exlibrissum's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Murder, Police brutality, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child abuse, Grief, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, and Suicide attempt
moonylovesstars's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Violence, Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Gore
pauinha6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
dalek_caan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Confinement, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Child abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Mental illness
Minor: War and Violence
pibblemama97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, War, Antisemitism, Blood, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Genocide
alsndra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
- I found the chapters set in the 1950s to be more interesting than the chapters set in 2014. This was because I wanted to know more about the girls than Fiona and her life.
- I liked the elements of the paranormal, it definitely added some eeriness and mystery to the school setting.
- Wasn’t a fan of all the leads and names I had to keep up with and remember.
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Grief, Police brutality, and Suicide
Moderate: Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Rape, Death, and Drug use
haleybre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Suicide attempt, War, Genocide, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
b_lownds127's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
<<<<<Spoiler:
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Violence, War, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
savvyrosereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Told in dual timelines, The Broken Girls is the story of four best friends at a remote boarding school for troubled teens, and a journalist trying to learn buried details of her sister’s murder.
I love a good ghost story, and Simone St. James writes some of the best. The Sun Down Motel remains one of my all time favorites thrillers, and I really enjoyed The Book of Cold Cases earlier this year, so I was super excited to get my hands on The Broken Girls this spooky season. Overall I really enjoyed it—the themes of female friendship and empowerment were really meaningful to me, and I particularly loved the underlying message about the importance of telling stories and not erasing women’s trauma.
I will say that I ultimately wanted a little more from the plot, which sometimes felt a bit disconnected to me, and I wish there had been a bigger twist or two. Still, the creepy boarding school vibes and hauntingly (pun very intended) beautiful writing definitely make this a top notch recommendation for this time of year!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: ghost stories; stories about uncovering and healing from trauma; dual timeline thrillers
CW: Death/murder/attempted murder (including of a child); grief; sexual assault/rape; traumatic brain injury; mentions of anti-semitism/Nazism/concentration camps; mentions of PTSD/suicide/suicide attempt; miscarriage/stillbirth.
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Murder, Death, and Genocide
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Confinement, Sexism, Antisemitism, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, and Misogyny
Minor: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Drug use
ylienna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Antisemitism
Minor: Addiction