When I had first started reading this, I definitely had to get used to the writing style, but when I did, I loved it! One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "I waited to be told what was good about me...All that time I had spent readying myself, the articles that taught me life was really just a waiting room until someone noticed you- the boys had spent that time becoming themselves." In my opinion, it gives good insight into why some of the characters (or even all of them) in the book interacted with each other the way they did. Anyways, great review!
Yesssss this was one of the lines that stuck with me the most as well. The book as a whole was a lot more about what it is to come of age as a girl than anything else.
I just finished the book & the only thing I would change was that we didn't get to see the family's transition to when they did the murders. Like there was no talk of helter skelter or anything like that and it disappointed me a little bit
It also took me a little bit of time to get used to the writing style, but once I did I was hooked. Also, I was so pleasantly surprised by Evie's sexuality. I hadn't seen that talked about in any reviews before I read the book so I was just assuming the book was going to be completely straight. And then it wasn't and I was like, *YES* 😂 Overall I think The Girls was a really strong debut novel and I can't wait to see what Emma Cline writes next.
I haven't heard many people talk about this book but from the people I know who have read it, they all really enjoy it and I'm glad to hear that you did too!
I guess I’m in the minority when I say I didn’t like this book. I picked it up because someone said it was about a cult on its way to notoriety, something that definitely intrigued me. But it didn’t seem to me like a cult at all, just a group of girls moping around at a filthy ranch smoking, doing drugs, sleeping with Russel, and dumpster diving. No rituals, sacrifices, etc.? The only cult-like quality present is the girls’ unwavering obsession and loyalty to Russel which isn’t even explored or explained in depth, just thrown at the reader to accept and not question. Also, the nonchalant description of underage girls having sex with older men was definitely disturbing. I may not know much about the 60s-70s but was sex with underage girls really that normal and non-controversial? The author didn’t even address this as concerning, on the contrary quite the opposite. The ending was very anticlimactic and random as well, so many loose ends that weren’t tied. I personally don’t see what was so great about this book and I’m disappointed that I wasted my time reading it as it was my first read of 2020.
I just finished reading this book and I'm happy to see a comment that I truly agree with.Also i feel like the history wasn't that very well organised and sometimes it was just frustrating me.
I'm going to have to check out this book. Thank you. You should check out the Strega Series by S.C. Alban...she writes very similar to what your describing, very in depth plot, details and beautiful. Her way with words is very unique.
Not sure if it was intended or not but the "inclined" pun made me giggle. Your reviews are so so good Emma, I'm amazed each time. I was wondering about this book because I keep thinking of it as American Girls by Alison Umminger. This video cleared it up perfectly, added it to my TBR :)
Yesterday I read a review for American Girls and I felt the need to tell you about it when I remembered these comments. I did not know until I read this review that the book contains some very harmful comments on eating disorders, the LGBT+ community and cancer patients. I thought you should know in case you were still thinking of reading it. I'll leave a link to the review if you want to read it, but you should know that she included direct quotes from the book which may be harmful. I've never suffered from an eating disorder so I can't say if they are triggering, but after watching you talk about yours (I think you're amazing for doing so by the way) I just want you to be aware that the quotes are bad before you're exposed to it. Really bad. www.goodreads.com/review/show/1903078175?book_show_action=false
Because of this, I am totally putting this on my TBR! I am super fascinated by serial killers, so this sounds right up my alley! On a slightly unrelated note, what lipstick are you wearing? Its gorgeous!
Yay, I'm so happy you liked it! I'm also weirdly fascinated by Charles Manson and I have Helter Skelter on my wishlist, lol! I completely agree with all of your points as well. It was a great book and different enough to stand on its own rather than just be another retelling of history.
Emmma (bet you get that joke a million times a day) your reviews give me life (even more than your unboxings or your hauls)!!!! Wp, now the girls is on my immediate tbr (my pocket hates you btw)!!! Just a question. What happened to your 2016 tbr challenges and jar? will we hear an update?
ahah awh thank you so so much!! i ended up abandoning it a few months in! i just didn't have the time to pick up additional books because it's already tough to make time for reading, but i'm hoping to do another one in the future!
firstly, i've just subscribed to you and am totally binge watching your hauls and reviews!! (help i can't stop) you're amazing and passionate and i already love you!! tbh i didn't really like this book? i loved the topic of it, i actually bought it because i was intrigued with the manson murders!! but the book just didn't live up to my expectations or what i thought it would be i guess. although i did like how the narrator was somewhat unreliable!! ahh ok i'm rambling here ;; anyways i really enjoy your channel!!
ah that's so cool!!! if i wasn't planning on going for a PhD in counselling/clinical work in the future and was taking more of a forensic route (which i'm also crazy interested in) he 100% would be my dissertation topic haha
I will for sure be picking up this book soon. It sounds amazing! :D I love that it's an adult book even though the main character is a teenager. In most YA books the main character is 17 years old but since most YA books are for ages 12 or 13 and up they have to keep it PG 13. But as we know most teenagers don't act PG 13 I guess you could say. And I feel like by having the main character be a teenager in an adult book the author is able to write the character as a more realistic teenager. One who may curse a lot and knows and talks about and may even try sex and alcohol ( or even drugs ) and who experiences more things. If that makes sense I hope it does.
if you're interested in the cult/serial murders and such, i think it's a fascinating topic! but you definitely don't need a ton of knowledge on it to read the book because it's not *technically* connected, the original story was just the inspiration!
Very good review and I will add this book to my TBR^^ I hope, my reviwes will be so good someday☺ At the moment, I have a few problems because I don't know how much I can say without spoilering anything and so on... Ok, I have filmed my first review last week, so, I think, it will improve with time or at least, I hope so:D
i hope you enjoy it! ahah it just takes practice! i ended up having to do a bunch of spoiler free reviews at one time, so repeating & practicing it over and over and over again really helped me! so maybe doing more reviews more often will help :)
the truth is, 99% of the time i reply whether you're early or months late XD thank you so much!! i hope you ended up enjoying the book by the end! hahha
This sounds so different and unique and chilling! I absolutely fascinated by this book and the topic it is exploring! I love how you always bring so many different and intriguing books to your channel and i always add them to my TBR! I am totally picking this one up!
If you're into cults/serial killers then you should check out the show The Following if you haven't already. All three seasons are on Netflix. It stars Kevin Bacon and Shawn Ashmore.
If anyone wants any more information about Charles Manson and his followers/cult, Stephanie Harlowe’s youtube series on it is very in depth and interesting, she does a great job. That’s where i got all of my information. Emma you hit the nail right on the head for the way I felt about the book. Beautiful writing style though it did take some warming up, an interesting perspective, and very true to the actual details of the Manson cult. An awesome book to me.
I think the hardest part for an author when creating characters inside a cult is understanding the psychology behind it. Like people don't join cults, they join movements they know aren't going to hurt them, they join for a particular reason. + it has to be realistic. + it has to be a gradual thing. idk cult books would be super difficult to write. But I'm interested on the basis that this book is about the ideas and the people that have attracted characters into this cult. It's basically what I find the most interesting about cults, like with Charles Manson, I haven't researched the killings that much at all just the ideas and what attracted his followers to him. I'm definitely going to read it. I'm excited.
I've never read a book where all the characters are unlikable. That's interesting. Most of the time, even if the book's crappy there's one character you stick through the book for. Lol you made it very clear about her sexuality 🙃
I have been dying to get this book. But unfortunately I went crazy and bought a whole bunch of books. I hope to get it later on in the future and hope to get more books like this.
