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zabcia's review against another edition
3.0
65%
""It's the little things that go first. The way light would play across his face at a certain angle. The expression he made when he pouted. The smell of him in the morning. You go to summon some detail up from the depths and it's no longer there. The dead drift away...you stop trying to recall details because the futility of it is worse than the fried. It's no longer the loss of the person you mourn, but the loss of the haunt."
This kinda feels like an episode of the Twilight Zone in terms of its meandering weirdness, falling short of the spectacularism. The cover and the summary blurb make it seem like this book will be about something entirely different from what it actually is - though I'm not entirely sure WHAT that "it" is definitively. I finished the book mostly because I kept thinking, "surely this can't be it", but apparently, yes it can.
In all honesty, I read the acknowledgements first, and the whole concept of the author losing their own child in the midst of writing a book involving the loss of a child/sibling was more compelling than the story itself.
"I went downstairs thinking I'd get a glass of water, maybe tea, maybe cereal. Something to fill me up inside, to weigh me down."
"Something in me shifted, the way your back can sometimes crack in a good way when you're getting up off the floor - just that accidental kind of movement that takes something so far out of place and knocks it back in effortlessly."
"You think they're seeing you. It can be intoxicating at first, the flood of sympathy that rushes in and surround you like helium, lifting you up. And then, somewhere between the finger sandwiches and the wilting lilies, you realize you are merely incidental. They are crows feasting on tragedy, and you stink of the dead."
"I wondered what made risk takers so attractive to the rest of us. Was it that we knew they could be ripped from our presence at any moment, an unfortunate victim of karma finally catching up to them?"
"My anger prowled beneath my skin like a pacing tiger in a too-small cage...there was nowhere to put it. No way to safely rehabilitate it and loose it into the wild, away from civilization."
""It's the little things that go first. The way light would play across his face at a certain angle. The expression he made when he pouted. The smell of him in the morning. You go to summon some detail up from the depths and it's no longer there. The dead drift away...you stop trying to recall details because the futility of it is worse than the fried. It's no longer the loss of the person you mourn, but the loss of the haunt."
This kinda feels like an episode of the Twilight Zone in terms of its meandering weirdness, falling short of the spectacularism. The cover and the summary blurb make it seem like this book will be about something entirely different from what it actually is - though I'm not entirely sure WHAT that "it" is definitively. I finished the book mostly because I kept thinking, "surely this can't be it", but apparently, yes it can.
In all honesty, I read the acknowledgements first, and the whole concept of the author losing their own child in the midst of writing a book involving the loss of a child/sibling was more compelling than the story itself.
"I went downstairs thinking I'd get a glass of water, maybe tea, maybe cereal. Something to fill me up inside, to weigh me down."
"Something in me shifted, the way your back can sometimes crack in a good way when you're getting up off the floor - just that accidental kind of movement that takes something so far out of place and knocks it back in effortlessly."
"You think they're seeing you. It can be intoxicating at first, the flood of sympathy that rushes in and surround you like helium, lifting you up. And then, somewhere between the finger sandwiches and the wilting lilies, you realize you are merely incidental. They are crows feasting on tragedy, and you stink of the dead."
"I wondered what made risk takers so attractive to the rest of us. Was it that we knew they could be ripped from our presence at any moment, an unfortunate victim of karma finally catching up to them?"
"My anger prowled beneath my skin like a pacing tiger in a too-small cage...there was nowhere to put it. No way to safely rehabilitate it and loose it into the wild, away from civilization."
brigii's review against another edition
2.0
It wasn't for me. I was so ready for an entirely different book after seeing the cover.
sarahpreno's review against another edition
3.0
I could not stop reading this book! It was mysterious with a little bit of weird and magical too. The writing was wonderful - the way the author described things just perfect. There were some darker and sadder aspects to this novel but they were well written and added so much to making the characters real. Overall, if you are looking for a fast paced and engaging read I would recommend
marieintheraw's review against another edition
2.0
Talk about a rollercoaster...and not in a good way. This book was all over the place. Additionally, the magical realism did not click with me.
I received an ecopy of this through Edelweiss; however, all opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this through Edelweiss; however, all opinions are my own.
chaosandbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I'd give this book one star for plot, but I will admit that it had a gripping atmosphere so I boosted it.
The promise of this book didn't live up to itself at all. I thought there was going to be more magic and mystery. Well, I guess there was plenty of mystery. That being what even happened? Once I finished the book, I just sat and stared at it wondering what was the point. What was Kara's family? How were they connected to Death? So he was her father and the father of all the women in her family? I have so many questions and no answers.
Kara is pretty much the most unlikable character ever. She's impulsive and manipulative. Prescott is kind of likable, but never given a chance to shine. Olivia is actually a compelling main character and the grief her and her family deal with is honestly the best part of the book. It's very real and tragic, and would have made for a compelling storyline without all the other stuff. It's easy to see how Olivia spiraled and found herself following Kara's whims.
While the plot suffers heavily, the writing is gorgeous. There's a lot of gothic description and you really start to feel the sense of emptiness Olivia experiences. It's mesmerizing enough to keep you going through the swiss cheese of a plot, but not enough to save the book.
The promise of this book didn't live up to itself at all. I thought there was going to be more magic and mystery. Well, I guess there was plenty of mystery. That being what even happened? Once I finished the book, I just sat and stared at it wondering what was the point. What was Kara's family? How were they connected to Death? So he was her father and the father of all the women in her family? I have so many questions and no answers.
Kara is pretty much the most unlikable character ever. She's impulsive and manipulative. Prescott is kind of likable, but never given a chance to shine. Olivia is actually a compelling main character and the grief her and her family deal with is honestly the best part of the book. It's very real and tragic, and would have made for a compelling storyline without all the other stuff. It's easy to see how Olivia spiraled and found herself following Kara's whims.
While the plot suffers heavily, the writing is gorgeous. There's a lot of gothic description and you really start to feel the sense of emptiness Olivia experiences. It's mesmerizing enough to keep you going through the swiss cheese of a plot, but not enough to save the book.
timvindigni's review against another edition
4.0
I feel as though this could have been a 5 star read if it hadn’t taken me almost a year to finish. I just picked it up and put it down too many times. So that’s on me.
To be honest, I think this would make a great movie. It’s weird and sad and dark. I enjoyed the vibes and the writing.
To be honest, I think this would make a great movie. It’s weird and sad and dark. I enjoyed the vibes and the writing.
theillumiletty's review
2.0
I am baffled and mildly peeved at how such eloquent and beautiful writing could end up being so dull.
kawarwick's review against another edition
3.0
I’m not a big fan of magical realism. I enjoyed parts of the story but there were parts I still question.
lauraew333's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to the author, Ava Morgyn, for gifting me with an ARC copy of Resurrection Girls. All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved this. So much. It's been a while since a book has made me think twice and subverts all manners of expectations. Trigger warnings for death of a child, drug overdose, addiction, and murder.
1. The characters. This book follows Olivia, a 16-year-old girl living in the suburbs with her mother and father. The story kicks off with new neighbors (Kara, the daughter, Rhea, the mother, and Sybil, the grandmother) moving in across the street who turn out to be a little removed from 'normal'. We also have a bit of a love interest in the other teenage character, Prescott, who also lives right down the street. The three teenagers (Olivia, Kara, and Prescott) form their own little cadre as the book progresses which really showcased each of their personalities. Olivia, the somewhat shy risk-taker, Kara, bold and reckless, and Prescott, measured and seemingly perfect. Seeing them all interact together was really interesting and, like I said, showcased their personalities marvelously. By the end especially, I felt so connected with Olivia and felt her devastation with her. Sparing a moment for Kara, what a character! She definitely brings some weirdness to the story (more about this later) and pushes along scenes that otherwise might drag. Prescott is a little more flat in the I'm-perfect-but-not-really-because-everyone-has-high-expectations kind of way.
"We kept breathing and talking and eating and beating. But we stopped living the day Robby died."
2. The plot. Essentially, without getting into too many spoilers, when Kara's family moves into the neighborhood and Kara begins to hand out with Olivia, the train really gets rolling. Kara writes letters to men on death row (she says it's for money but honestly, do we really believe her?) and Olivia, who has been dealing with the death of her brother (she played a key role in his death), is drawn to this part of Kara. It brings on this whole discussion of the types of death in our society and who is worthy of life and who we are allowed to murder as a society which I found intriguing. There are so many different layers of mystery that are continually uncovered. Why did Prescott pull away from Olivia? Why is Olivia's mom bedridden? Where does Olivia's father go after work? Why is Kara's family so strange? All of these questions are answered to varying degrees at varying points and they all build on each other. You can tell the author thought everything through carefully and orchestrated each scene and each plotline to reveal something important for the rest. There's also a bit of magical realism related to Kara and while normally I tend to dislike magical realism, I felt it really worked here. There's a scene near the end (for those who have read it, think birth) that was a stretch for me but otherwise, I think it worked very well.
"We all died that day, in the pool in the yard. We were buried, and filled in, and covered up, and forgotten. We were lost. And we've been dead ever since."
3. The romance. I'll warn y'all right now, there is a love triangle in this! There are so many polarizing feelings about love triangles and generally, I fall more on the I-like-them-if-they're-done-well category. They can be great tension builders and fantastic ways to get characters into different situations. I do think this love triangle was a little unnecessary. Olivia is a teenager and most teenagers are preoccupied with love but honestly, there was so many other interesting things happening it just felt like something else. It did add an interesting layer to their cadre moments but overall, I don't think it adds a ton. However, it is twisted slightly as there's kind of two happening with one of the characters. I'll leave it there because nobody likes spoilers! Bottom line, this is really up to personal taste and for me, it was nice, but not the best.
"I think anyone is capable of love, but broken people love in broken ways."
4. The themes. I feel like I need to do a section on this because OH MY GOODNESS SO MANY. Legitimately. This is a good thing, don't worry. Some authors have a tendency to smash you over the head with the 'moral of the story' and that isn't happening here. There are so many small conversations happening over the course of the book that really add up to something truly lovely. As I mentioned above, there's the conversation about death and who, as a society, we've deemed okay to murder. There's also a discussion of grief and the stages of grief and how the world sees you when you're grieving. A little thread of self-ownership and accepting yourself and your life also makes an appearance. Overall, this was my absolute favorite part.
"Olivia would shrink from truth, from the pain of knowing. But a Resurrection Girl shrank from nothing."
5. The writing. All I have to say here is beautiful. Just gorgeous. I highlighted so many quotes throughout that I couldn't possibly include all of them. Personally, I love a bit of poetry and this author employed some of the techniques common in poetry that really make the prose flow and sound especially beautiful when read aloud.
"And I wondered what made risk takers so attractive to the rest of us. Was it that we knew they could be ripped from our presence at any moment, an unfortunate victim of karma finally catching up with them?"
The Final Verdict:
A fascinating conversation about life, death, and grief, wrapped up in magical realism.
4.5 stars
I loved this. So much. It's been a while since a book has made me think twice and subverts all manners of expectations. Trigger warnings for death of a child, drug overdose, addiction, and murder.
1. The characters. This book follows Olivia, a 16-year-old girl living in the suburbs with her mother and father. The story kicks off with new neighbors (Kara, the daughter, Rhea, the mother, and Sybil, the grandmother) moving in across the street who turn out to be a little removed from 'normal'. We also have a bit of a love interest in the other teenage character, Prescott, who also lives right down the street. The three teenagers (Olivia, Kara, and Prescott) form their own little cadre as the book progresses which really showcased each of their personalities. Olivia, the somewhat shy risk-taker, Kara, bold and reckless, and Prescott, measured and seemingly perfect. Seeing them all interact together was really interesting and, like I said, showcased their personalities marvelously. By the end especially, I felt so connected with Olivia and felt her devastation with her. Sparing a moment for Kara, what a character! She definitely brings some weirdness to the story (more about this later) and pushes along scenes that otherwise might drag. Prescott is a little more flat in the I'm-perfect-but-not-really-because-everyone-has-high-expectations kind of way.
"We kept breathing and talking and eating and beating. But we stopped living the day Robby died."
2. The plot. Essentially, without getting into too many spoilers, when Kara's family moves into the neighborhood and Kara begins to hand out with Olivia, the train really gets rolling. Kara writes letters to men on death row (she says it's for money but honestly, do we really believe her?) and Olivia, who has been dealing with the death of her brother (she played a key role in his death), is drawn to this part of Kara. It brings on this whole discussion of the types of death in our society and who is worthy of life and who we are allowed to murder as a society which I found intriguing. There are so many different layers of mystery that are continually uncovered. Why did Prescott pull away from Olivia? Why is Olivia's mom bedridden? Where does Olivia's father go after work? Why is Kara's family so strange? All of these questions are answered to varying degrees at varying points and they all build on each other. You can tell the author thought everything through carefully and orchestrated each scene and each plotline to reveal something important for the rest. There's also a bit of magical realism related to Kara and while normally I tend to dislike magical realism, I felt it really worked here. There's a scene near the end (for those who have read it, think birth) that was a stretch for me but otherwise, I think it worked very well.
"We all died that day, in the pool in the yard. We were buried, and filled in, and covered up, and forgotten. We were lost. And we've been dead ever since."
3. The romance. I'll warn y'all right now, there is a love triangle in this! There are so many polarizing feelings about love triangles and generally, I fall more on the I-like-them-if-they're-done-well category. They can be great tension builders and fantastic ways to get characters into different situations. I do think this love triangle was a little unnecessary. Olivia is a teenager and most teenagers are preoccupied with love but honestly, there was so many other interesting things happening it just felt like something else. It did add an interesting layer to their cadre moments but overall, I don't think it adds a ton. However, it is twisted slightly as there's kind of two happening with one of the characters. I'll leave it there because nobody likes spoilers! Bottom line, this is really up to personal taste and for me, it was nice, but not the best.
"I think anyone is capable of love, but broken people love in broken ways."
4. The themes. I feel like I need to do a section on this because OH MY GOODNESS SO MANY. Legitimately. This is a good thing, don't worry. Some authors have a tendency to smash you over the head with the 'moral of the story' and that isn't happening here. There are so many small conversations happening over the course of the book that really add up to something truly lovely. As I mentioned above, there's the conversation about death and who, as a society, we've deemed okay to murder. There's also a discussion of grief and the stages of grief and how the world sees you when you're grieving. A little thread of self-ownership and accepting yourself and your life also makes an appearance. Overall, this was my absolute favorite part.
"Olivia would shrink from truth, from the pain of knowing. But a Resurrection Girl shrank from nothing."
5. The writing. All I have to say here is beautiful. Just gorgeous. I highlighted so many quotes throughout that I couldn't possibly include all of them. Personally, I love a bit of poetry and this author employed some of the techniques common in poetry that really make the prose flow and sound especially beautiful when read aloud.
"And I wondered what made risk takers so attractive to the rest of us. Was it that we knew they could be ripped from our presence at any moment, an unfortunate victim of karma finally catching up with them?"
The Final Verdict:
A fascinating conversation about life, death, and grief, wrapped up in magical realism.
4.5 stars