Scan barcode
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: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Abandonment
Moderate: Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lauramparis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Rape, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
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: Death, Genocide, Violence, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
shannananahey'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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Antisemitism
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, and Child death
ldruckreier's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
ettbokland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Death and Abandonment
omdenman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, and Antisemitism
dalmavatai'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? No
The present timeline was also entertaining, I enjoyed Fiona's investigation and her efforts to uncover what happened to Sonya as well as her own sister Deb. I didn't connect with her or care about her as much as I did about the girls in the past timeline, but I did enjoy the amateur sleuth trope, I love when a character is investigating a mystery and has to talk to people, question them, uncover documents, etc.
The ending was a bit anticlimactic for me, I expected the twists to be more shocking and satisfying in wrapping up the story. I still liked them, though, I did not see them coming and one was especially interesting.
Overall, a dark, tense, emotional read with lovable characters and an engaging investigation. A memorable read even if I was a bit let down by the ending.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Genocide, Mental illness, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, Murder, and War
Minor: Blood and Grief
ceejay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment