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The Hollow Girl
For fans of Asylum, Anna Dressed in Blood, and The Haunting of Sunshine Girl comes a new feminist horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summoning. Five boys attacked her. Now they must repay her with their blood and flesh. Bethan is the apprentice to a green healer named Drina in a clan of Welsh Romanies. Her life is happy and ordered and modest, as required by Roma custom, except for one Silas, the son of the chieftain, has been secretly harassing her. One night, Silas and his friends brutally assault Bethan and a half-Roma friend, Martyn. As empty and hopeless as she feels from the attack, she asks Drina to bring Martyn back from death’s door. “There is always a price for this kind of magic,” Drina warns. The way to save him is gruesome. Bethan must collect grisly pieces to fuel the an ear, some hair, an eye, a nose, and fingers. She gives the boys who assaulted her a chance to come forward and apologize. And when they don’t, she knows exactly where to collect her ingredients to save Martyn. “Hits the horrifying dread and darkness and grisly ends, yet somehow still feels full of heart…I couldn’t tear my eyes away.” —Kendare Blake, NYT bestselling author of THREE DARK CROWNS“A richly woven tapestry of magic, betrayal, and revenge told by a strong, spirited heroine who won my heart, broke it to pieces, and then healed it anew. Brava!” —Dawn Kurtagich, award-winning author of The Dead House"A cathartic revenge fantasy...Quentin Tarantino-style." —Kirkus Reviews"An eerie, unsettling novel that will linger long with readers." —Booklist"Dark, intense, and full of magic." —VOYA
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2017
39 people are currently reading
2640 people want to read
About the author
Hillary Monahan
14 books337 followersHillary Monahan's YA debut MARY: The Summoning, a YA Horror retelling of the Bloody Mary myth, sold at auction to Hyperion and hit number two on the New York Times e-book bestseller list. MARY: Unleashed is out as of fall 2015. She's also published THE AWESOME with Ravenstone under the name Eva Darrows, which received starred reviews in both Kirkus and PW.
Her next three publications are an adult horror novel in the GODS & MONSTERS series for Solaris, due out in December of 2016. Spring of 2017 will see the YA contemporary DEAD LITTLE MEAN GIRL under the name Eva Darrows published through Harlequin Teen. Fall of 2017 sees the YA horror THE WAGON WITCH'S APPRENTICE under Hillary Monahan through Delacorte/Random House.
Inquiries can be addressed to: hillaryjmonahan at gmail dot com
Her next three publications are an adult horror novel in the GODS & MONSTERS series for Solaris, due out in December of 2016. Spring of 2017 will see the YA contemporary DEAD LITTLE MEAN GIRL under the name Eva Darrows published through Harlequin Teen. Fall of 2017 sees the YA horror THE WAGON WITCH'S APPRENTICE under Hillary Monahan through Delacorte/Random House.
Inquiries can be addressed to: hillaryjmonahan at gmail dot com
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February 27, 2018
Breaths, as a rule, are warm, airy things, but his death rattle was frigid and thick, like icy porridge slithering down my throat. It tasted like raw meat and pennies.
This is one of those reviews where I feel like I should clarify that three stars is a positive rating. The Hollow Girl tells the story of a Romani girl who decides to extract body parts from a gang of boys who were involved in her rape, sometimes when they are alive... and sometimes when they are not. And yeah, it is fucking creepy and awesome - buuuuuuut there are a few issues. Let's discuss. Faults come first.
🌺 THINGS THIS NOVEL FAILS AT
→ the writing style
Okay, writing style here really bothered me. There is too much fucking telling and not nearly enough showing. It's not just the lack of showing, though; the author is far too concerned with pointing out how clever her writing is. There's a moment where Gran tells a long story that's clearly meant to parallel Bethan's life, which would be awesome, but then the narrative outright states “this parallels my life.” This is a recurring pattern; the author will use a literary device well, and then call it out specifically as if it was hard to catch, taking away the emotional impact and makes the book feel more amateurish than it actually is.
→ the tone / pacing problems
Guys, this book is a tonal fucking mess. The first 100 pages are not remotely brutal and frankly, they don't have enough dramatic tension to lessen their sedentary nature - so a slight pacing issue but mostly tone. The pacing faults occur later on as the book actually gets brutal. There's blood and rape and a thousand different plot points occurring and yet... the plot didn't feel driven. Bethan needs to extract five body parts in three days and yet she spends so much time sitting at home that this conflict starts losing its tension and you start screaming "GET ON WITH IT!!"
→ the plot contrivances
It is so hard to feel worried about how fast Bethan needs to get this killing done when Bethan has literally wasted three days waiting at home. Making timing a conflict here is completely empty and contrived, an easy way to manipulate the audience. And even worse, Bethan has an opportunity to kill Silas, the main perpetrator, earlier in the book. When the protagonist is trying to achieve something she decided not to achieve just a few chapters ago, the final conflict misses a lot of tension.
→ the lackluster ending
For me, personally, the ending was not nearly as much of a gut punch as I'd hoped. I had hoped for Bethan to have a big emotional moment to end the book with a bang, easily shooting this to a four star - after all, she was the best part of this whole book. Unfortunately, the ending was plot-heavy rather than character-heavy, paying less attention to Bethan's internal conflict than it does to flimsy plot conflicts. You guys know I'm a sucker for an emotionally cathartic and character-focused ending, and I think with more focus on Bethan's emotional issues, the ending could've been a tearjerker. But... no.
🌺 THINGS THIS NOVEL NAILS ON THE HEAD
→ the portrayal of rape
I literally adore the narrative around rape culture here. Rape here is treated as a mortal sin, not because of the sexual element, but because of the violation it entails. The author treats this subject with care, and writes in an emotive way. Also, putting a trigger warning for rape in the author's note was fantastic.
→ the Romani rep
Hillary Monahan infuses this story with good rep of Romani culture. I really appreciated the note at the front of the book to clarify her heritage. (It was just a really good note, okay?? I'll move on to the actual book soon.) It's clear that she knows what she's talking about with her representation.
→ the commitment to the premise
Listen, not to sound like a terrible human being, but this book is really unapologetically dark and I love it. The genre of women murdering their abusers is a genre I happen to love, a lot, and I really liked that this book didn't try to whitewash the dark reality of what is happening in this book. It's very avenging-angel-y and I love it.
→ the lack of curing romance
There's a fairly major romance here and while it didn't do that much for me, it's not a bad romance by any means. The Hollow Girl doesn't use the romance as a way to cure Bethan of her trauma, but also doesn't ignore the progression of a relationship after rape. Which... was kind of amazing, to be honest.
→ and the best... the fucking badass lead
Listen, guys, I LOVE Bethan. She's a rich antihero who always manages to gain your sympathy, even while she's literally in the process of tearing out someone's eye.
me, in the background, whispering: you're doing amazing sweetie
She brings a new name to morally ambiguous and I love it. And her character arc around trauma is a fucking masterpiece - her touch-averseness and need to close herself off are written beautifully.
Do I recommend this? If you like suspense or horror, this book is a pretty damn solid read. While The Hollow Girl had its issues - for me, anyway - Bethan's character is a fucking achievement and basically made this book for me. It's clear that a lot of thought went into this novel and I'm excited to see what Monahan comes up with next.
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January 12, 2026So What’s It About?
Bethan is the apprentice to a green healer named Drina in a clan of Welsh Romanies. Her life is happy and ordered and modest, as required by Roma custom, except for one thing: Silas, the son of the chieftain, has been secretly harassing her.
One night, Silas and his friends brutally assault Bethan and a half-Roma friend, Martyn. As empty and hopeless as she feels from the attack, she asks Drina to bring Martyn back from death’s door. “There is always a price for this kind of magic,” Drina warns. The way to save him is gruesome. Bethan must collect grisly pieces to fuel the spell: an ear, some hair, an eye, a nose, and fingers.
She gives the boys who assaulted her a chance to come forward and apologize. And when they don’t, she knows exactly where to collect her ingredients to save Martyn.
What I Thought
The story behind this book is quite touching - Monahan was inspired to write it because of her grandmother’s own writings that she never got to flesh out, as well as her Romani heritage. I will say that this is a pretty wild story to dedicate to your grandmother (or maybe Monahan’s grandmother was way cooler with a whole bunch of things than mine were), but I love that background and I think you can sense that underlying motivation in how much heart there is to the story and how integral the grandmother-granddaughter relationship is.
That relationship is, by far, my favorite aspect of the story. Gran is definitely the star of the show- she is fierce and uncompromising, strict and irascible, and despite how grim and unaffectionate she is, it is more than apparent that she loves Bethann an incredible amount and is 100% there for her when she needs her. It’s a beautiful relationship, and we’d all be lucky to have our own Gran.
I also think the book offers an interesting look at Romani culture, especially when it talks about the massive weight of stigma and judgment from outsiders and how that creates a stronger sense of isolationism and self-reliance. There’s also an interesting section about the G slur and how Bethann addresses it when her love interest Martyn uses the word early on out of ignorance. It also looks at some of the complexities of Romani culture like the extreme emphasis on women’s purity; in this case, that value plays a significant role in the story because the main character’s sexual assault and how it impacts her status in the community.
This is largely a rape revenge story, so let me take this opportunity to wax poetic about those. On one hand, I sometimes feel that rape revenge stories aren’t my favorite because they don’t really realistically address the aftermath of trauma and the complexities of healing journeys and what is truly requisite for them - and I just happen to love stories that do those things. But, on the other hand, are those things necessary elements of every story about assault? Sometimes I can shut off the hand-wringing and admit that it can be really satisfying and cathartic to see someone who has been hurt simply fuck shit up for the people who hurt them.
Ultimately, I think, it depends on execution. It’s a mixed bag here for me - for one thing, a lot of what makes rape revenge stories so cathartic is undercut here by the fact that Bethann and Gran are technically just doing it all to save a man (Martyn, who is killed during the assault). I also think its efficacy is slightly undercut by how guilty Bethann feels about what she’s doing. At the same time, it is still really satisfying that she is able to take action into her own hands, make the perpetrators suffer and regain control over the situation as best she can.
A few final notes - parts of the relationship between Bethann and Martyn are very sweet, including how he teaches her to read and helps her sell things in the market and how supportive and respectful he is at the end, but he is also extremely pushy during the start of their relationship, which was more than a little annoying to me. I thought that several aspects of life post-assault were depicted quite well, including Bethann’s complex feelings (and lack thereof, sometimes) and the mixed responses of blame, shunning, awkwardness and support that she receives from her community.
Bethan is the apprentice to a green healer named Drina in a clan of Welsh Romanies. Her life is happy and ordered and modest, as required by Roma custom, except for one thing: Silas, the son of the chieftain, has been secretly harassing her.
One night, Silas and his friends brutally assault Bethan and a half-Roma friend, Martyn. As empty and hopeless as she feels from the attack, she asks Drina to bring Martyn back from death’s door. “There is always a price for this kind of magic,” Drina warns. The way to save him is gruesome. Bethan must collect grisly pieces to fuel the spell: an ear, some hair, an eye, a nose, and fingers.
She gives the boys who assaulted her a chance to come forward and apologize. And when they don’t, she knows exactly where to collect her ingredients to save Martyn.
What I Thought
The story behind this book is quite touching - Monahan was inspired to write it because of her grandmother’s own writings that she never got to flesh out, as well as her Romani heritage. I will say that this is a pretty wild story to dedicate to your grandmother (or maybe Monahan’s grandmother was way cooler with a whole bunch of things than mine were), but I love that background and I think you can sense that underlying motivation in how much heart there is to the story and how integral the grandmother-granddaughter relationship is.
That relationship is, by far, my favorite aspect of the story. Gran is definitely the star of the show- she is fierce and uncompromising, strict and irascible, and despite how grim and unaffectionate she is, it is more than apparent that she loves Bethann an incredible amount and is 100% there for her when she needs her. It’s a beautiful relationship, and we’d all be lucky to have our own Gran.
I also think the book offers an interesting look at Romani culture, especially when it talks about the massive weight of stigma and judgment from outsiders and how that creates a stronger sense of isolationism and self-reliance. There’s also an interesting section about the G slur and how Bethann addresses it when her love interest Martyn uses the word early on out of ignorance. It also looks at some of the complexities of Romani culture like the extreme emphasis on women’s purity; in this case, that value plays a significant role in the story because the main character’s sexual assault and how it impacts her status in the community.
This is largely a rape revenge story, so let me take this opportunity to wax poetic about those. On one hand, I sometimes feel that rape revenge stories aren’t my favorite because they don’t really realistically address the aftermath of trauma and the complexities of healing journeys and what is truly requisite for them - and I just happen to love stories that do those things. But, on the other hand, are those things necessary elements of every story about assault? Sometimes I can shut off the hand-wringing and admit that it can be really satisfying and cathartic to see someone who has been hurt simply fuck shit up for the people who hurt them.
Ultimately, I think, it depends on execution. It’s a mixed bag here for me - for one thing, a lot of what makes rape revenge stories so cathartic is undercut here by the fact that Bethann and Gran are technically just doing it all to save a man (Martyn, who is killed during the assault). I also think its efficacy is slightly undercut by how guilty Bethann feels about what she’s doing. At the same time, it is still really satisfying that she is able to take action into her own hands, make the perpetrators suffer and regain control over the situation as best she can.
A few final notes - parts of the relationship between Bethann and Martyn are very sweet, including how he teaches her to read and helps her sell things in the market and how supportive and respectful he is at the end, but he is also extremely pushy during the start of their relationship, which was more than a little annoying to me. I thought that several aspects of life post-assault were depicted quite well, including Bethann’s complex feelings (and lack thereof, sometimes) and the mixed responses of blame, shunning, awkwardness and support that she receives from her community.
Want to read
January 6, 2020After not caring for the other Hillary Monahan book I read, I'm not sure why I expected much differently of this one, but I DNFed it fairly quickly because I just don't enjoy her writing style, sadly.
October 23, 2017
4.5 dreadfully good stars!
“Always make a visible mark, so they cannot hide from their wrongs.” She stepped aside, offering me the knife handle first.
Breaths, as a rule, are warm, airy things, but [his] death rattle was frigid and thick, like icy porridge slithering down my throat. It tasted like raw meat and pennies.
With vibes of Anna Dressed in Blood, American Mary, and Fear the Drowning Deep, The Hollow Girl is haunting and bloody, tender and brutal. It promises grand and terrifying things, and delivers them with a wham.
I've been trying to write this review for days. Do you ever have a book where you're like, "Fuck, that was great!" but you have no idea what to say about it? Or I know what I want to say, but my brain will not cooperate. I've just been typing words and nothing is happening.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't really get words for this one.
So, I'll let the book do the talking.
First, some wise words from some very talented authors, in case my recommendation isn't enough for you. And if it isn't, well how dare you not take the word of me, a highly accomplished internetour?
This was actually my ineptus to read this one - the authors of Anna Dressed in Blood, The Dead House, and Not a Drop to Drink ALL loved this? How could I not read it?
So, since my words have failed me, I hereby present much better words from The Hollow Girl, aka reasons why you should read it.
“I—” Gran peered at me, her brown eye coursing over my face, worry crinkling her brow. “You are strong. You are mine so you are strong. Remember this.”
"They see my unwillingness to perform on command as a sign that the magic is untrue. Let them drown in their ignorance. When it is time for them to know my wrath, they will know it—and there will be no mistaking it."
“Please,” he begged. “Mercy."
"What mercy I had set with the blood moon.”
I didn’t bother with gloves; I already looked like I’d drowned in blood. I’d go downstream and dunk myself and pretend that I wasn’t forever mochadi.
That's all I've got folks. The whole book is brilliant. Just read go read it.
“Always make a visible mark, so they cannot hide from their wrongs.” She stepped aside, offering me the knife handle first.
Breaths, as a rule, are warm, airy things, but [his] death rattle was frigid and thick, like icy porridge slithering down my throat. It tasted like raw meat and pennies.
With vibes of Anna Dressed in Blood, American Mary, and Fear the Drowning Deep, The Hollow Girl is haunting and bloody, tender and brutal. It promises grand and terrifying things, and delivers them with a wham.
I've been trying to write this review for days. Do you ever have a book where you're like, "Fuck, that was great!" but you have no idea what to say about it? Or I know what I want to say, but my brain will not cooperate. I've just been typing words and nothing is happening.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't really get words for this one.
So, I'll let the book do the talking.
First, some wise words from some very talented authors, in case my recommendation isn't enough for you. And if it isn't, well how dare you not take the word of me, a highly accomplished internetour?
“A riveting tale of pain and revenge, Hilary Monahan’s The Hollow Girl hits the horrifying notes—dread and darkness and grisly ends—yet somehow still feels full of heart. There is magic here, and power, and Monahan’s Romani background shines in every detail. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.” —Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns
“A richly woven tapestry of magic, betrayal, and revenge told by a strong, spirited heroine who won my heart, broke it to pieces, and then healed it anew. Brava!” —Dawn Kurtagich, award-winning author of The Dead House
“A dark tale of revenge and justice in which fighting back means pushing the boundaries of what it can mean to be female.” —Mindy McGinnis, Edgar Award–winning author of The Female of the Species
This was actually my ineptus to read this one - the authors of Anna Dressed in Blood, The Dead House, and Not a Drop to Drink ALL loved this? How could I not read it?
So, since my words have failed me, I hereby present much better words from The Hollow Girl, aka reasons why you should read it.
“I—” Gran peered at me, her brown eye coursing over my face, worry crinkling her brow. “You are strong. You are mine so you are strong. Remember this.”
"They see my unwillingness to perform on command as a sign that the magic is untrue. Let them drown in their ignorance. When it is time for them to know my wrath, they will know it—and there will be no mistaking it."
“Please,” he begged. “Mercy."
"What mercy I had set with the blood moon.”
I didn’t bother with gloves; I already looked like I’d drowned in blood. I’d go downstream and dunk myself and pretend that I wasn’t forever mochadi.
That's all I've got folks. The whole book is brilliant. Just read go read it.
May 28, 2020
Ugh.
Where do I even start?
Setting
This book is set at an indeterminate time... maybe in the late 1800's? Our lead gal is being raised by her gypsy caravan's 'witch'. The lady that everyone goes to for healing, charms, etc. At first we are not sure that any magic is real; that quickly changes. I'm going to use the common words for gypsy, herbal woman/witch, and what not. The book uses (what I assume) are the correct words to describe these groups but let's face it you won't know these words if I use them. So for simplicity sake I'll be generic below.
Horror that isn't horror
If gruesome, gross and immorale is what you think defines a horror YA book then perhaps The Hollow Girl is for you. For me the only thing scary about this book was that it was: A) making excuses for why it's morale and okay (in some ways) to act on vengeance and take revenge; B) how bad the writing was.
A good horror book, like a good sword wielding fantasy story will have elements of gore in it; but there is a lot more to the story in that. It should give build slowly, give you shivers at times and make you question the thoughts and beliefs of the main character. And likely have empathy for some of the characters involved (because it's not their fault).
And yes horrific things happen in The Hollow Girl such as rape, murder, torture, lose of appendages, etc. But none of these events are what I found to be the hardest to accept. Instead I cannot believe that anyone would think it appropriate to torture, murder and maim others in order to save one person.
There are very few situations in which I am convinced that someone deserves to be physically punished. Now that's not to say that the occasional smack to a small child is wrong. I believe that at certain moments and levels that can be an appropriate parental response. BUT you would always react in an appropriate way and not out of a spiteful revenge filled place. Too bad our lead gal isn't taught this lesson. Instead she is taught the dark magic of her people by the existing herbal doctor she lives and grew up with.
It doesn't really bother me that our lead gal wants vengeance but it does bother me that she enacts her revenge on five of her peers (boys) at the consistent encouragement from the herbal doctor she calls grandmother. I don't want to teach children to be like Stephen King's Carrie and that getting revenge is the right course of action.
If we all took an eye for an eye each time we were wronged then we would be a society of blind people.
Between the unnecessary blood and gore, questionable moral compass and the attempt (with the authors note at the beginning of the book) to make readers feel compassionate towards the story without even starting it; I just can't give The Hollow Girl anything more than 2 stars. I only finished it because I was very close to the end (less than 50 pages) and wanted to see if there was some resolution of the morale issues. I was sorely disappointed.
I would not recommend this book to any one. Even a half-smart teen would see through the typical 'gore' tropes quickly and find it over the top and morally questionable. I love anti-heros and characters you love to hate; but here we are shown a lovely girl that is turned evil in a very unproductive way. I would not recommend this book to any one. Even a half-smart teen would see through the typical 'gore' tropes quickly and find it over the top and morally questionable. I love anti-heros and characters we love to hate; but here we are shown a lovely girl that is turned evil in a very unproductive way.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Where do I even start?
Setting
This book is set at an indeterminate time... maybe in the late 1800's? Our lead gal is being raised by her gypsy caravan's 'witch'. The lady that everyone goes to for healing, charms, etc. At first we are not sure that any magic is real; that quickly changes. I'm going to use the common words for gypsy, herbal woman/witch, and what not. The book uses (what I assume) are the correct words to describe these groups but let's face it you won't know these words if I use them. So for simplicity sake I'll be generic below.
Horror that isn't horror
If gruesome, gross and immorale is what you think defines a horror YA book then perhaps The Hollow Girl is for you. For me the only thing scary about this book was that it was: A) making excuses for why it's morale and okay (in some ways) to act on vengeance and take revenge; B) how bad the writing was.
A good horror book, like a good sword wielding fantasy story will have elements of gore in it; but there is a lot more to the story in that. It should give build slowly, give you shivers at times and make you question the thoughts and beliefs of the main character. And likely have empathy for some of the characters involved (because it's not their fault).
And yes horrific things happen in The Hollow Girl such as rape, murder, torture, lose of appendages, etc. But none of these events are what I found to be the hardest to accept. Instead I cannot believe that anyone would think it appropriate to torture, murder and maim others in order to save one person.
There are very few situations in which I am convinced that someone deserves to be physically punished. Now that's not to say that the occasional smack to a small child is wrong. I believe that at certain moments and levels that can be an appropriate parental response. BUT you would always react in an appropriate way and not out of a spiteful revenge filled place. Too bad our lead gal isn't taught this lesson. Instead she is taught the dark magic of her people by the existing herbal doctor she lives and grew up with.
It doesn't really bother me that our lead gal wants vengeance but it does bother me that she enacts her revenge on five of her peers (boys) at the consistent encouragement from the herbal doctor she calls grandmother. I don't want to teach children to be like Stephen King's Carrie and that getting revenge is the right course of action.
If we all took an eye for an eye each time we were wronged then we would be a society of blind people.
Between the unnecessary blood and gore, questionable moral compass and the attempt (with the authors note at the beginning of the book) to make readers feel compassionate towards the story without even starting it; I just can't give The Hollow Girl anything more than 2 stars. I only finished it because I was very close to the end (less than 50 pages) and wanted to see if there was some resolution of the morale issues. I was sorely disappointed.
I would not recommend this book to any one. Even a half-smart teen would see through the typical 'gore' tropes quickly and find it over the top and morally questionable. I love anti-heros and characters you love to hate; but here we are shown a lovely girl that is turned evil in a very unproductive way. I would not recommend this book to any one. Even a half-smart teen would see through the typical 'gore' tropes quickly and find it over the top and morally questionable. I love anti-heros and characters we love to hate; but here we are shown a lovely girl that is turned evil in a very unproductive way.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
March 28, 2017
This is such a powerful book. It really packs an emotional wallop. I cried off and on through the entire thing. And then I didn't want to read anything else for a week after.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
March 13, 2018
THE HOLLOW GIRL by Hillary Monahan is beautifully written, and both brutal and nuanced, and ultimately about the impossibility of hope. Highly recommended
October 13, 2017
I received this book from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
Full review originally posted on my blog: Word Wonders
CW: Rape, harrassement, physical and sexual assault, murder, blood, graphic violence, gore.
This book. THIS BOOK. I’ve been staring at my screen for the past half hour trying to collect my thoughts and write them into words but I’m failing miserably because as hard as this book was to read, it felt so deeply personal to me. Beyond the revenge, beyond the gore, Bethan’s inner thoughts and journey spoke to my soul for more reasons than one reason but holy wow, it was an amazing read that I would recommend BUT with caution as it can be very graphic.
Hillary Monahan is such a freaking talented writer, I love her writing style in general but what surprised me even more here is how she is able to tailor it not only to the genre of the book but also the themes it deals with. Here it’s gorgeous and strong and so so emotional, I could feel everything Bethan was feeling, the despair, the hollowness, the fear, all of it and I’m not gonna lie, it was tough on me, I had to take breaks but I got there and I loved it.
The only thing I did not like about the book is its pacing. It feels unbalanced. The whole first half of the story is slow paced and nothing much happens in it if we’re being honest. I think it was done to help the reader get familiar with the setting, the culture etc… and to immerse themself in the story, and build up to the revenge part but I think all of it could’ve been done in a fewer chapters as it felt like it dragged unnecessarily.
But once the story picked up, oh boy, did it get good. I can’t say I enjoyed it, because that word feels inappropriate considering how the book deals with rape but it was brilliant, so freaking brilliant. I loved how the rape was treated, it’s a mortal sin in Bethan’s Romani community and is treated as such and I also appreciated how the revenge wasn’t for the sake of revenge (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and that she didn’t enjoy any of the thing she did, doing them with a sense of duty only. But still, the fact that she was so powerful and ruthless about it was amazing.
There’s something I disagree with though, people say the rape is off page, but it’s not completely off page, the start AND end are in the book, not the whole thing thankfully and that alone was enough to put me in a rough state for a couple hours. So, I would advise you proceed with cotion when picking this up if rape can trigger you. The first part of the novel has a lot of harrassement, so I’d be careful with that as well. The second part though is very graphic with the violence and revenge execution it’s bloody, it’s vicious and fascinating especially in the way it was laced with Romani culture and beliefs.
Another huge plus in the novel is how the Romani culture is treated and so so well crafted in the story, even the atmosphere of the writing matches it perfectly. The author (being multiracial and of Romani heritage) threads with care and makes sure to subtly address many of the bad stereotypes Romani people are subject to. I was completely sucked in the multiple layers of the culture and all the intricate aspects of it.
I loved Bethan‘s character arc and how authentic she felt to me (emphasize on the *me*). The portrayal of the aftermath of her assault on her mentally and physically was something I cherished because of the nightmares, the hollowness, the touch-averseness. All of it was great to read and reassuring. I also appreciated how her relationship with Martyn didn’t save her. It didn’t even happen (as a romance) by the end of the book because she needed time to heal on her own.
Full review originally posted on my blog: Word Wonders
CW: Rape, harrassement, physical and sexual assault, murder, blood, graphic violence, gore.
This book. THIS BOOK. I’ve been staring at my screen for the past half hour trying to collect my thoughts and write them into words but I’m failing miserably because as hard as this book was to read, it felt so deeply personal to me. Beyond the revenge, beyond the gore, Bethan’s inner thoughts and journey spoke to my soul for more reasons than one reason but holy wow, it was an amazing read that I would recommend BUT with caution as it can be very graphic.
Hillary Monahan is such a freaking talented writer, I love her writing style in general but what surprised me even more here is how she is able to tailor it not only to the genre of the book but also the themes it deals with. Here it’s gorgeous and strong and so so emotional, I could feel everything Bethan was feeling, the despair, the hollowness, the fear, all of it and I’m not gonna lie, it was tough on me, I had to take breaks but I got there and I loved it.
The only thing I did not like about the book is its pacing. It feels unbalanced. The whole first half of the story is slow paced and nothing much happens in it if we’re being honest. I think it was done to help the reader get familiar with the setting, the culture etc… and to immerse themself in the story, and build up to the revenge part but I think all of it could’ve been done in a fewer chapters as it felt like it dragged unnecessarily.
But once the story picked up, oh boy, did it get good. I can’t say I enjoyed it, because that word feels inappropriate considering how the book deals with rape but it was brilliant, so freaking brilliant. I loved how the rape was treated, it’s a mortal sin in Bethan’s Romani community and is treated as such and I also appreciated how the revenge wasn’t for the sake of revenge (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and that she didn’t enjoy any of the thing she did, doing them with a sense of duty only. But still, the fact that she was so powerful and ruthless about it was amazing.
There’s something I disagree with though, people say the rape is off page, but it’s not completely off page, the start AND end are in the book, not the whole thing thankfully and that alone was enough to put me in a rough state for a couple hours. So, I would advise you proceed with cotion when picking this up if rape can trigger you. The first part of the novel has a lot of harrassement, so I’d be careful with that as well. The second part though is very graphic with the violence and revenge execution it’s bloody, it’s vicious and fascinating especially in the way it was laced with Romani culture and beliefs.
Another huge plus in the novel is how the Romani culture is treated and so so well crafted in the story, even the atmosphere of the writing matches it perfectly. The author (being multiracial and of Romani heritage) threads with care and makes sure to subtly address many of the bad stereotypes Romani people are subject to. I was completely sucked in the multiple layers of the culture and all the intricate aspects of it.
I loved Bethan‘s character arc and how authentic she felt to me (emphasize on the *me*). The portrayal of the aftermath of her assault on her mentally and physically was something I cherished because of the nightmares, the hollowness, the touch-averseness. All of it was great to read and reassuring. I also appreciated how her relationship with Martyn didn’t save her. It didn’t even happen (as a romance) by the end of the book because she needed time to heal on her own.
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November 14, 2017Honestly, I don't even know how to rate this story...
October 27, 2017
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was released earlier this month (October).
I was looking for some spooky/creepy reads for this month in celebration of Halloween and came across The Hollow Girl on Netgalley. Magic, witches, I'm all for it! I love books about witches. That's now all this book is about though. There are so many elements to this story and some being very serious and important topics.
Bethan wants revenge on the boys that harmed her and her friend Martyn and in doing so she has to do some pretty intense things. Things that could damage a person's sanity and change them completely. The story was pretty dark and the journey Bethan had to go on was not an easy one. I was rooting for Bethan all the way. I loved her and she did what she had to do. I felt like she grew throughout the story, especially with the things that she had to do (some pretty gory things!) and the things that were done to her. They will completely change a person.
Overall, I loved this story and I loved Bethan and Martyn. I especially loved Bethan's relationship with her Gran. There is a strong family bond in this story, which I loved so much. Bethan went on this dark emotional journey, but she also gained so much as well. I honestly wish there was a sequel, because I would really like to see more of what happened after the things in The Hollow Girl. Perfect Halloween read or to read anytime, really. It deals with a lot of important things such as physical abuse (and more). I highly recommend checking this one out!
It was released earlier this month (October).
I was looking for some spooky/creepy reads for this month in celebration of Halloween and came across The Hollow Girl on Netgalley. Magic, witches, I'm all for it! I love books about witches. That's now all this book is about though. There are so many elements to this story and some being very serious and important topics.
Bethan wants revenge on the boys that harmed her and her friend Martyn and in doing so she has to do some pretty intense things. Things that could damage a person's sanity and change them completely. The story was pretty dark and the journey Bethan had to go on was not an easy one. I was rooting for Bethan all the way. I loved her and she did what she had to do. I felt like she grew throughout the story, especially with the things that she had to do (some pretty gory things!) and the things that were done to her. They will completely change a person.
Overall, I loved this story and I loved Bethan and Martyn. I especially loved Bethan's relationship with her Gran. There is a strong family bond in this story, which I loved so much. Bethan went on this dark emotional journey, but she also gained so much as well. I honestly wish there was a sequel, because I would really like to see more of what happened after the things in The Hollow Girl. Perfect Halloween read or to read anytime, really. It deals with a lot of important things such as physical abuse (and more). I highly recommend checking this one out!
September 20, 2017
Review Originally Posted On The Sassy Book Geek
**** Huge thank you to Delacorte Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review! ****
I knew I was going to enjoy this book but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! Even though this book handles some tough content I still thought it was a fantastic book and something I just know I’ll be recommending, however, please keep in mind the following trigger warnings since this book gets very dark and gritty:
****Trigger Warnings: Rape, Graphic Violence, Physical and Sexual Abuse, & Gore****
Plot
First I’d like to say I actually really liked the Author’s Note/Forward at the beginning of this novel explaining her Romani heritage and some background on her inspiration for this book. I thought the Romani culture included in the story was absolutely fascinating and it’s very clear it’s handled and represented well by the author.
The story follows our protagonist, Bethan, who is learning herbcraft from her Gran who is also their clan’s drabarni (dealing in witchcraft). She desperately wants her Gran to start teaching her spells and witchcraft but must be patient and so instead goes to the market to sell their “spell” bags. At the marketplace she meets a very bold, sweet boy named Martyn who quickly befriends her. However, Bethan is constantly being harassed by the chieftain’s son Silas and his cronies and on her way home, she and Martyn are attacked and brutally assaulted. Bethan is learning quickly the ugly prices they have to pay to cast spells and must collect body parts from the wicked boys in order to save her friend.
The atmosphere in this story is very dark and very gritty dealing with blood and dark witchcraft, it definitely isn’t a story for the faint of heart. It’s also a very powerful and emotional story though and I thought the rape scene was handled well as it happens off page. How Bethan deals with the aftermath is incredible she’s an extremely strong character and slowly comes to terms with what was done to her over the course of the story.
I was on an emotional roller coaster while reading through “The Hollow Girl”, the way Hillary Monahan writes it made me feel every emotion that passed through Bethan. The anger, the rage at what was done to her and Martyn but yet she still had so much hope and mercy to give as well. We go from raging on a Hell bent revenge story to something……a lot more powerful and that’s all I’ll say. Everything comes full circle in a bit of an unexpected way. So overall though I thought the writing was fantastic.
As far as the pacing goes I thought it was very fast paced and was incredibly interesting from start to finish. The beginning may be considered more slow to other readers but it’s building up the story, the characters, and Romani rep so it really isn’t dull or boring at all. The action really picks up in the middle though and there’s also a couple surprise plot twists I did not see coming whatsoever!
Overall the plot was dark, suspenseful, and just plain amazing.
Characters
There weren’t too many central characters that came into play but the ones that did were fantastic, there was a lot of complexity and development to our main characters.
Bethan, is an amazing protagonist she’s extremely strong and develops a lot through the events of the story. Probably one of the best character arcs I’ve read! I don’t want to give too much away though by going in depth, just know she is a very well done character.
Gran, the current clan’s Drabarni and who is teaching Bethan to take her place, is also a very powerful and important character. Honestly Gran was such a badass, straight up badass is the best way to describe her. There were some scenes where I had goosebumps from her powerful spell craft displays. Go Gran!
Martyn didn’t have much “screen time” but he’s an important character at the beginning and end of the story especially. I thought he was incredibly charming, sweet, and adorable he was very much the chivalrous gentleman in my opinion. So much cuteness!
As for that little toad Silas and his gang they were despicable, I WISH I could have gone into this story and whooped some ass myself! However, every character got what they had coming to them and it was very satisfying.
Romance
While there isn’t really a romance in “The Hollow Girl” there is some flirtation and attraction between Martyn and Bethan, however after her assault she doesn’t want to be touched or too close to anyone, for good reason. However, it’s implied at the end of the story that they could be together in time. They are adorable and I’d love to see them end up together eventually.
In Conclusion
Overall an incredible story that had horror, suspense, and gore but also managed to be an incredibly emotional and powerful read.
What I Loved:
The writing was incredible
The Romani rep and culture was done well and was fascinating
Loved the dark, gritty revenge aspect of the story
Very fast paced and interesting all the way through
Very strong protagonist and great characters all around
What I Didn’t Love:
I honestly can’t think of anything I DIDN’T like about this story
Recommend?
I highly recommend checking this book out if you’re a fan of YA horror that gets dark and gritty. The addition of Romani culture and the witchcraft added to the story all the more as well. However, as I mentioned earlier please keep in mind the trigger warnings as this won’t be a book everyone can read.
**** Huge thank you to Delacorte Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review! ****
I knew I was going to enjoy this book but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! Even though this book handles some tough content I still thought it was a fantastic book and something I just know I’ll be recommending, however, please keep in mind the following trigger warnings since this book gets very dark and gritty:
****Trigger Warnings: Rape, Graphic Violence, Physical and Sexual Abuse, & Gore****
Plot
First I’d like to say I actually really liked the Author’s Note/Forward at the beginning of this novel explaining her Romani heritage and some background on her inspiration for this book. I thought the Romani culture included in the story was absolutely fascinating and it’s very clear it’s handled and represented well by the author.
The story follows our protagonist, Bethan, who is learning herbcraft from her Gran who is also their clan’s drabarni (dealing in witchcraft). She desperately wants her Gran to start teaching her spells and witchcraft but must be patient and so instead goes to the market to sell their “spell” bags. At the marketplace she meets a very bold, sweet boy named Martyn who quickly befriends her. However, Bethan is constantly being harassed by the chieftain’s son Silas and his cronies and on her way home, she and Martyn are attacked and brutally assaulted. Bethan is learning quickly the ugly prices they have to pay to cast spells and must collect body parts from the wicked boys in order to save her friend.
The atmosphere in this story is very dark and very gritty dealing with blood and dark witchcraft, it definitely isn’t a story for the faint of heart. It’s also a very powerful and emotional story though and I thought the rape scene was handled well as it happens off page. How Bethan deals with the aftermath is incredible she’s an extremely strong character and slowly comes to terms with what was done to her over the course of the story.
I was on an emotional roller coaster while reading through “The Hollow Girl”, the way Hillary Monahan writes it made me feel every emotion that passed through Bethan. The anger, the rage at what was done to her and Martyn but yet she still had so much hope and mercy to give as well. We go from raging on a Hell bent revenge story to something……a lot more powerful and that’s all I’ll say. Everything comes full circle in a bit of an unexpected way. So overall though I thought the writing was fantastic.
As far as the pacing goes I thought it was very fast paced and was incredibly interesting from start to finish. The beginning may be considered more slow to other readers but it’s building up the story, the characters, and Romani rep so it really isn’t dull or boring at all. The action really picks up in the middle though and there’s also a couple surprise plot twists I did not see coming whatsoever!
Overall the plot was dark, suspenseful, and just plain amazing.
Characters
There weren’t too many central characters that came into play but the ones that did were fantastic, there was a lot of complexity and development to our main characters.
Bethan, is an amazing protagonist she’s extremely strong and develops a lot through the events of the story. Probably one of the best character arcs I’ve read! I don’t want to give too much away though by going in depth, just know she is a very well done character.
Gran, the current clan’s Drabarni and who is teaching Bethan to take her place, is also a very powerful and important character. Honestly Gran was such a badass, straight up badass is the best way to describe her. There were some scenes where I had goosebumps from her powerful spell craft displays. Go Gran!
Martyn didn’t have much “screen time” but he’s an important character at the beginning and end of the story especially. I thought he was incredibly charming, sweet, and adorable he was very much the chivalrous gentleman in my opinion. So much cuteness!
As for that little toad Silas and his gang they were despicable, I WISH I could have gone into this story and whooped some ass myself! However, every character got what they had coming to them and it was very satisfying.
Romance
While there isn’t really a romance in “The Hollow Girl” there is some flirtation and attraction between Martyn and Bethan, however after her assault she doesn’t want to be touched or too close to anyone, for good reason. However, it’s implied at the end of the story that they could be together in time. They are adorable and I’d love to see them end up together eventually.
In Conclusion
Overall an incredible story that had horror, suspense, and gore but also managed to be an incredibly emotional and powerful read.
What I Loved:
The writing was incredible
The Romani rep and culture was done well and was fascinating
Loved the dark, gritty revenge aspect of the story
Very fast paced and interesting all the way through
Very strong protagonist and great characters all around
What I Didn’t Love:
I honestly can’t think of anything I DIDN’T like about this story
Recommend?
I highly recommend checking this book out if you’re a fan of YA horror that gets dark and gritty. The addition of Romani culture and the witchcraft added to the story all the more as well. However, as I mentioned earlier please keep in mind the trigger warnings as this won’t be a book everyone can read.
October 14, 2017
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
THE HOLLOW GIRL was written by a Romani to honor her grandmother and their shared Romani heritage. I was drawn in by that fact, excited to learn more about the Romani culture from the point-of-view of a young woman learning magic from her grandmother. However, I feel I must start this review by acknowledging that THE HOLLOW GIRL deals with a trigger warning for sexual harassment, abuse, and rape.
Bethan is subject to many different abuses at the hands of people both within and outside of her clan. She faces the awful reality of sexual harassment and rape culture. People touch her without her permission, because of her birthmark and because she stands outside of the clan as the drabarni's apprentice. She is both feared and admired, but ultimately thought of as an object to be possessed by the clansmen. This is not a book for people that want to escape the harsh reality that, even in 2017, women are treated horribly across the globe.
The rape, while not descriptive, remains the center of the book and propels all action. Her grandmother, the clan's drabarni, foretells something terrible is meant to happen to Bethan. I was uncomfortable with this plot decision from the start, but I could not get over the implication that it was Bethan's destiny to be raped and to survive. Until the rape, Bethan is largely passive. Afterwards, she is motivated to learn magic from her grandmother for the purposes of revenge. And when she completes her revenge, the book abruptly ends.
THE HOLLOW GIRL is well-written and covers the harsh truths of life that many women, especially minorities, face. But I could not get over the use of rape as a motivating plot-device. Some might find the revenge cathartic. I, like Bethan, only felt hollow.
Sexual content: Sexual harassment, abuse, rape
THE HOLLOW GIRL was written by a Romani to honor her grandmother and their shared Romani heritage. I was drawn in by that fact, excited to learn more about the Romani culture from the point-of-view of a young woman learning magic from her grandmother. However, I feel I must start this review by acknowledging that THE HOLLOW GIRL deals with a trigger warning for sexual harassment, abuse, and rape.
Bethan is subject to many different abuses at the hands of people both within and outside of her clan. She faces the awful reality of sexual harassment and rape culture. People touch her without her permission, because of her birthmark and because she stands outside of the clan as the drabarni's apprentice. She is both feared and admired, but ultimately thought of as an object to be possessed by the clansmen. This is not a book for people that want to escape the harsh reality that, even in 2017, women are treated horribly across the globe.
The rape, while not descriptive, remains the center of the book and propels all action. Her grandmother, the clan's drabarni, foretells something terrible is meant to happen to Bethan. I was uncomfortable with this plot decision from the start, but I could not get over the implication that it was Bethan's destiny to be raped and to survive. Until the rape, Bethan is largely passive. Afterwards, she is motivated to learn magic from her grandmother for the purposes of revenge. And when she completes her revenge, the book abruptly ends.
THE HOLLOW GIRL is well-written and covers the harsh truths of life that many women, especially minorities, face. But I could not get over the use of rape as a motivating plot-device. Some might find the revenge cathartic. I, like Bethan, only felt hollow.
Sexual content: Sexual harassment, abuse, rape
October 8, 2017
The Hollow Girl was the perfect horror novel to put me in the spooky mood. This revenge story was equal parts dark, suspenseful, gritty and emotional.
Rape is a large element of this book, so there are definitely trigger warnings for that in this story, which the author does point out. I thought that the author handled this sensitive topic in a very understanding and careful way. I don't have any personal knowledge on the topic, but it seemed like the author really looked into it so she could try to present carefully, which I appreciated. I also really liked the way the author represented the Romani culture. Again, I don't know a lot about this subject, but the author expressed her connection to the culture which made her writing seem like a really good representation of the culture.
Bethan, the main character, went on a really interesting and dark journey. Bethan definitely could be viewed as an anti-hero at times, BUT I WAS LIVING FOR HER. She went through a lot in this book and I really understood why she did the things she did. Bethan was a character that wanted revenge and I did not blame her. Her character development was progressed perfectly throughout this story. I don't know what it says about me, but there were times where I was actually cheering on Bethan as she would take body parts from boys. WHAT A QUEEN!!!!
There was a hint of romance in this book, but it was never a prominent element of this book. After the dark things Bethan went through, she wasn't really interested in getting involved with a boy. Even though the boy of interest was extremely adorable and kind, I totally understood why Bethan had her hesitations and it was handled very well.
The beginning of the book was a little slow for me. There were a lot of plotlines that were introduced, but it still felt like not a lot was happening? It took some time for the book's pacing to pick up and get more addicting. Once the book did pick up the pace, I was a lot more invested in the story! I was also hoping for a little more emotional ending for this story. I enjoyed the ending, but I do wish there would have been a little more attention drawn towards the internal conflicts of the characters at the end.
Overall, this was a really unique and interesting story. If you are a fan of creepy and suspenseful revenge novels that pack an emotional punch, then I definitely would recommend checking out this book!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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Rape is a large element of this book, so there are definitely trigger warnings for that in this story, which the author does point out. I thought that the author handled this sensitive topic in a very understanding and careful way. I don't have any personal knowledge on the topic, but it seemed like the author really looked into it so she could try to present carefully, which I appreciated. I also really liked the way the author represented the Romani culture. Again, I don't know a lot about this subject, but the author expressed her connection to the culture which made her writing seem like a really good representation of the culture.
Bethan, the main character, went on a really interesting and dark journey. Bethan definitely could be viewed as an anti-hero at times, BUT I WAS LIVING FOR HER. She went through a lot in this book and I really understood why she did the things she did. Bethan was a character that wanted revenge and I did not blame her. Her character development was progressed perfectly throughout this story. I don't know what it says about me, but there were times where I was actually cheering on Bethan as she would take body parts from boys. WHAT A QUEEN!!!!
There was a hint of romance in this book, but it was never a prominent element of this book. After the dark things Bethan went through, she wasn't really interested in getting involved with a boy. Even though the boy of interest was extremely adorable and kind, I totally understood why Bethan had her hesitations and it was handled very well.
The beginning of the book was a little slow for me. There were a lot of plotlines that were introduced, but it still felt like not a lot was happening? It took some time for the book's pacing to pick up and get more addicting. Once the book did pick up the pace, I was a lot more invested in the story! I was also hoping for a little more emotional ending for this story. I enjoyed the ending, but I do wish there would have been a little more attention drawn towards the internal conflicts of the characters at the end.
Overall, this was a really unique and interesting story. If you are a fan of creepy and suspenseful revenge novels that pack an emotional punch, then I definitely would recommend checking out this book!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
October 29, 2017
В преддверии Хэллоуина захотелось пощекотать себе нервишки ужастиком. Роман выбирала... практически наобум - за что зацепилась во френд-ленте на GR, то и взяла.
Ну и свою функцию история почти выполнила))
Суть проста - месть.
Героиню-цыганку изнасиловали пятеро ублюдков, ее возлюбленного убили. Почти. Целительница из ее табора говорит, что парня можно вернуть, вот только это путь не для слабаков, ибо ингредиенты для зелья весьма специфические - ухо, глаз, волосы, нос, пальцы...
Выбор доноров очевиден.
Повествование не то чтобы слишком захватывающее. Очень много внимания уделено слову, но не духу, что несколько выбивало из истории. В смысле... местами слова оставались просто словами. Не хватило мне того самого кинговского don't say, show. Впрочем, попереживать и погрызть ногти все равно удалось, и жуткие моменты были, да и вообще... читала я с каким-то извращенным удовольствием, доведенная до нервного тика модным литературным трендом "любовь к насильнику".
А тут все так... ух. Правильно? Как бы дико это ни звучало.
Кровожадная я, да.
По мне, всех бы насильников так наказывать.
3 звезды
Имхо, автору еще не хватает мастерства для таких ужастиков, но задатки есть))
Ну и свою функцию история почти выполнила))
Суть проста - месть.
Героиню-цыганку изнасиловали пятеро ублюдков, ее возлюбленного убили. Почти. Целительница из ее табора говорит, что парня можно вернуть, вот только это путь не для слабаков, ибо ингредиенты для зелья весьма специфические - ухо, глаз, волосы, нос, пальцы...
Выбор доноров очевиден.
Повествование не то чтобы слишком захватывающее. Очень много внимания уделено слову, но не духу, что несколько выбивало из истории. В смысле... местами слова оставались просто словами. Не хватило мне того самого кинговского don't say, show. Впрочем, попереживать и погрызть ногти все равно удалось, и жуткие моменты были, да и вообще... читала я с каким-то извращенным удовольствием, доведенная до нервного тика модным литературным трендом "любовь к насильнику".
А тут все так... ух. Правильно? Как бы дико это ни звучало.
Кровожадная я, да.
По мне, всех бы насильников так наказывать.
3 звезды
Имхо, автору еще не хватает мастерства для таких ужастиков, но задатки есть))
October 25, 2017
Check out my book blog for more book reviews and other bookish posts!
I received an ARC of The Hollow Girl from Netgalley. I decided to request this book because it was a story about revenge and a victim of rape seeking justice. It’s written by Hilary Monahan, who is also a survivor of rape, so I was pretty sure it would be written respectfully. I don’t usually read horror, however this was something that I thought I might like.
This book is #ownvoices for Romany and multiracial representation.
__
This book was a difficult read. It was a good read, but very difficult. I’m not someone who cries easily when I’m reading a book, and while I didn’t cry with this book, my eyes were wet and my heart was pounding.
Most of the rape scene takes place off the pages, yet even so, it made me quite upset. However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t written respectfully. This truly is one of the books that has a very respectful portrayal of the rape and the rape survivor. It’s not tokenising, neither is it used to decorate the plot, or to make the story more enticing. The writing touches on how Bethan deals with being a rape victim, and doesn’t center the feelings of the other characters.
One could argue that the revenge she takes is harsh and cruel, however, what would you do in her place? To save Martyn, she must take from those who assaulted her. (And before someone comments on this review, saying that only one boy raped her, just don’t comment that. Just because the other boys didn’t rape her, doesn’t mean that they aren’t complicit in assaulting her and in her rape.) If the boys give willingly, they only lose one part of them. It is a harsh choice, but it allows them to have a choice in their punishment, a choice that Bethan did not have.
The writing is excellent. The characters and scenes are described in such detail (showing not telling). The symbolic comparisons also allowed for a more engaging experience with the story. The book came alive in my mind.
This is a book where not only the actual text is amazing. I really recommend not skipping the foreword and the acknowledgements, as it gives you a wealth of information about the story.
I have some criticism, but it is very small. First of all, I didn’t like that Gran said that if a character was too blind to realise her power, he doesn’t deserve his eyes. He wasn’t unable to see her power, he just didn’t want to see her power or didn’t acknowledge it. Saying he was blind insinuates that he was unable to see it. The book also mentioned that a penis symbolises maleness. Two of the minor female characters mentioned that only women can understand rape, which insinuates that only women get raped. I wouldn’t have had a problem with the latter, if it had been acknowledged somewhere that this is not always true.
__
I wholly recommend The Hollow Girl. It’s an exhausting read. But it’s a good read. It’s cathartic. If you are thinking of buying the book, please make sure that you check the trigger warnings.
I will certainly be looking out for new releases by Hillary Monahan.
Trigger warnings: rape, sexual abuse, murder, racism, violence.
I received an ARC of The Hollow Girl from Netgalley. I decided to request this book because it was a story about revenge and a victim of rape seeking justice. It’s written by Hilary Monahan, who is also a survivor of rape, so I was pretty sure it would be written respectfully. I don’t usually read horror, however this was something that I thought I might like.
This book is #ownvoices for Romany and multiracial representation.
__
This book was a difficult read. It was a good read, but very difficult. I’m not someone who cries easily when I’m reading a book, and while I didn’t cry with this book, my eyes were wet and my heart was pounding.
Most of the rape scene takes place off the pages, yet even so, it made me quite upset. However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t written respectfully. This truly is one of the books that has a very respectful portrayal of the rape and the rape survivor. It’s not tokenising, neither is it used to decorate the plot, or to make the story more enticing. The writing touches on how Bethan deals with being a rape victim, and doesn’t center the feelings of the other characters.
One could argue that the revenge she takes is harsh and cruel, however, what would you do in her place? To save Martyn, she must take from those who assaulted her. (And before someone comments on this review, saying that only one boy raped her, just don’t comment that. Just because the other boys didn’t rape her, doesn’t mean that they aren’t complicit in assaulting her and in her rape.) If the boys give willingly, they only lose one part of them. It is a harsh choice, but it allows them to have a choice in their punishment, a choice that Bethan did not have.
The writing is excellent. The characters and scenes are described in such detail (showing not telling). The symbolic comparisons also allowed for a more engaging experience with the story. The book came alive in my mind.
This is a book where not only the actual text is amazing. I really recommend not skipping the foreword and the acknowledgements, as it gives you a wealth of information about the story.
I have some criticism, but it is very small. First of all, I didn’t like that Gran said that if a character was too blind to realise her power, he doesn’t deserve his eyes. He wasn’t unable to see her power, he just didn’t want to see her power or didn’t acknowledge it. Saying he was blind insinuates that he was unable to see it. The book also mentioned that a penis symbolises maleness. Two of the minor female characters mentioned that only women can understand rape, which insinuates that only women get raped. I wouldn’t have had a problem with the latter, if it had been acknowledged somewhere that this is not always true.
__
I wholly recommend The Hollow Girl. It’s an exhausting read. But it’s a good read. It’s cathartic. If you are thinking of buying the book, please make sure that you check the trigger warnings.
I will certainly be looking out for new releases by Hillary Monahan.
Trigger warnings: rape, sexual abuse, murder, racism, violence.
October 8, 2017
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley which does not influence my review*
Hillary Monahan’s The Hollow Girl is one of the few books that I would strongly suggest reading the synopsis of before diving in. The storyline involves the rape of the protagonist and how this dramatically changes her, as well as following her quest for retribution. Knowing the inevitable assault was coming did not make the beginning of the story any easier to read. There’s a lot of building tension that is both frustrating and representative of what the character is about to go through. The reader knows what’s coming, but is powerless to stop it. So many times we see the rape of a character used to shock audiences or propel another character’s arc forward. In The Hollow Girl, rape isn’t used for shock value and thus the author is able to approach it with sensitivity to the victim by centering Bethan.
Bethan has been raised as the eventual successor to the drabarni in her Romani clan. As drabarni, “Gran” functions as a healer to her people and is well respected within the community. Bethan has spent a considerable amount of time learning herbcraft, but has always been more interested in Gran’s other magical talents. To outsiders, the most that is shared is a cure for common ailments or a charm for dreams, but Bethan knows that Gran has greater power than this. After Bethan is raped, Gran offers her the opportunity to learn the craft in order to save the life of her new friend Martyn by taking something from the individuals responsible. Bethan learns that this kind of magic is costly. It not only demands sacrifice from these violators, but also demands her to do things she never thought herself capable of.
Bethan’s strongest relationship is with Gran. Though the older woman is harsh at times, she looks out for Bethan in her own way. Gran is a character who I won’t soon forget. She’s fierce, strong, and with a few words can induce fear in others. Bethan slowly begins to understand what it truly means to be drabarni by following Gran’s lead and in so doing gains a more complete understanding of her mentor. Bethan has always believed she will follow in Gran’s footsteps, but the accumulation of her experiences, has her calling this belief into question. I’m a big fan of fictional witches, but am mostly drawn to darker depictions. I loved the details in this one when it came to the witchcraft. It was messy and gruesome, but by making it so the author is able to show that these facts take a toll on the wielder of magic.
The Hollow Girl is not an easy read. It can be an emotionally exhausting experience. It is however an important story about a girl who endures a horrific trauma, but who takes back control of her life.
Hillary Monahan’s The Hollow Girl is one of the few books that I would strongly suggest reading the synopsis of before diving in. The storyline involves the rape of the protagonist and how this dramatically changes her, as well as following her quest for retribution. Knowing the inevitable assault was coming did not make the beginning of the story any easier to read. There’s a lot of building tension that is both frustrating and representative of what the character is about to go through. The reader knows what’s coming, but is powerless to stop it. So many times we see the rape of a character used to shock audiences or propel another character’s arc forward. In The Hollow Girl, rape isn’t used for shock value and thus the author is able to approach it with sensitivity to the victim by centering Bethan.
Bethan has been raised as the eventual successor to the drabarni in her Romani clan. As drabarni, “Gran” functions as a healer to her people and is well respected within the community. Bethan has spent a considerable amount of time learning herbcraft, but has always been more interested in Gran’s other magical talents. To outsiders, the most that is shared is a cure for common ailments or a charm for dreams, but Bethan knows that Gran has greater power than this. After Bethan is raped, Gran offers her the opportunity to learn the craft in order to save the life of her new friend Martyn by taking something from the individuals responsible. Bethan learns that this kind of magic is costly. It not only demands sacrifice from these violators, but also demands her to do things she never thought herself capable of.
Bethan’s strongest relationship is with Gran. Though the older woman is harsh at times, she looks out for Bethan in her own way. Gran is a character who I won’t soon forget. She’s fierce, strong, and with a few words can induce fear in others. Bethan slowly begins to understand what it truly means to be drabarni by following Gran’s lead and in so doing gains a more complete understanding of her mentor. Bethan has always believed she will follow in Gran’s footsteps, but the accumulation of her experiences, has her calling this belief into question. I’m a big fan of fictional witches, but am mostly drawn to darker depictions. I loved the details in this one when it came to the witchcraft. It was messy and gruesome, but by making it so the author is able to show that these facts take a toll on the wielder of magic.
The Hollow Girl is not an easy read. It can be an emotionally exhausting experience. It is however an important story about a girl who endures a horrific trauma, but who takes back control of her life.
August 2, 2017
Trigger Warnings: rape (off page), graphic violence (slight gore), non-consensual behavior
Thanks to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'll have a review up closer to release date but I enjoyed this book as much as one can enjoy books about this topic. I'm always up for a good, dark and gritty horror!
Thanks to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'll have a review up closer to release date but I enjoyed this book as much as one can enjoy books about this topic. I'm always up for a good, dark and gritty horror!
April 6, 2018
«The choices we make in life stay with us, Bethan. There are few opportunities for second chances.»
«Strength comes in many guises, Bethan. Knowing yourself, your limitations—knowing what you will and will not do, following your heart— that is strength. Enduring what you endured and still being merciful and hopeful? Also strength.»
In a Romani clan, Bethan is the apprentice of Drina, a healer, and she's learning how to use different kinds of herbs. The girl wants to start learning magic, but her grandmother says she's not yet prepared so she must wait.
What partially caught my attention in this book was its different setting: the Romani clan. It was interesting to know more about their culture - how they lived, their different and strict moral rules – and I loved that! The references to the magic also picked my interest, but I often wondered if magic was real or if it was like what medieval people called “magic” or “witchcraft”, but as the books is listed as YA Horror, I gave It the benefit of the doubt in that matter.
During the first half of The Hollow Girl Bethan’s aspirations to become a healer like Drina such as how is it like to be part of a Romani clan, and Bethan's uneasiness towards the harassment of which she's victim of five boys were some of the most explored things, and even though they were used to give her some depth and complexity, I didn’t feel connect with her, or with any of the characters in fact, in any way.
It was also sad to realize that the main character didn't tell anyone anything about the harassment because, according to the Romani moral laws, she could be the one encouraging them. That was so frustrating.
I liked how Bethan and Martyn’s friendship started, on the first day of the story, and how it evolved – it was based on real kindness, something she hadn’t felt before except from Drina because of her birthmark.
One day, Bethan is brutally assaulted by the assholes I’ve mentioned above and Martyn, who tried to defend her, is spanked and nearly dies. However, Drina has a way to save him, a ruthless way that will make Bethan doubt of herself and of her actions. This revengeful way involves (real) magic, badassery and gore, all united with action, which created a lot of edgy moments.
The Hollow Girl was an awesome, dreadful read - I loved the fight between kindness and human evilness, hope and desperation -, but I’m knocking off a star because I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the story dragged at times.
«Strength comes in many guises, Bethan. Knowing yourself, your limitations—knowing what you will and will not do, following your heart— that is strength. Enduring what you endured and still being merciful and hopeful? Also strength.»
In a Romani clan, Bethan is the apprentice of Drina, a healer, and she's learning how to use different kinds of herbs. The girl wants to start learning magic, but her grandmother says she's not yet prepared so she must wait.
What partially caught my attention in this book was its different setting: the Romani clan. It was interesting to know more about their culture - how they lived, their different and strict moral rules – and I loved that! The references to the magic also picked my interest, but I often wondered if magic was real or if it was like what medieval people called “magic” or “witchcraft”, but as the books is listed as YA Horror, I gave It the benefit of the doubt in that matter.
During the first half of The Hollow Girl Bethan’s aspirations to become a healer like Drina such as how is it like to be part of a Romani clan, and Bethan's uneasiness towards the harassment of which she's victim of five boys were some of the most explored things, and even though they were used to give her some depth and complexity, I didn’t feel connect with her, or with any of the characters in fact, in any way.
It was also sad to realize that the main character didn't tell anyone anything about the harassment because, according to the Romani moral laws, she could be the one encouraging them. That was so frustrating.
I liked how Bethan and Martyn’s friendship started, on the first day of the story, and how it evolved – it was based on real kindness, something she hadn’t felt before except from Drina because of her birthmark.
One day, Bethan is brutally assaulted by the assholes I’ve mentioned above and Martyn, who tried to defend her, is spanked and nearly dies. However, Drina has a way to save him, a ruthless way that will make Bethan doubt of herself and of her actions. This revengeful way involves (real) magic, badassery and gore, all united with action, which created a lot of edgy moments.
The Hollow Girl was an awesome, dreadful read - I loved the fight between kindness and human evilness, hope and desperation -, but I’m knocking off a star because I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the story dragged at times.
January 1, 2022
Trigger warning: rape, sexual assault, abuse
I'm rating this 3.5/5. Not sure what rating I'm giving for this book (3 or 4?). While there are other things I wanted to change, I do like this book. However, I still think there could be plot holes. The pacing was unusual because the blurb from this book didn't happen until it reached 50%. Needless to say, anything before that felt uneventful to a certain extent. My favorite character is the grandma and she's the reason why I kept reading.
Anyway, huge thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I'm rating this 3.5/5. Not sure what rating I'm giving for this book (3 or 4?). While there are other things I wanted to change, I do like this book. However, I still think there could be plot holes. The pacing was unusual because the blurb from this book didn't happen until it reached 50%. Needless to say, anything before that felt uneventful to a certain extent. My favorite character is the grandma and she's the reason why I kept reading.
Anyway, huge thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 17, 2020
“This is a book designed to make you feel, and those feelings aren’t always good.”
This book hurt, but I loved it.
This book hurt, but I loved it.
May 1, 2019
Warnings: sexual assault (rape), physical violence (murder, stabbing, abuse), torture, immolation, self-harm (for blood use in magic), ritualistic sacrifice, PTSD
Rep: The main character and much of the cast is Romani
A book that bases itself on a revenge plot for a survivor of sexual assault, The Hollow Girl presents a girl who goes through violence to heal herself. Bethan, the drabarni's apprentice, has always been a bit aloof from her people, due to her status as the next drabarni. She sells cures and charms in the market next to a handsome farmer boy, Martyn, who she strikes a friendship with, but this draws the ire of the cheftain's son, Silas, who has been bullying her for a long time, and attacks her to besmirch her (and thus, force her to marry him) and kills Martyn with the help of his friends. In the aftermath, the drabarni, her Gran, helps her get revenge as well as the magic required to resurrect Martyn back. Bethan, who was always sure she wanted to be a witch, finally gets to use magic, and know the price of working it.
First of all, I gotta say, I FELT the rage in the book. Was it immensely satisfying to see the boys get punished in different ways, to disarm them, to render them powerless, for their hand in the attack? Sure! It's the rage of every woman, her fear and frustration embedded into the plot. The author describes Bethan's inner turmoil so well, the numbness at the start, the intermittent rage, the beginnings of doubt, the self-reflection and the path to when she begins to heal. I mean, I was prepared for this just to be a horror novel where she exacts her revenge (I'm gonna freely admit I love a good revenge plot), but this is about her family supporting her in every way possible, helping her get justice, even in a patriarchal system that puts her at a disadvantage. The culture of virginal purity and notions of uncleanliness makes it like it is about punishing them for disrespecting her and underestimating the power of her Gran, but in subtle ways, you realize that her Gran is doing it more so that she can get through this, and come to a place where she can feel somewhat safer about her life.
Overall, it is a dark book, with a lot of pain involved, but it is also satisfactory is seeing a girl get her justice.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
Rep: The main character and much of the cast is Romani
A book that bases itself on a revenge plot for a survivor of sexual assault, The Hollow Girl presents a girl who goes through violence to heal herself. Bethan, the drabarni's apprentice, has always been a bit aloof from her people, due to her status as the next drabarni. She sells cures and charms in the market next to a handsome farmer boy, Martyn, who she strikes a friendship with, but this draws the ire of the cheftain's son, Silas, who has been bullying her for a long time, and attacks her to besmirch her (and thus, force her to marry him) and kills Martyn with the help of his friends. In the aftermath, the drabarni, her Gran, helps her get revenge as well as the magic required to resurrect Martyn back. Bethan, who was always sure she wanted to be a witch, finally gets to use magic, and know the price of working it.
First of all, I gotta say, I FELT the rage in the book. Was it immensely satisfying to see the boys get punished in different ways, to disarm them, to render them powerless, for their hand in the attack? Sure! It's the rage of every woman, her fear and frustration embedded into the plot. The author describes Bethan's inner turmoil so well, the numbness at the start, the intermittent rage, the beginnings of doubt, the self-reflection and the path to when she begins to heal. I mean, I was prepared for this just to be a horror novel where she exacts her revenge (I'm gonna freely admit I love a good revenge plot), but this is about her family supporting her in every way possible, helping her get justice, even in a patriarchal system that puts her at a disadvantage. The culture of virginal purity and notions of uncleanliness makes it like it is about punishing them for disrespecting her and underestimating the power of her Gran, but in subtle ways, you realize that her Gran is doing it more so that she can get through this, and come to a place where she can feel somewhat safer about her life.
Overall, it is a dark book, with a lot of pain involved, but it is also satisfactory is seeing a girl get her justice.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
February 4, 2022
Una historia original que involucra una comunidad de lo que comúnmente la gente llama Gitanos pero cuyo nombre correcto sería Romanis. Aquí podremos conocer un poco de su cultura, su forma de vivir y sus creencias.
La mayor parte se centra en Bethan su relación con su abuela y el acoso que recibe por parte del hijo del jefe de su comunidad. Un joven y sus amigos que te dan ganas de partirles un caño en la cabeza por las acciones que realizan. Y el problema es que desde entrada sabemos que le depara a Bethan porque lo dice la sinopsis, va a ser brutalmente agredida por Silas y sus compinches. Pasamos página tras página esperando que ese suceso ocurra porque sabemos que luego se va a desarrollar el pandemonio y toda la acción. Ocurren situaciones de tire y afloje, de tensión en tensión que van anticipando lo que está por ocurre pero así se consume un 75% del libro hasta que luego todo ocurre de forma acelerada y en un plumazo se acabó la historia.
A lo que voy es que, la sinopsis debería omitir ese detalle para no estar esperándolo y por otro lado que las cosas se extendieron más de la cuenta para llegar a la acción y todo lo que se promete en la sinopsis, porque al final pasa todo tan rápido que te quedas con ganas de más. De conocer más sobre la magia de los romaní que se presenta en la historia, quieres ver más de la venganza pero también del después de que todo acaba. Es decir, que el final termina siendo muy precipitado para el ritmo que llevaba todo el libro.
La mayor parte se centra en Bethan su relación con su abuela y el acoso que recibe por parte del hijo del jefe de su comunidad. Un joven y sus amigos que te dan ganas de partirles un caño en la cabeza por las acciones que realizan. Y el problema es que desde entrada sabemos que le depara a Bethan porque lo dice la sinopsis, va a ser brutalmente agredida por Silas y sus compinches. Pasamos página tras página esperando que ese suceso ocurra porque sabemos que luego se va a desarrollar el pandemonio y toda la acción. Ocurren situaciones de tire y afloje, de tensión en tensión que van anticipando lo que está por ocurre pero así se consume un 75% del libro hasta que luego todo ocurre de forma acelerada y en un plumazo se acabó la historia.
A lo que voy es que, la sinopsis debería omitir ese detalle para no estar esperándolo y por otro lado que las cosas se extendieron más de la cuenta para llegar a la acción y todo lo que se promete en la sinopsis, porque al final pasa todo tan rápido que te quedas con ganas de más. De conocer más sobre la magia de los romaní que se presenta en la historia, quieres ver más de la venganza pero también del después de que todo acaba. Es decir, que el final termina siendo muy precipitado para el ritmo que llevaba todo el libro.
November 2, 2017
3.5 stars!
"Hell hath no fury like a woman wronged....It always rang true, and one should fear a woman who want's revenge, most especially if that woman had powers beyond your imagination!"
Bethan was born different, even in their Romani standards, she'd always been an unwilling subject to other peoples prejudice, and supertitious ignorance, and it did'nt help that she's an apprentice to a powerful drabani. Her tribe avoided and feared them, but it seem that not all believe in what they can do. Five boys in their own clan assaulted and hurt her, and left a boy who showed interest in her in the brink of death. Now that would make anyone think of revenge, is'nt it? But her vengeance was more...as the saying goes, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and more for her, blood for blood., violence begets more violence afterall, as her grandma would say.
But of course, magic is a powerful thing.. There will always be a price to pay, nothing comes free, everything had a cost.. But Bethan's way past caring. She would have her revenge, one way or another. They had to reaped what they had sown, especially if they showed no repentance in what they done. She would cast her retribution, and it would be a bloody one!
"The choices we make in life stay with us, Bethan. There are few opportunities for second chances"
"Hell hath no fury like a woman wronged....It always rang true, and one should fear a woman who want's revenge, most especially if that woman had powers beyond your imagination!"
Bethan was born different, even in their Romani standards, she'd always been an unwilling subject to other peoples prejudice, and supertitious ignorance, and it did'nt help that she's an apprentice to a powerful drabani. Her tribe avoided and feared them, but it seem that not all believe in what they can do. Five boys in their own clan assaulted and hurt her, and left a boy who showed interest in her in the brink of death. Now that would make anyone think of revenge, is'nt it? But her vengeance was more...as the saying goes, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and more for her, blood for blood., violence begets more violence afterall, as her grandma would say.
But of course, magic is a powerful thing.. There will always be a price to pay, nothing comes free, everything had a cost.. But Bethan's way past caring. She would have her revenge, one way or another. They had to reaped what they had sown, especially if they showed no repentance in what they done. She would cast her retribution, and it would be a bloody one!
"The choices we make in life stay with us, Bethan. There are few opportunities for second chances"
October 28, 2019
Wow, this was incredible.
Full review (and list of content warnings) to come.
Full review (and list of content warnings) to come.
November 11, 2017
Hillary Monahan, who is part-Romani and a sexual assault survivor, explores both topics in this wrenching but flawed novel. I really wanted to like it more than I did, but though I devoured it, I couldn’t give it more than three stars.
Bethan is a Welsh Romani girl who has been raised by a woman whom she believes to be unrelated to her. Her guardian is a witch in a world where magic is rare but real, and she wants Bethan to follow in her footsteps. Bethan is more concerned about dealing with her harasser, Silas, whose father is a leader who won’t accept that his son could do wrong. She’s also enjoying a budding friendship (or maybe something more) with diddicoy (part-Romani) farmboy Martyn, who is curious about her culture and helps her out at the market.
Things go seriously wrong when Silas attacks Martyn and Bethan, raping her and nearly killing her friend. Bethan turns to her grandmother’s arts to engage in a gruesome ritual to save Martyn and avenge herself on Silas and his accomplices. She deals with dissociation after the attack, and also has to consider whether or not she wants to continue along the path her grandmother set her on.
The ethics of the book are downright weird, with outright slavery in the form of a magical bond being condoned. The prose is also not at the level I hoped it would be. The setting is vague in terms of time–it seems to be in the past, but there aren’t a lot of clues as to when. Nevertheless, the characters sometimes use very modern language when discussing racism and other topics. And the grandmother character’s backstory somewhat unbalanced the book–I felt like it should have taken up either less space or more.
That said, it’s an interesting and readable book. Monahan brings her personal knowledge and experience to bear on two very important topics, and reading the book was certainly educational for me. But I feel like it had a lot of unrealized potential in terms of the writing.
Bethan is a Welsh Romani girl who has been raised by a woman whom she believes to be unrelated to her. Her guardian is a witch in a world where magic is rare but real, and she wants Bethan to follow in her footsteps. Bethan is more concerned about dealing with her harasser, Silas, whose father is a leader who won’t accept that his son could do wrong. She’s also enjoying a budding friendship (or maybe something more) with diddicoy (part-Romani) farmboy Martyn, who is curious about her culture and helps her out at the market.
Things go seriously wrong when Silas attacks Martyn and Bethan, raping her and nearly killing her friend. Bethan turns to her grandmother’s arts to engage in a gruesome ritual to save Martyn and avenge herself on Silas and his accomplices. She deals with dissociation after the attack, and also has to consider whether or not she wants to continue along the path her grandmother set her on.
The ethics of the book are downright weird, with outright slavery in the form of a magical bond being condoned. The prose is also not at the level I hoped it would be. The setting is vague in terms of time–it seems to be in the past, but there aren’t a lot of clues as to when. Nevertheless, the characters sometimes use very modern language when discussing racism and other topics. And the grandmother character’s backstory somewhat unbalanced the book–I felt like it should have taken up either less space or more.
That said, it’s an interesting and readable book. Monahan brings her personal knowledge and experience to bear on two very important topics, and reading the book was certainly educational for me. But I feel like it had a lot of unrealized potential in terms of the writing.
November 21, 2017
I was expecting a bit more from Hillary Monahan.
Plot: I was hesitant about this book because of the mention of brutal assault, but because I adored MARY: The Summoning I decided to give it a go. Before diving into the book, I read the author's note which was about Hilary's Romani grandmother and Hilary's journey to discover her heritage. It was clear that this was Hilary's love letter to her Romani culture, but it felt as though The Hollow Girl was more to educate people about Romani beliefs and terminology rather than a story.
As the synopsis mentioned, the main character, Bethan, is raped by a group of neighborhood boys who are basically "untouchables". Knowing that I was preparing myself for that moment as rape is a hard topic for me to read. Monahan dropped many not-so-subtle hints about the impending assaults and it definitely upped the tension. After the incident, Betham and her adoptive mother, Drina, found a spell that required Bethan to explore her dark side. I can't say that there was anything spooky about this book, there were some gruesome moments but nothing like in MARY: The Summoning. There was also no time spent on the emotional effects of the horrific assault that Betan experienced, she literally went right into planning revenge.
Like I said, this felt more like an opportunity for the author the explore Romani way of life than telling a story, and while I was interested in learning more about Monahan's culture, it felt like all of the terms, traditions, and lifestyle aspects were info dumps.
Characters: Because this was a relatively short book, there weren't a lot of opportunities to get inside the heads of characters. It was interesting to read all of the casual sexism and double standards that existed, but nothing to make me feel like I understood the characters. Martyn was the young love interest of Betham but because their budding relationship had only lasted a number of days, it was unbelievable that she would feel so attached to him.
Worldbuilding: The Hollow Girl took place in Wales, I believe it was present day but there weren't a lot of physical descriptions. Most of the action took place in Bethan's wagon and the local market; there were many missed opportunities to truly flesh out the world.
Short N Sweet: The Hollow Girl was an obvious love letter to Romani culture and lacked the creepy atmosphere I had been expecting.
Plot: I was hesitant about this book because of the mention of brutal assault, but because I adored MARY: The Summoning I decided to give it a go. Before diving into the book, I read the author's note which was about Hilary's Romani grandmother and Hilary's journey to discover her heritage. It was clear that this was Hilary's love letter to her Romani culture, but it felt as though The Hollow Girl was more to educate people about Romani beliefs and terminology rather than a story.
As the synopsis mentioned, the main character, Bethan, is raped by a group of neighborhood boys who are basically "untouchables". Knowing that I was preparing myself for that moment as rape is a hard topic for me to read. Monahan dropped many not-so-subtle hints about the impending assaults and it definitely upped the tension. After the incident, Betham and her adoptive mother, Drina, found a spell that required Bethan to explore her dark side. I can't say that there was anything spooky about this book, there were some gruesome moments but nothing like in MARY: The Summoning. There was also no time spent on the emotional effects of the horrific assault that Betan experienced, she literally went right into planning revenge.
Like I said, this felt more like an opportunity for the author the explore Romani way of life than telling a story, and while I was interested in learning more about Monahan's culture, it felt like all of the terms, traditions, and lifestyle aspects were info dumps.
Characters: Because this was a relatively short book, there weren't a lot of opportunities to get inside the heads of characters. It was interesting to read all of the casual sexism and double standards that existed, but nothing to make me feel like I understood the characters. Martyn was the young love interest of Betham but because their budding relationship had only lasted a number of days, it was unbelievable that she would feel so attached to him.
Worldbuilding: The Hollow Girl took place in Wales, I believe it was present day but there weren't a lot of physical descriptions. Most of the action took place in Bethan's wagon and the local market; there were many missed opportunities to truly flesh out the world.
Short N Sweet: The Hollow Girl was an obvious love letter to Romani culture and lacked the creepy atmosphere I had been expecting.
September 7, 2017
This book didn't freak me out like the Mary series by this author. It was still very good, and the descriptions in some of the scenes were downright gruesome. There was a lot of suspense, and the antagonist was a truly despicable human being.
Reading about the Romany culture was interesting. I haven't read a lot about them. The strange thing about this book is that I have no idea what time period it is set in. That's not a bad thing, it's just interesting.
I would hesitate to hand this to a teen that I was unfamiliar with based on the content. There is rape, a lot of violence, and a lot of blood. If they picked it up on their own, I would have a blast discussing it with them.
Reading about the Romany culture was interesting. I haven't read a lot about them. The strange thing about this book is that I have no idea what time period it is set in. That's not a bad thing, it's just interesting.
I would hesitate to hand this to a teen that I was unfamiliar with based on the content. There is rape, a lot of violence, and a lot of blood. If they picked it up on their own, I would have a blast discussing it with them.
June 4, 2018
This book was quite entertaining but not exactly what i had in mind after reading the description.
I loved the insight i got on the Romani life, since i never read anything about them before, and this made me understand their culture a lot more. I also really liked the protagonist and her initial thirsth for vengeance, even if just to bring back her friend. But the thing i liked the most was the portrayal of sexual assault and how the protagonist coped with it.
It was definatly a dark read, but i would've liked for it to be darker still.
I loved the insight i got on the Romani life, since i never read anything about them before, and this made me understand their culture a lot more. I also really liked the protagonist and her initial thirsth for vengeance, even if just to bring back her friend. But the thing i liked the most was the portrayal of sexual assault and how the protagonist coped with it.
It was definatly a dark read, but i would've liked for it to be darker still.
October 30, 2017
I read an earlier version of this book when it was in draft, and it remains of the most emotive things I've read from Hillary Monahan so far. It's a powerful, gutpunch of a book.
June 16, 2017
Ooooh spooky! I just finished the ARC of this! A YA with a creepy horror vibe! Hollow Girl is one of those edgy teen reads that borders into the NA/New Adult category with its gory components but never goes over the top or graphic with its content. Taking place in an older part of history, the book has that type of classic folktale/fairytale atmosphere that really ramps up the creepiness factor which works very well here.
A Welsh gypsy clan on the outskirts of town brings suspicion and internal conflict within the tribe when its protagonist Bethan, an apprentice healer, falls for a boy outside of their Romani people. When the son of the clan’s leader brutally assaults Bethan and murders the object of her affections, the main character uses her dark magic to seek out revenge on the group that wronged her. Expect a rape and revenge story along the same lines of the films I Spit on Your Grave and The Last House on the Left (again, I don’t recommend watching these movies unless you want to be psychologically scarred forever).
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Obviously, the subject matter is sure to turn off readers but the sexual assault scene was handled tactfully and not graphically which could easily done as exploitative and tasteless. Author Hillary Monahan uses plenty of implications and symbolic prose to mask the horrible nature of the situation but leaves enough for the reader to understand the aftermath. Furthermore, the “gory” parts in the revenge scenarios never got too much that it entered into Stephen King or Clive Barker territory but it did shake you just enough to give you goosebumps.
Now I was bit hesitant because I read a previous horror/gore YA novel and rated it very low because the writing and terrible plot was just terrible that it warranted me giving it a one star review but Hollow Girl exceeded my expectations with the writer’s wonderful storytelling, good prose, and ability to capture a mood with her readers. By no means was Hollow Girl perfect but it did put a great story that is sure to strike fear for those looking for that creepiness factor.
Pick up Hollow Girl! It’s going to be a great Halloween read!
A Welsh gypsy clan on the outskirts of town brings suspicion and internal conflict within the tribe when its protagonist Bethan, an apprentice healer, falls for a boy outside of their Romani people. When the son of the clan’s leader brutally assaults Bethan and murders the object of her affections, the main character uses her dark magic to seek out revenge on the group that wronged her. Expect a rape and revenge story along the same lines of the films I Spit on Your Grave and The Last House on the Left (again, I don’t recommend watching these movies unless you want to be psychologically scarred forever).
[image error]
Obviously, the subject matter is sure to turn off readers but the sexual assault scene was handled tactfully and not graphically which could easily done as exploitative and tasteless. Author Hillary Monahan uses plenty of implications and symbolic prose to mask the horrible nature of the situation but leaves enough for the reader to understand the aftermath. Furthermore, the “gory” parts in the revenge scenarios never got too much that it entered into Stephen King or Clive Barker territory but it did shake you just enough to give you goosebumps.
Now I was bit hesitant because I read a previous horror/gore YA novel and rated it very low because the writing and terrible plot was just terrible that it warranted me giving it a one star review but Hollow Girl exceeded my expectations with the writer’s wonderful storytelling, good prose, and ability to capture a mood with her readers. By no means was Hollow Girl perfect but it did put a great story that is sure to strike fear for those looking for that creepiness factor.
Pick up Hollow Girl! It’s going to be a great Halloween read!
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