a terrible choice to start this discussion. Yes, we have the white girl from the small town that becomes more self aware, but there's just too much YA drama involving her and the "bad boy" from Vancouver. Jenny, herself, is a desperate girl. Desperate to lose her virginity and emerge from the shadow of her missing friend. I just couldn't care enough about this character and read until the end only curious to see how the story would unfold. I am a bit disappointed in the resolution and expected far more than what I was given.
June 29, 2017
I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review
2/5 Stars
You can find this one and more of my review on my blog A Book. A Thought.
Well, the thing is, I was reading Ice Like Fire, the second book of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy and I wasn't feeling it, I was really in the mood for a mystery and murder reading and luckily I had this arc on my Kindle for some time already, so I thought it would be a good idea to read it. It wasn't what I expected, at all, but still I want to talk about them in detail, first I want to emphasize the writing style, which is pretty easy to read
I will leave here below the Goodreads synopsis for the book so that you know what it's about
I started enjoying it a lot, especially the mystery vibe that is handled in the book is very good and enthralling, but then Jenny, our main character, begins to have all these completely ridiculous and meaningless attitudes. First her way of dealing with loss is the rarest, I've read that some people believe that is her way of dealing with it, but I don't agree, her behavior as if nothing matters I thought it was absurd.
I understand that she really wanted to find her friend and solve what was going on, but suddenly she started to flee almost from the police as if they were the enemy, then she passes like 60% of the book with her super hot guy, doing basically nothing relevant and the other percentage passes by looking for her friend putting herself in danger without any sense and hiding very important details from the police, because she actually thinks she's protecting her friend, I mean, WHAT ?, they want to find her!.In moments of desperation I understand that you can forget to comment a really important things, but she was hiding that from the police because she wanted to do it, which only made research even more difficult.
This was crazy for me one of the most absurd characters I've read, and I really hate talking this way about a creation that someone did with effort and love, but it hasn't worked for me. Jenny is the typical beautiful and rich girl who thinks she knows everything about life because she get drugged a couple of times and then she think she's smart enough to solve a crime on her own, but she just makes a mess, and that's all she's been for me
On the other hand, I could see how the author wanted to touch important issues like abuse, bullying, indifference, racism, and depression, I appreciate that and I want to highlight it, even so it isn't a book that going to stay with me
Anyway, I would try another book of the author, because I think her writing style is nice and maybe with the development of other types of characters more deep and complex could hook me more and I would end up liking me more her book
Summing up, is a great idea for a mystery plot but the characters are flat and their actions don't make sense most of the time
2/5 Stars
You can find this one and more of my review on my blog A Book. A Thought.
Well, the thing is, I was reading Ice Like Fire, the second book of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy and I wasn't feeling it, I was really in the mood for a mystery and murder reading and luckily I had this arc on my Kindle for some time already, so I thought it would be a good idea to read it. It wasn't what I expected, at all, but still I want to talk about them in detail, first I want to emphasize the writing style, which is pretty easy to read
I will leave here below the Goodreads synopsis for the book so that you know what it's about
“One small, northern community. Two girls gone -- one missing, the other dead. A riveting coming-of-age debut young adult novel for fans of Everything I Never Told You and All the Bright Places.
Sixteen-year-old Helen Commanda is found dead just outside Thunder Creek, Ontario. Her murder goes unremarked, except for the fact that it may shed light on the earlier disappearance of Chloe Shaughnessy. Chloe is beautiful, rich and white. Helen is plain, and from the reservation. They had nothing in common except that they were teenage girls from an unforgiving small town. Only Chloe's best friend Jenny Parker knows exactly how unforgiving, but she's keeping some dangerous secrets of her own.
Jenny begins looking for answers about Helen's life and death, trying to understand larger questions about her town and her best friend. But what can a teenage girl really accomplish where adults have failed? And how much is Jenny actually complicit in a conspiracy of silence?”
I started enjoying it a lot, especially the mystery vibe that is handled in the book is very good and enthralling, but then Jenny, our main character, begins to have all these completely ridiculous and meaningless attitudes. First her way of dealing with loss is the rarest, I've read that some people believe that is her way of dealing with it, but I don't agree, her behavior as if nothing matters I thought it was absurd.
I understand that she really wanted to find her friend and solve what was going on, but suddenly she started to flee almost from the police as if they were the enemy, then she passes like 60% of the book with her super hot guy, doing basically nothing relevant and the other percentage passes by looking for her friend putting herself in danger without any sense and hiding very important details from the police, because she actually thinks she's protecting her friend, I mean, WHAT ?, they want to find her!.In moments of desperation I understand that you can forget to comment a really important things, but she was hiding that from the police because she wanted to do it, which only made research even more difficult.
This was crazy for me one of the most absurd characters I've read, and I really hate talking this way about a creation that someone did with effort and love, but it hasn't worked for me. Jenny is the typical beautiful and rich girl who thinks she knows everything about life because she get drugged a couple of times and then she think she's smart enough to solve a crime on her own, but she just makes a mess, and that's all she's been for me
On the other hand, I could see how the author wanted to touch important issues like abuse, bullying, indifference, racism, and depression, I appreciate that and I want to highlight it, even so it isn't a book that going to stay with me
Anyway, I would try another book of the author, because I think her writing style is nice and maybe with the development of other types of characters more deep and complex could hook me more and I would end up liking me more her book
Summing up, is a great idea for a mystery plot but the characters are flat and their actions don't make sense most of the time
August 4, 2017
I was really excited to read this book, but I have to admit I was disappointed. The author's writing isn't my favorite and although the story line had a lot of potential, the main character Jenny is so very annoying. Not only is she just kind of annoying, but she starts doing slightly ridiculous things throughout the book and her attitude is just terrible. She is supposed to be looking for her missing friend Chloe, but she avoids the police and then spend a bunch of time with a guy. The plot also seems to kind of stall while Jenny is spending time making out with this hot guy and nothing seems to really happen, which made me start to lose interest in the actual plot.
This book does deal with some important issues like racism, bulling and depression and it actually might have turned out to be an interesting story if the main character wasn't so annoying. The book certainly has aspects of a mystery to it, although there is nothing thrilling or suspenseful about it. The story focuses more on some common issues among teenagers, along with the more serious topics mentioned above, then it does on the mystery aspect, in my opinion. Overall, this story could have been really good but it just kind of fell flat for me and I didn't really find myself invested in the story or the characters. Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.
This book does deal with some important issues like racism, bulling and depression and it actually might have turned out to be an interesting story if the main character wasn't so annoying. The book certainly has aspects of a mystery to it, although there is nothing thrilling or suspenseful about it. The story focuses more on some common issues among teenagers, along with the more serious topics mentioned above, then it does on the mystery aspect, in my opinion. Overall, this story could have been really good but it just kind of fell flat for me and I didn't really find myself invested in the story or the characters. Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.
October 19, 2017
ARC provided by Netgalley.
Wish I haven't requested it.
2.5 stars and DNF at 50%
I tried, you guys, I really tried!
Been trying for over 6 months, to be exact.
But what started as an slow but beautiful and exciting read turned into something so boring I wasn't able to read more than 10 pages at once.
I did appreciate this book's topic and I am thankful for it teaching me about Native Americans' lives in Canada, but the story dragging on for so long without anything happening made me not care the slicest about unresolved murder or a girl disappearing.
Characters were okay. Writing too.
Unfortunately, they drowned in the unnecessary stalling the story.
Anyone willing to spoil the ending for me?
Wish I haven't requested it.
2.5 stars and DNF at 50%
I tried, you guys, I really tried!
Been trying for over 6 months, to be exact.
But what started as an slow but beautiful and exciting read turned into something so boring I wasn't able to read more than 10 pages at once.
I did appreciate this book's topic and I am thankful for it teaching me about Native Americans' lives in Canada, but the story dragging on for so long without anything happening made me not care the slicest about unresolved murder or a girl disappearing.
Characters were okay. Writing too.
Unfortunately, they drowned in the unnecessary stalling the story.
Anyone willing to spoil the ending for me?
May 18, 2017
This was such a hard book to get into and I'm afraid I couldn't conjure up the motivation to finish it.
It's not because of the writing because that's fine and even in some parts it was really good. The plot was also intriguing but it could have been executed so much better had it not been for the immensely unlikable MC, our narrator. She was just so annoyingly shallow, passive and dull. The idea that she could somehow solve a murder was absurd because she didn't seem particularly smart or wise and I just couldn't understand why she didn't report what happened to her friend to the police. In fact she was a really shitty friend and I couldn't move past the shitty things she said about her supposed BFF. Also the romance that immediately started was completely unnecessary and just plain weird. I did however like that it tried to highlight some very important issues regarding rape, gender inequality, race and social class amongst others but it just didn't do them any justice with the voice that delivered the story.
It's not because of the writing because that's fine and even in some parts it was really good. The plot was also intriguing but it could have been executed so much better had it not been for the immensely unlikable MC, our narrator. She was just so annoyingly shallow, passive and dull. The idea that she could somehow solve a murder was absurd because she didn't seem particularly smart or wise and I just couldn't understand why she didn't report what happened to her friend to the police. In fact she was a really shitty friend and I couldn't move past the shitty things she said about her supposed BFF. Also the romance that immediately started was completely unnecessary and just plain weird. I did however like that it tried to highlight some very important issues regarding rape, gender inequality, race and social class amongst others but it just didn't do them any justice with the voice that delivered the story.
April 24, 2017
This is so much more than a YA mystery novel. It's a poignantly told, emotional, and heart-felt journey that covers many social injustices that teenage girls can face: bullying, indifference, racism, the aftermath of rape, and depression. A beautifully written and thought-provoking read.
April 19, 2017
**Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE LIVES OF DESPERATE GIRLS in exchange for my honest review**
The Canadian police are frantically searching for Jenny's white friend Chloe while all but ignoring missing, then found dead classmate and Native Helen. Jenny teens up with resident bad boy Tom to try to solve Helen's murder and hopefully in the process fund Chloe.
THE LIVES OF DESPERATE GIRLS is an example of a rich, multilayered plot gone wrong. First the positive. MacKenzie Common does a great job bringing Rape Culture, slut shaming, racial disparity in law enforcement, racism and sexism into the story. Jenny was a unique character.
Now the negative. When I read a mystery, I expect a quick pace the writing to be filled with tension. Common's tendency to tell rather than show, over-explain and her repeated use of passive verbs made the story drag while often dull. Jenny's narration called rape "sex" and slut shamed Chloe until nearly the end of the book when Jenny realizes and tells that the sex was actually rape. A better option would have been at least having Jenny question consent, if not have her the one who knew but couldn't stand up to the Rape Culture. Not having one character, even a minor one, recognize consent vs rape in 2017 is unconscionable.
I also never bought into why Jenny wasn't forthright with the police, but was willing to conduct her own investigation. The ending fizzled without a payoff.
Unfortunately, I don't recommend Common's well-intentioned story.
The Canadian police are frantically searching for Jenny's white friend Chloe while all but ignoring missing, then found dead classmate and Native Helen. Jenny teens up with resident bad boy Tom to try to solve Helen's murder and hopefully in the process fund Chloe.
THE LIVES OF DESPERATE GIRLS is an example of a rich, multilayered plot gone wrong. First the positive. MacKenzie Common does a great job bringing Rape Culture, slut shaming, racial disparity in law enforcement, racism and sexism into the story. Jenny was a unique character.
Now the negative. When I read a mystery, I expect a quick pace the writing to be filled with tension. Common's tendency to tell rather than show, over-explain and her repeated use of passive verbs made the story drag while often dull. Jenny's narration called rape "sex" and slut shamed Chloe until nearly the end of the book when Jenny realizes and tells that the sex was actually rape. A better option would have been at least having Jenny question consent, if not have her the one who knew but couldn't stand up to the Rape Culture. Not having one character, even a minor one, recognize consent vs rape in 2017 is unconscionable.
I also never bought into why Jenny wasn't forthright with the police, but was willing to conduct her own investigation. The ending fizzled without a payoff.
Unfortunately, I don't recommend Common's well-intentioned story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2017
*3.5 stars*
Jenny Parker doesn’t really fit in anywhere in her tiny town in northern Ontario. About as unremarkable as someone can be, Jenny isn’t particularly pretty, smart, or talented in any way. And her one defining feature that everyone knows is that she’s Chloe Shaughnessy’s best friend. Chloe is pretty, vibrant, and outgoing. With her family well off, Chloe knows she is destined for greater things than what is given in Thunder Creek. But after a terrible incident at a party, Chloe’s life starts to spiral out of control and shifts to the worst year she’s ever experienced. When Chloe disappears, Jenny is suddenly the talk of the town after being the last one to see her. But more is going on in the so-called sleepy town of Thunder Creek when a few weeks later a dead Native girl is found in the woods—and the police don’t seem to care. In this coming-of-age story, Jenny is stretched and challenged as she starts to investigate Helen’s murder and discovers how little she knew about her town. And all the while she is pressured by the police about her silence on Chloe’s whereabouts the night she disappeared. It seems Thunder Creek is a dangerous place for a teenage girl.
This book is focused largely on real issues. Although the plot lends an interesting backdrop, I really feel that Jenny’s experiences and growth is the real feature of this book rather than plot progression (though there is that as well!) Being an American, I honestly had no idea what life is like in the parts of Canada this book is set in and I loved becoming more educated while being able to read a fiction book.
Jenny was a really interesting character for me. Though she wasn’t particularly likeable in any way, I really felt like I got to know her through the writing style and through her actions in the book. Although some readers may find her behavior odd and un-relatable, I like that Jenny portrays that grief doesn’t have to look a certain way. She shows the other side of human reaction in that she decides to take action and stay busy with investigating the other girl’s murder rather than sitting around and worrying about the disappearance of her best friend. Jenny’s denial and many coping mechanisms, including her spontaneous relationship with her brooding classmate Tom, were a large part of the book and I found it to be extremely intriguing. Jenny is a very complex character yet she was kept simplistic in her portrayal throughout the book so she never became overwhelming.
The plot was rather slow but like I mentioned before, I don’t think the plot is really the focus of this book. I certainly enjoyed following Jenny on her journey to investigate Helen’s murder and the people that she met along the way. I personally had no idea that there was a race issue in Canada like there is in America and I like that Helen’s family brings more attention to Canada’s First Nations peoples and their struggles. Although I wish that the book had had more of a solid conclusion, I do understand why the author chose to end the book the way she did. The portrayal of how life really is runs rampant in this book to the end and, just like life, it was just a bit frustrating.
In the wake of 13 Reasons Why, this book continues with hitting the hard issues with teenagers. With themes of bullying, depression, rejection, and racism, this book isn’t shy by any means. If you can handle these themes, along with rape (not depicted), suicide mentions, and murder, you’ll want to pick this book up. Take a look at what it’s like to live in the North, and what it means to be human.
*I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Jenny Parker doesn’t really fit in anywhere in her tiny town in northern Ontario. About as unremarkable as someone can be, Jenny isn’t particularly pretty, smart, or talented in any way. And her one defining feature that everyone knows is that she’s Chloe Shaughnessy’s best friend. Chloe is pretty, vibrant, and outgoing. With her family well off, Chloe knows she is destined for greater things than what is given in Thunder Creek. But after a terrible incident at a party, Chloe’s life starts to spiral out of control and shifts to the worst year she’s ever experienced. When Chloe disappears, Jenny is suddenly the talk of the town after being the last one to see her. But more is going on in the so-called sleepy town of Thunder Creek when a few weeks later a dead Native girl is found in the woods—and the police don’t seem to care. In this coming-of-age story, Jenny is stretched and challenged as she starts to investigate Helen’s murder and discovers how little she knew about her town. And all the while she is pressured by the police about her silence on Chloe’s whereabouts the night she disappeared. It seems Thunder Creek is a dangerous place for a teenage girl.
This book is focused largely on real issues. Although the plot lends an interesting backdrop, I really feel that Jenny’s experiences and growth is the real feature of this book rather than plot progression (though there is that as well!) Being an American, I honestly had no idea what life is like in the parts of Canada this book is set in and I loved becoming more educated while being able to read a fiction book.
Jenny was a really interesting character for me. Though she wasn’t particularly likeable in any way, I really felt like I got to know her through the writing style and through her actions in the book. Although some readers may find her behavior odd and un-relatable, I like that Jenny portrays that grief doesn’t have to look a certain way. She shows the other side of human reaction in that she decides to take action and stay busy with investigating the other girl’s murder rather than sitting around and worrying about the disappearance of her best friend. Jenny’s denial and many coping mechanisms, including her spontaneous relationship with her brooding classmate Tom, were a large part of the book and I found it to be extremely intriguing. Jenny is a very complex character yet she was kept simplistic in her portrayal throughout the book so she never became overwhelming.
The plot was rather slow but like I mentioned before, I don’t think the plot is really the focus of this book. I certainly enjoyed following Jenny on her journey to investigate Helen’s murder and the people that she met along the way. I personally had no idea that there was a race issue in Canada like there is in America and I like that Helen’s family brings more attention to Canada’s First Nations peoples and their struggles. Although I wish that the book had had more of a solid conclusion, I do understand why the author chose to end the book the way she did. The portrayal of how life really is runs rampant in this book to the end and, just like life, it was just a bit frustrating.
In the wake of 13 Reasons Why, this book continues with hitting the hard issues with teenagers. With themes of bullying, depression, rejection, and racism, this book isn’t shy by any means. If you can handle these themes, along with rape (not depicted), suicide mentions, and murder, you’ll want to pick this book up. Take a look at what it’s like to live in the North, and what it means to be human.
*I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
May 14, 2017
The Lives of Desperate Girls by MacKenzie Common is a great YA read! Part-thriller and part-social commentary, the story revolves around Jenny, a high school student who is heartbroken over the disappearance of her friend, Chloe. Jenny has her own beliefs about Chloe's disappearance that she can't bring herself to share with the police, so she instead throws herself into a sometimes dangerous investigation of the murder of Helen, a different classmate whom Jenny didn't know very well.
The story told by Common is a compelling one that kept me lying awake in bed, reading the phone on the small screen of my phone, even after my eyes and brain were too tired to want to keep going. Jenny finds herself in the awkward position of wanting her friend found, but not wanting to share the bullying that Chloe was experiencing and the resulting out-of-character choices Chloe was making with her life. Because of her continued loyalty to her absent friend, Jenny finds herself pulling away from her classmates and finding a new friend in another outcast, Tom.
At times, The Lives of Desperate Girls lacked cohesiveness and read like two separate stories - one about the death of Helen and the disappearance of Chloe, and the other about the discrimination faced by First Nations people in Canada, but it didn't take much away from the story. Jenny's reaction to her best friend's disappearance felt natural and I found myself connecting to the character and her infatuation with a new friend who reminds her of Chloe. Rather than facing the truth of the secrets she was keeping to protect Chloe, Jenny becomes determined to find out who killed Helen and make sure the police know that she believes they aren't spending enough time on solving Helen's murder because Helen is Native and not a beautiful white girl like Chloe.
When Jenny finally comes clean to Chloe's parents about her knowledge of Chloe's disappearance the relief can be felt in the writing. By giving herself permission to let go of Chloe, Jenny is able to put her own life in perspective and stops pushing away the people whom she has grown to care about during her investigation of Helen's murder.
At one point, Jenny goes along with Tom's plan to get revenge of three of the people who were catalysts for what Jenny saw as Chloe's deterioration, but afterwards she laments her decision and finds herself repentant, not because she believes them to be innocent, but because she discovers that expressing her anger does nothing to make her feel better in the end.
Overall, despite some disjointed moments, this book is a great read. Common is able to share some history about the First Nations people, bring attention to the way minority victims are treated by agents of institutions of system racism, AND provide a thriller for young adults that doesn't shy away from sex, drugs, and violence.
The story told by Common is a compelling one that kept me lying awake in bed, reading the phone on the small screen of my phone, even after my eyes and brain were too tired to want to keep going. Jenny finds herself in the awkward position of wanting her friend found, but not wanting to share the bullying that Chloe was experiencing and the resulting out-of-character choices Chloe was making with her life. Because of her continued loyalty to her absent friend, Jenny finds herself pulling away from her classmates and finding a new friend in another outcast, Tom.
At times, The Lives of Desperate Girls lacked cohesiveness and read like two separate stories - one about the death of Helen and the disappearance of Chloe, and the other about the discrimination faced by First Nations people in Canada, but it didn't take much away from the story. Jenny's reaction to her best friend's disappearance felt natural and I found myself connecting to the character and her infatuation with a new friend who reminds her of Chloe. Rather than facing the truth of the secrets she was keeping to protect Chloe, Jenny becomes determined to find out who killed Helen and make sure the police know that she believes they aren't spending enough time on solving Helen's murder because Helen is Native and not a beautiful white girl like Chloe.
When Jenny finally comes clean to Chloe's parents about her knowledge of Chloe's disappearance the relief can be felt in the writing. By giving herself permission to let go of Chloe, Jenny is able to put her own life in perspective and stops pushing away the people whom she has grown to care about during her investigation of Helen's murder.
At one point, Jenny goes along with Tom's plan to get revenge of three of the people who were catalysts for what Jenny saw as Chloe's deterioration, but afterwards she laments her decision and finds herself repentant, not because she believes them to be innocent, but because she discovers that expressing her anger does nothing to make her feel better in the end.
Overall, despite some disjointed moments, this book is a great read. Common is able to share some history about the First Nations people, bring attention to the way minority victims are treated by agents of institutions of system racism, AND provide a thriller for young adults that doesn't shy away from sex, drugs, and violence.
September 6, 2017
When I read the blurb of this book on NetGalley I was intrigued and requested it. When I was approved, I checked it out on Goodreads, and I was a bit concerned by the some of the reviews and rating, but when I started reading it, I was a little confused about why it has a below-average rating. I found this book was well-written and a thoughtful mystery the entwines two stories of girls in small town and what happens when they disappear.
The best way I can describe this book is a child of John Green’s Paper Towns and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. However, this story reads a little older than both of those. The plots of these three stories aren’t exactly similar, but I guess you would have to have read all three of these books to understand what I mean.
There are more adult themes in Desperate Girls than the other two books. Chloe holds many of the same characteristics of Margo and Hannah. Jenny holds many of same characteristics of Q and Clay. If you’ve read both of those books, you know how different they are, but I think that this book is that perfect combination of themes in them.
There is also an early episode of Law and Order Speical Victims Unit where an African Amerian Girl and a rich white girl disappear at the same time. It feels like Ice-T’s character is the only one that is trying to figure out what happened to the African American Girl; while there are so many resources trying to find the missing white girl. This book reminded me a lot of that episode.
I read this book in two sittings, I feel like it could have been a one sitting book if I started it on a weekend. I found Jenny a thoughtful and compassionate narrator. She clearly is worried about Chloe and in trying to figure out what happened to Helen she is trying to heal herself. I think that the book talks about racism and prejudice in a real way.
Jenny has a little bit of a romance with a character named Tom, that seems to come out of nowhere, but the more the story goes on, the more Jenny leaning on Tom makes sense. I think that understanding how Jenny feels dealing with Chloe being missing, makes Tom’s character and his relation to the story make sense.
I connected with Jenny. She is trying to figure out what’s happening in her town. She is grieving but doesn’t know if what she’s grieving. She just wants what happened to make sense, and honestly, things like what happened in this book, rarely make sense. Real life isn’t anything like what happens on TV, and I think this book shows that.
I really enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of murder mystery stories and stories that tend to be a little bit darker. Most of the movies and TV shows I watch are close to that, while the books I read tend not to be as depressing. I recommend this book to people who enjoy a good mystery.
The best way I can describe this book is a child of John Green’s Paper Towns and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. However, this story reads a little older than both of those. The plots of these three stories aren’t exactly similar, but I guess you would have to have read all three of these books to understand what I mean.
There are more adult themes in Desperate Girls than the other two books. Chloe holds many of the same characteristics of Margo and Hannah. Jenny holds many of same characteristics of Q and Clay. If you’ve read both of those books, you know how different they are, but I think that this book is that perfect combination of themes in them.
There is also an early episode of Law and Order Speical Victims Unit where an African Amerian Girl and a rich white girl disappear at the same time. It feels like Ice-T’s character is the only one that is trying to figure out what happened to the African American Girl; while there are so many resources trying to find the missing white girl. This book reminded me a lot of that episode.
I read this book in two sittings, I feel like it could have been a one sitting book if I started it on a weekend. I found Jenny a thoughtful and compassionate narrator. She clearly is worried about Chloe and in trying to figure out what happened to Helen she is trying to heal herself. I think that the book talks about racism and prejudice in a real way.
Jenny has a little bit of a romance with a character named Tom, that seems to come out of nowhere, but the more the story goes on, the more Jenny leaning on Tom makes sense. I think that understanding how Jenny feels dealing with Chloe being missing, makes Tom’s character and his relation to the story make sense.
I connected with Jenny. She is trying to figure out what’s happening in her town. She is grieving but doesn’t know if what she’s grieving. She just wants what happened to make sense, and honestly, things like what happened in this book, rarely make sense. Real life isn’t anything like what happens on TV, and I think this book shows that.
I really enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of murder mystery stories and stories that tend to be a little bit darker. Most of the movies and TV shows I watch are close to that, while the books I read tend not to be as depressing. I recommend this book to people who enjoy a good mystery.
May 25, 2017
*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Helen is dead. Murdered.
Chloe is gone. Missing.
Boom. There is the entirety of what was good about this book.
This book was so hard. Why did I keep reading?
Because I really needed to know already what happened to the girls. Basically the plot drew me; the mystery surrounding these dead and missing girls. But, sadly, there was nothing left over to keep me interested. The writing was melancholy, depressing and really stuffed with long winded page- fillers. I truly feel this book could've been half as long and there would have been no harmful changes.
There were really long periods where NOTHING happened other than Jenny making out with this guy she just met (after a girl goes missing and another is found dead) and getting high.
Jenny holds no sympathy in my heart either, she basically lies to the police the entire book and goes off playing Nancy Drew with no actual skill set.
The ending the revealing truth about what happened, was majorly disappointing. All in all, this was a very disappointing book.
2/5 stars
Helen is dead. Murdered.
Chloe is gone. Missing.
Boom. There is the entirety of what was good about this book.
This book was so hard. Why did I keep reading?
Because I really needed to know already what happened to the girls. Basically the plot drew me; the mystery surrounding these dead and missing girls. But, sadly, there was nothing left over to keep me interested. The writing was melancholy, depressing and really stuffed with long winded page- fillers. I truly feel this book could've been half as long and there would have been no harmful changes.
There were really long periods where NOTHING happened other than Jenny making out with this guy she just met (after a girl goes missing and another is found dead) and getting high.
Jenny holds no sympathy in my heart either, she basically lies to the police the entire book and goes off playing Nancy Drew with no actual skill set.
The ending the revealing truth about what happened, was majorly disappointing. All in all, this was a very disappointing book.
2/5 stars
September 19, 2017
ORIGINAL POST: http://www.nerdprobs.com/books/book-r...
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
MacKenzie Common's novel The Lives of Desperate Girls follows the story of Jenny, living in a small town in Canada where everything is normal and nothing bad happens. Until it does. Jenny's best friend Chloe goes missing and then another girl from the local reservation, Helen, turns up dead on a trail. Trying to cope, Jenny goes on her own little investigative journey with a new friend to try and figure out what happened to Helen, a girl she never knew.
Common's characters are all small town characters. She has them down to the ones that want to escape and go find something bigger and better down to the ones who are convinced small town life is where they will end up. Being from a small town, I understood these characters, their feelings, and the forever feeling of boredom that is instilled at a young age. Mostly I loved the truth about how people from completely different walks of life can be friends, especially when in a small town.
The characters were great, and I enjoyed the storyline, but I felt at times that the story dragged on. Many chapters felt like duplicates of previous chapters as we followed Jenny through her activities. I understand wanting to create a timeline, a feeling of a characters life, but this felt a bit much. I would have enjoyed the book a little more had some of these chapters, or pages, been left out. The book could have easily been 25-30 pages less.
Other than the dull moments and repetitive moments, this story was great. It had a twist at the end I was not expecting, which was nice. I love when an author can take me off guard. I felt satisfied with the ending even though it wasn't technically a happily ever after. This was just a satisfying book to wrap up and see where all the characters ended up. Common wrote an intriguing, suspenseful, and sad story of bullying, desperation, and heartache, with a story of friendship and loyalty twisted in. All in all a great story.
STAR RATING: 4/5
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
MacKenzie Common's novel The Lives of Desperate Girls follows the story of Jenny, living in a small town in Canada where everything is normal and nothing bad happens. Until it does. Jenny's best friend Chloe goes missing and then another girl from the local reservation, Helen, turns up dead on a trail. Trying to cope, Jenny goes on her own little investigative journey with a new friend to try and figure out what happened to Helen, a girl she never knew.
Common's characters are all small town characters. She has them down to the ones that want to escape and go find something bigger and better down to the ones who are convinced small town life is where they will end up. Being from a small town, I understood these characters, their feelings, and the forever feeling of boredom that is instilled at a young age. Mostly I loved the truth about how people from completely different walks of life can be friends, especially when in a small town.
The characters were great, and I enjoyed the storyline, but I felt at times that the story dragged on. Many chapters felt like duplicates of previous chapters as we followed Jenny through her activities. I understand wanting to create a timeline, a feeling of a characters life, but this felt a bit much. I would have enjoyed the book a little more had some of these chapters, or pages, been left out. The book could have easily been 25-30 pages less.
Other than the dull moments and repetitive moments, this story was great. It had a twist at the end I was not expecting, which was nice. I love when an author can take me off guard. I felt satisfied with the ending even though it wasn't technically a happily ever after. This was just a satisfying book to wrap up and see where all the characters ended up. Common wrote an intriguing, suspenseful, and sad story of bullying, desperation, and heartache, with a story of friendship and loyalty twisted in. All in all a great story.
STAR RATING: 4/5
April 14, 2017
I really enjoyed this story. The mystery of what happened to Chloe didn't really feel like a mystery as there were plenty of "clues" for the reader as to what happened. What made the book interesting Wass the easy it highlighted the difference in how Chloe's disappearance was handled vs the dead native teenager found in the woods. It also tackles bullying, slut shaming, and mental health issues in a sensitive way.
November 19, 2017
Review in slightly more detail later. I've got a lot of good things to say here
April 21, 2017
3.5/5 stars
I received this as an E-arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had a hard time figuring out how to rate this book. On one hand as a Canadian it is so important for books like this to exist, on the other hand I felt that it tried to do too much. It isn't very often that an author puts spotlight on the widespread (yet under acknowledged) mistreatment of First Nations people. This on its own was an amazing thing to see especially as a Canadian. However the delivery sometimes felt clunky, there were parts of severe info dumping that kind of took away from the flow of the book. I felt it would have been better served to have had Jenny discover the information the way she did with the Starlight tours scene rather than looking it up online and having it thrown at the reader. It would have had more impact coming from character driven interaction rather than just being thrown out there. I did enjoy reading the book as a whole especially given the general content being something that the book world desperately needs to read. The simple idea of a country as a whole sweeping an entire group of people under the rug and hardly anyone gives notice is horrible. It is absolutely something very important that we as a people need to bring attention to and this book does that fairly well. I occasionally felt that the narrative lacked flow and seemed to just have things happen for the sake of it (such as Jenny's "romance") and the story would have probably benefitted without that there. A platonic relationship would have served the same purpose as the romantic one. As well the mystery of Chloe wasn't very mysterious, there was plenty of clues to determine the truth of the situation from very early on. I appreciate that the author went into how cruel high school can be and the devastating effects it can have on people, but I think if the focus was on either the First Nations people or the high school cruelty rather than trying to do both it would have flowed much better. Overall I loved the content but felt that the delivery wasn't everything it could have been.
I received this as an E-arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had a hard time figuring out how to rate this book. On one hand as a Canadian it is so important for books like this to exist, on the other hand I felt that it tried to do too much. It isn't very often that an author puts spotlight on the widespread (yet under acknowledged) mistreatment of First Nations people. This on its own was an amazing thing to see especially as a Canadian. However the delivery sometimes felt clunky, there were parts of severe info dumping that kind of took away from the flow of the book. I felt it would have been better served to have had Jenny discover the information the way she did with the Starlight tours scene rather than looking it up online and having it thrown at the reader. It would have had more impact coming from character driven interaction rather than just being thrown out there. I did enjoy reading the book as a whole especially given the general content being something that the book world desperately needs to read. The simple idea of a country as a whole sweeping an entire group of people under the rug and hardly anyone gives notice is horrible. It is absolutely something very important that we as a people need to bring attention to and this book does that fairly well. I occasionally felt that the narrative lacked flow and seemed to just have things happen for the sake of it (such as Jenny's "romance") and the story would have probably benefitted without that there. A platonic relationship would have served the same purpose as the romantic one. As well the mystery of Chloe wasn't very mysterious, there was plenty of clues to determine the truth of the situation from very early on. I appreciate that the author went into how cruel high school can be and the devastating effects it can have on people, but I think if the focus was on either the First Nations people or the high school cruelty rather than trying to do both it would have flowed much better. Overall I loved the content but felt that the delivery wasn't everything it could have been.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2017
Very uneven. Couldn't decide what genre it wanted to be.
October 31, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
DNF
I just can't care about any of the characters or the plot.
DNF
I just can't care about any of the characters or the plot.
February 10, 2022
*Gifted by Penguin Random House Canada*
September 19, 2017
View my reviews at www.drinkreadrepeat.com
The first chapter of The Lives of Desperate Girls chilled me to the bone. Set in the northern Ontario winter, this chapter details the discovery of a body covered in a dusting of pre-dawn snow. It read so honestly and vibrantly that I was sure that the rest of the book would keep pace.
Sadly, I was mistaken.
I really have got to stop forming opinions so early on.
#LearnFromYourMistakes #StopJudgingBooksByTheirCovers
The premise of the book as a whole was engaging. A small town in Northern Ontario, from which a “white” girl is currently missing, experiences another tragedy when a “native” girl is found dead – almost certainly murdered.
The way in which the story was told, however, really made this book hard to truly love.
Overall, the narrative was exceptionally inconsistent.
While there were some really compelling pieces, there were also these large segments of perfunctory and utilitarian text that were just… clunky. Unfortunately, the author couldn’t have just cut these sections. For each one, there was a purpose… It was just that the purpose could have been accomplished so much more eloquently.
I do acknowledge that not every element within a plot can be narratively compelling. In this case, though, these necessary-though-not-exciting (and, TBH, not terribly well written) chunks were so weak that they really stood out in contrast to the comparative strength of the more compelling pieces.
I found myself actively questioning, “Why didn’t the author spend more time on this section?” The word choice was off. The tone didn’t match. And it just... was not fun to read.
And it’s not just the quality of the prose that was an issue – the overall believability also varied wildly.
Near the start of the book, the protagonist details a traumatic experience that set her best friend on a self-destructive path. This section felt true and honest. It was nearly as good as similar works, like Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, or Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson, which we previously awarded 5 out of 5 cocktails.
But unlike these other books, the author fails to maintain this believability throughout.
For example, later in the book we are supposed to believe that our protagonist just happens to meet the cousin of the native girl who was just found dead as this cousin hitchhikes home at the start of a snow storm.
Possible, yes.
Probable, no.
Were it just one such occurrence, you could chalk it up to serendipity. But there are only so many instances like this that can take place in the course of a 310 page book while still giving the novel as a whole the ring of truth.
And, unfortunately, as the book progresses it only got worse. The protagonist, upset by the death discovered on page 4 and frustrated that this girl’s death isn’t getting as much attention as the disappearance of her white friend, mounts an investigation in an attempt to find the killer.
How do I even describe this “investigation”?
Well…
You know in movies when the lead character needs someone’s email password, so the character looks around the person’s desk, sees a picture of the person’s dog, types “Fido” in to the password field and (voila) the email opens? That’s kinda how believable the investigation as a whole seemed.
So, I’m reading along, thinking, “Okay… This is going to get better.”
And then it jumped the shark.
The protagonist’s mother finds out that she’s launched a DIY murder investigation and she’s okay with it.
Mkay.
When I was 16 my mom didn’t let me go to Meijer’s in PJ pants, but I’m supposed to believe that this mother is all, “Well, you can try to find out who murdered this girl, but be safe about it.”
Yeah, I don’t think so.
Despite this shark jumping, I read on. #NotAQuitter
I kept thinking that, of course, all of these loose ends would come together into something meaningful.
Well, *Spoiler Alert* they didn’t. Or at least not in any satisfying way.
As the book drew to a close, the author started to spell things out. Like, painfully explicitly.
Now, granted, the intended audience for this book is young adults, but even when writing for less experienced, less worldly readers, explicitly telling the them what conclusions they are supposed to draw from the tale you laid out feels like pandering.
Ultimately, this book left me wishing that it was something more than it was.
The setting was well described and the plot had serious potential, but the author failed to drive home a satisfying read.
The first chapter of The Lives of Desperate Girls chilled me to the bone. Set in the northern Ontario winter, this chapter details the discovery of a body covered in a dusting of pre-dawn snow. It read so honestly and vibrantly that I was sure that the rest of the book would keep pace.
Sadly, I was mistaken.
I really have got to stop forming opinions so early on.
#LearnFromYourMistakes #StopJudgingBooksByTheirCovers
The premise of the book as a whole was engaging. A small town in Northern Ontario, from which a “white” girl is currently missing, experiences another tragedy when a “native” girl is found dead – almost certainly murdered.
The way in which the story was told, however, really made this book hard to truly love.
Overall, the narrative was exceptionally inconsistent.
While there were some really compelling pieces, there were also these large segments of perfunctory and utilitarian text that were just… clunky. Unfortunately, the author couldn’t have just cut these sections. For each one, there was a purpose… It was just that the purpose could have been accomplished so much more eloquently.
I do acknowledge that not every element within a plot can be narratively compelling. In this case, though, these necessary-though-not-exciting (and, TBH, not terribly well written) chunks were so weak that they really stood out in contrast to the comparative strength of the more compelling pieces.
I found myself actively questioning, “Why didn’t the author spend more time on this section?” The word choice was off. The tone didn’t match. And it just... was not fun to read.
And it’s not just the quality of the prose that was an issue – the overall believability also varied wildly.
Near the start of the book, the protagonist details a traumatic experience that set her best friend on a self-destructive path. This section felt true and honest. It was nearly as good as similar works, like Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, or Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson, which we previously awarded 5 out of 5 cocktails.
But unlike these other books, the author fails to maintain this believability throughout.
For example, later in the book we are supposed to believe that our protagonist just happens to meet the cousin of the native girl who was just found dead as this cousin hitchhikes home at the start of a snow storm.
Possible, yes.
Probable, no.
Were it just one such occurrence, you could chalk it up to serendipity. But there are only so many instances like this that can take place in the course of a 310 page book while still giving the novel as a whole the ring of truth.
And, unfortunately, as the book progresses it only got worse. The protagonist, upset by the death discovered on page 4 and frustrated that this girl’s death isn’t getting as much attention as the disappearance of her white friend, mounts an investigation in an attempt to find the killer.
How do I even describe this “investigation”?
Well…
You know in movies when the lead character needs someone’s email password, so the character looks around the person’s desk, sees a picture of the person’s dog, types “Fido” in to the password field and (voila) the email opens? That’s kinda how believable the investigation as a whole seemed.
So, I’m reading along, thinking, “Okay… This is going to get better.”
And then it jumped the shark.
The protagonist’s mother finds out that she’s launched a DIY murder investigation and she’s okay with it.
Mkay.
When I was 16 my mom didn’t let me go to Meijer’s in PJ pants, but I’m supposed to believe that this mother is all, “Well, you can try to find out who murdered this girl, but be safe about it.”
Yeah, I don’t think so.
Despite this shark jumping, I read on. #NotAQuitter
I kept thinking that, of course, all of these loose ends would come together into something meaningful.
Well, *Spoiler Alert* they didn’t. Or at least not in any satisfying way.
As the book drew to a close, the author started to spell things out. Like, painfully explicitly.
Now, granted, the intended audience for this book is young adults, but even when writing for less experienced, less worldly readers, explicitly telling the them what conclusions they are supposed to draw from the tale you laid out feels like pandering.
Ultimately, this book left me wishing that it was something more than it was.
The setting was well described and the plot had serious potential, but the author failed to drive home a satisfying read.
July 15, 2017
2.25 stars
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was very close to DNFing The Lives Of Desperate Girls many times while reading it, but fortunately I stuck around long enough to finish the book. I commend it for its improvement as I went on, the thing The Lives Of Desperate Girls does best is its raw yet poignant commentary of social issues such as racism and sexism, as well as focusing on the common struggles of teenagers, like bullying and depression. Unfortunately, everything else in the book is glaringly underdeveloped and just uninteresting.
The Lives Of Desperate Girls is set in Canada, in a small town named Thunder Creek, located somewhere in northern Ontario. It's a fairly poor and underdeveloped area, and there is a very visible divide between the mostly white residents and the nearby Natives. This is seen multiple times throughout the book, specifically with the police completely and utterly favoring Chloe, a white girl, and her missing case, and pushing aside Helen, a native girl, and her murder case. In the midst of other examples, I actually thought Jenny's feelings about the blatant racism in her community were quite realistic and told well, without sounding too preachy. I didn't know too much about Canada's First Nations and reading about their history and life was interesting, and how they dealt with the Thunder Creek community definitely pulled on your heartstrings yet made you think. The discussion on gender inequality was also well-done, zeroing in on rape and slut-shaming, and the disparities between social class was also talked about in detail.
Most of the Goodreads reviews of this book seemed to mention the clunkiness of the writing, and I definitely have to agree with that. It is frustratingly bland for most of the time, but it does have its moments, specifically while exploring the numerous social issues that this story covers. At those times, the prose is surprisingly relatable, honest, and sophisticated all at once. If only it had been that way throughout.
The mystery/thriller plot is one of the low points for this book, while Common tries to add a number of elements to up the anticipation for the big reveal, it ultimately falls flat due to bad storytelling. First off, the writing doesn't make it that thrilling for the reader either, it's incredibly unexciting and fails to trigger any sort of anticipation or curiosity. Secondly, Jenny's motivation to play detective is never, ever put into words properly or even conveyed at all. She gets into all types of dangerous antics to 'solve' Helen's murder and for what? We never know the true motivation behind her actions in general, in fact, everything going on in Jenny's investigation in very vague and directionless. For all her sleuthing, Jenny doesn't even seem to have direction in mind and often randomly throws guesses at who the killer is, usually people she already knows or has met. Thirdly, Jenny's big secret on Chloe's disappearance. Can't say much about that due to spoilers, but y'all can experience that bullshit for yourselves and then get back to me.
The characters are clearly the biggest low point in this novel, which is tragic, because even if the mystery part of it fell flat, the novel could have redeemed itself through its characters and contemporary side. Jenny is one of the most inconsistent characters ever. Her narration in the first 30% in incredibly passive and monotone, and while she does improve later on, her entire personality changes when she's supposed to be a quiet and ordinary girl. She meets shady people, goes to places she shouldn't go to, and adamantly refuses to talk to the police on Chloe's case (we still don't know why that is *sighs*). We never see her true psychological trauma and struggle after Chloe's disappearance and while she does change throughout the book, it's so sudden, unrealistic, and vague. She does have a love interest, Tom, who is equally dull and one-dimensional. They both suddenly decide to 'fall in love' through a few smoke and make-out sessions, and it develops into the most ridiculous romance ever.
If you're in for an eye-opening piece of commentary on the several social issues in our world, The Lives Of Desperate Girls is worth tuning in to. But, if you came for an intriguing murder mystery, a heartfelt contemporary, or even something remotely fascinating, you can do better than this one.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was very close to DNFing The Lives Of Desperate Girls many times while reading it, but fortunately I stuck around long enough to finish the book. I commend it for its improvement as I went on, the thing The Lives Of Desperate Girls does best is its raw yet poignant commentary of social issues such as racism and sexism, as well as focusing on the common struggles of teenagers, like bullying and depression. Unfortunately, everything else in the book is glaringly underdeveloped and just uninteresting.
The Lives Of Desperate Girls is set in Canada, in a small town named Thunder Creek, located somewhere in northern Ontario. It's a fairly poor and underdeveloped area, and there is a very visible divide between the mostly white residents and the nearby Natives. This is seen multiple times throughout the book, specifically with the police completely and utterly favoring Chloe, a white girl, and her missing case, and pushing aside Helen, a native girl, and her murder case. In the midst of other examples, I actually thought Jenny's feelings about the blatant racism in her community were quite realistic and told well, without sounding too preachy. I didn't know too much about Canada's First Nations and reading about their history and life was interesting, and how they dealt with the Thunder Creek community definitely pulled on your heartstrings yet made you think. The discussion on gender inequality was also well-done, zeroing in on rape and slut-shaming, and the disparities between social class was also talked about in detail.
Most of the Goodreads reviews of this book seemed to mention the clunkiness of the writing, and I definitely have to agree with that. It is frustratingly bland for most of the time, but it does have its moments, specifically while exploring the numerous social issues that this story covers. At those times, the prose is surprisingly relatable, honest, and sophisticated all at once. If only it had been that way throughout.
The mystery/thriller plot is one of the low points for this book, while Common tries to add a number of elements to up the anticipation for the big reveal, it ultimately falls flat due to bad storytelling. First off, the writing doesn't make it that thrilling for the reader either, it's incredibly unexciting and fails to trigger any sort of anticipation or curiosity. Secondly, Jenny's motivation to play detective is never, ever put into words properly or even conveyed at all. She gets into all types of dangerous antics to 'solve' Helen's murder and for what? We never know the true motivation behind her actions in general, in fact, everything going on in Jenny's investigation in very vague and directionless. For all her sleuthing, Jenny doesn't even seem to have direction in mind and often randomly throws guesses at who the killer is, usually people she already knows or has met. Thirdly, Jenny's big secret on Chloe's disappearance. Can't say much about that due to spoilers, but y'all can experience that bullshit for yourselves and then get back to me.
The characters are clearly the biggest low point in this novel, which is tragic, because even if the mystery part of it fell flat, the novel could have redeemed itself through its characters and contemporary side. Jenny is one of the most inconsistent characters ever. Her narration in the first 30% in incredibly passive and monotone, and while she does improve later on, her entire personality changes when she's supposed to be a quiet and ordinary girl. She meets shady people, goes to places she shouldn't go to, and adamantly refuses to talk to the police on Chloe's case (we still don't know why that is *sighs*). We never see her true psychological trauma and struggle after Chloe's disappearance and while she does change throughout the book, it's so sudden, unrealistic, and vague. She does have a love interest, Tom, who is equally dull and one-dimensional. They both suddenly decide to 'fall in love' through a few smoke and make-out sessions, and it develops into the most ridiculous romance ever.
If you're in for an eye-opening piece of commentary on the several social issues in our world, The Lives Of Desperate Girls is worth tuning in to. But, if you came for an intriguing murder mystery, a heartfelt contemporary, or even something remotely fascinating, you can do better than this one.
October 13, 2017
I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have mixed feelings about this novel because there are a few things that the author does that I like but an equal amount of things that I don't like. I really liked that the author highlighted the problems of the First Nations people of Canada. Not many people are aware of their struggles and the things they have endured - and continue to endure - are heartbreaking. And the author really does do justice to them: she tells it like it is. I only wish it had been told from the perspective of an actual Native and not just from that of a white teenage girl. While Jenny is definitely trying to understand and be aware of the oppression and racism that the Aboriginal people face, I don't think she is necessarily the best spokesperson for it since she really isn't a part of their community or culture. I wish there had been more emphasis on the way life is on the reserves and the traditions that the First Nations value, as that would have allowed the reader to see some of the wonderful aspects of their culture. However, the idea that a Native girl's death is not as important as a Caucasian girl's disappearance was an interesting one and I think the author did a really good job of bringing that to the forefront. I actually found the writing style compelling, even if it was confusing to follow at times what with the various jumps in time that Jenny took; it was hard to tell if something was happening in the present or if it was just a memory. I did not like the love angle that the author tried to force into the situation; it didn't add anything to the novel and it was not well planned or executed. It was literally just two teenagers hooking up and doing drugs and drinking, none of which screams romance or bonding. I didn't like the incompetence of the cops, and I'm not just referring to their dismissal over the case of Helen. I'm referring to the almost comical way they question and interrogate Jenny over Chloe's disappearance; you would think adults would know how to run an investigation and ask the right questions but clearly, that is not the case in this novel. The author also takes on another topic: slut-shaming. While I think this is an important topic to discuss, I don't really like Jenny's role in that aspect and I wish the author had made her more ... sensible or intelligent. I also didn't really like how things were resolved in the novel because, well, it didn't really feel resolved. I understand that not everything can have a happy ending but this just felt messy and unfinished. Overall, I think the author chose 2 very important topics to center her novel around. While the writing was compelling, the main character's decisions as well as the actual ending of the novel left me disappointed. For those reasons, I'm giving this novel a 2/5 stars.
I have mixed feelings about this novel because there are a few things that the author does that I like but an equal amount of things that I don't like. I really liked that the author highlighted the problems of the First Nations people of Canada. Not many people are aware of their struggles and the things they have endured - and continue to endure - are heartbreaking. And the author really does do justice to them: she tells it like it is. I only wish it had been told from the perspective of an actual Native and not just from that of a white teenage girl. While Jenny is definitely trying to understand and be aware of the oppression and racism that the Aboriginal people face, I don't think she is necessarily the best spokesperson for it since she really isn't a part of their community or culture. I wish there had been more emphasis on the way life is on the reserves and the traditions that the First Nations value, as that would have allowed the reader to see some of the wonderful aspects of their culture. However, the idea that a Native girl's death is not as important as a Caucasian girl's disappearance was an interesting one and I think the author did a really good job of bringing that to the forefront. I actually found the writing style compelling, even if it was confusing to follow at times what with the various jumps in time that Jenny took; it was hard to tell if something was happening in the present or if it was just a memory. I did not like the love angle that the author tried to force into the situation; it didn't add anything to the novel and it was not well planned or executed. It was literally just two teenagers hooking up and doing drugs and drinking, none of which screams romance or bonding. I didn't like the incompetence of the cops, and I'm not just referring to their dismissal over the case of Helen. I'm referring to the almost comical way they question and interrogate Jenny over Chloe's disappearance; you would think adults would know how to run an investigation and ask the right questions but clearly, that is not the case in this novel. The author also takes on another topic: slut-shaming. While I think this is an important topic to discuss, I don't really like Jenny's role in that aspect and I wish the author had made her more ... sensible or intelligent. I also didn't really like how things were resolved in the novel because, well, it didn't really feel resolved. I understand that not everything can have a happy ending but this just felt messy and unfinished. Overall, I think the author chose 2 very important topics to center her novel around. While the writing was compelling, the main character's decisions as well as the actual ending of the novel left me disappointed. For those reasons, I'm giving this novel a 2/5 stars.
August 15, 2017
I desperately tried to like this book.
I just....couldn't. Jenny, the main character, lacked emotion. If my best friend went missing, I'd do anything and everything to help. I'd express more emotions - freak out, cry, get angry, something. She stumbles into a strange friendship with a boy, Tom, but even that relationship didn't feel natural. It felt rushed. Maybe it was supposed to feel rushed given Jenny's emotional state but since I felt little emotion from Jenny, I couldn't figure out how these two came to be together and what the purpose of their union was.
For whatever reason, I felt like I was trapped in an inner monologue that went with the motions.
I was being told a great deal but not shown. I'd like to say that the Native American aspect was intriguing and I did like the parallel of action (Jenny doing her make-up when Helen's body was found) but the jumps between past and present were jilting and frequent.
Overall: This book raises awareness to issues such as racism and sexual assault but because I wasn't emotionally involved (with Jenny, Chloe, Helen, Tom etc), I wasn't drawn in. Jenny frequently acted against the person she led me to believe she was. The romantic relationship between Jenny and Tom felt shallow and unrealistic. It also felt like another trope: good girl falls for bad boy.
It was also strange to me that in the midst of all of this, Jenny wasn't more cautious. She wasn't afraid. She gets into a vehicle with a complete stranger and thinks nothing of this. And the town doesn't really do anything except question people over the disappearance. No curfews. No rules set. No anxious parents scrambling to protect their kids. According to Jenny, they all get high on weed but that doesn't explain why no one seemed to properly panic.
I think this book had a lot of potential but without forging an emotional connection between MC and reader, I think it severely falls short. Great idea, poor execution, and horribly flat characters.
A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I just....couldn't. Jenny, the main character, lacked emotion. If my best friend went missing, I'd do anything and everything to help. I'd express more emotions - freak out, cry, get angry, something. She stumbles into a strange friendship with a boy, Tom, but even that relationship didn't feel natural. It felt rushed. Maybe it was supposed to feel rushed given Jenny's emotional state but since I felt little emotion from Jenny, I couldn't figure out how these two came to be together and what the purpose of their union was.
For whatever reason, I felt like I was trapped in an inner monologue that went with the motions.
I was being told a great deal but not shown. I'd like to say that the Native American aspect was intriguing and I did like the parallel of action (Jenny doing her make-up when Helen's body was found) but the jumps between past and present were jilting and frequent.
Overall: This book raises awareness to issues such as racism and sexual assault but because I wasn't emotionally involved (with Jenny, Chloe, Helen, Tom etc), I wasn't drawn in. Jenny frequently acted against the person she led me to believe she was. The romantic relationship between Jenny and Tom felt shallow and unrealistic. It also felt like another trope: good girl falls for bad boy.
It was also strange to me that in the midst of all of this, Jenny wasn't more cautious. She wasn't afraid. She gets into a vehicle with a complete stranger and thinks nothing of this. And the town doesn't really do anything except question people over the disappearance. No curfews. No rules set. No anxious parents scrambling to protect their kids. According to Jenny, they all get high on weed but that doesn't explain why no one seemed to properly panic.
I think this book had a lot of potential but without forging an emotional connection between MC and reader, I think it severely falls short. Great idea, poor execution, and horribly flat characters.
A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
November 24, 2017
This is one of the best written young adult books that I have ever read. Kudos to the author for this. It is wonderful to read a book written for this audience that does not "dumb down" the language used so that a book becomes "more user friendly to a wider audience." In this novel, Jenny Parker, an average teen from Northern Ontario in Canada, deals with coming from a single parent home where money is tight. Her best friend, Chloe, comes from a much more affluent background with two parents who obviously love her. However, something bad happened to Chloe, as she is missing. Soon after her disappearance, the body of Helen, a teen from the local Native reserve, is found dead in the snow. As Jenny becomes more and more fascinated by this murder with the aid of her new friends, she discovers just how badly the Natives are treated by those who control the area. This is a wonderfully insightful look at how lives are impacted by the actions of others - especially when issues of bullying, consent, race and crime are involved. It is a story of understanding and hope, one where things can change, if only incrementally. I recommend this book for both teens and adults because of the quality of the writing and timely insights.
October 4, 2020
Penguin Teen and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Lives of Desperate Girls. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
Two teenage girls go missing from a small town outside of Ontario, Canada. One turns up dead, but her death does not gain much attention because she is from the reservation. The missing one, Chloe, from a wealthy and white family, has garnered the resources of the police department. Jenny Parker, Chloe's "bestie", decides to dig into the death, in an attempt to gain information to help find her friend.
The Lives of Desperate Girls highlights the issues of inequality, racism, and bullying. The fact that those with money are treated differently than those without is nothing new, but the author does a good job of discussing that fact without preaching. It is a sad reality that money and power go hand and hand, leaving those who are underprivileged without a voice. I wish that I liked the story itself more, and not just the message. The issues discussed are all smoke and mirrors, leaving a plot that is woefully inadequate. For this reason, I am hesitant to recommend The Lives of Desperate Girls to other readers.
Two teenage girls go missing from a small town outside of Ontario, Canada. One turns up dead, but her death does not gain much attention because she is from the reservation. The missing one, Chloe, from a wealthy and white family, has garnered the resources of the police department. Jenny Parker, Chloe's "bestie", decides to dig into the death, in an attempt to gain information to help find her friend.
The Lives of Desperate Girls highlights the issues of inequality, racism, and bullying. The fact that those with money are treated differently than those without is nothing new, but the author does a good job of discussing that fact without preaching. It is a sad reality that money and power go hand and hand, leaving those who are underprivileged without a voice. I wish that I liked the story itself more, and not just the message. The issues discussed are all smoke and mirrors, leaving a plot that is woefully inadequate. For this reason, I am hesitant to recommend The Lives of Desperate Girls to other readers.
August 19, 2017
A somewhat mediocre book that is set up like a mystery or thriller but eventually turns into the main character coming of age sort of. Jenny is going through the pain of her best friend going missing and another girl is murdered a few weeks after, compelling her to look into the investigation. This novel made a lot of commentary on the treatment of the Natives or Indigenous people of Canada in Canada. I didn't know how bad it is in Canada for them so this was definitely an eye opener. The novel also deals with the controversy of rape amongst young adults and how there is a double standard. While it is loaded with this information that really did make me think, the characters themselves were kind of boring. I really thought someone close to the main character was gonna be revealed as a big scary serial killer and some moments really felt like that but it never happened. I wouldn't necessarily suggest people go out of their way to read it before other books but it's not the worst book in the world.
October 5, 2017
The Lives of Desperate Girls
by MacKenzie Common
Penguin Random House Canada
Penguin Teen
Teens & YA
Pub Date 19 Sep 2017
I am reviewing a copy of The Lives Of Desperate Girls Through Penguin Teen and Netgalley:
Helen Commanda only sixteen is found dead outside of Thunder Creek Ontario. Her murder would have likely been forgotten accept for the fact that it may shed light on the earlier dissapearance of Chloe Shaughnessy. She was rich, beautiful and white, and had nothing in common with Helen who is plain and lived on the reservation. They had one other thing in common they were girls from an unforgiving small town. Only Chloe’s best friend knows exactly how unforgiving the town is.
The adults have failed so Jenny starts seeking answers about Helen’s life and death, trying to understand the town and her best friend but can she succeed where the adults have failed? Does Jenny have a role in this conspiracy of silence.
I give The Lives Of Desperate Girls five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
May 26, 2017
The Lives of Desperate Girls by MacKenzie Common was a fantastic read! The characters were well thought out, easy to identify with, and easy to connect with. The storyline was written in the appropriate pace and kept me well interested throughout.
Some parts of this book might be a bit difficult for some people to digest. This book hits on a lot of heavy subjects like sex, rape, murder, racism, bullying, and suicide. That being said, some of the subject matter opens up to meaningful dialogue.
Written in a first person narrative, the approach of storytelling was somewhat different than others I've read in the same genre. And even though some elements of the story may appear familiar, it is truly special and unique in its own right.
I absolutely enjoyed this read and would recommend it to others who enjoy YA/mystery type books.
I received this book at no cost, courtesy of NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, for my honest feedback and review.
Some parts of this book might be a bit difficult for some people to digest. This book hits on a lot of heavy subjects like sex, rape, murder, racism, bullying, and suicide. That being said, some of the subject matter opens up to meaningful dialogue.
Written in a first person narrative, the approach of storytelling was somewhat different than others I've read in the same genre. And even though some elements of the story may appear familiar, it is truly special and unique in its own right.
I absolutely enjoyed this read and would recommend it to others who enjoy YA/mystery type books.
I received this book at no cost, courtesy of NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, for my honest feedback and review.
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