maddiemo's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
bonnieohthecat's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and devastating tale of romantic friendship between two Indian women.
kelseyallen's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
this was such a beautiful story, but it was also extremely depressing. every single page made my heart hurt. strong TW for multiple different sexual assaults throughout the book.
michromeu's review
I'm not really sure how to rate this because it was very impactful, but also very bleak and difficult to read. Will need to let this one sit for a bit.
katielemons's review
3.0
A novel about a about a once-in-a-lifetime friendship between two girls in India who are driven apart but never stop trying to find one another again. I was hooked pretty immediately, but this was certainly not an "easy" read. There are themes of violence, physical abuse, human trafficking, immigration, prostitution, and death amongst other things. While the ending was hopeful and the writing brilliant, it left me in a puddle of tears. I read this during the beginning of quarantine (March, 2020), and it just about ruined me. Cruelty is a theme from start to finish.
ble227's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Really dark....struggled to get through.
laurenqt's review
5.0
Even though it didn't end like I wanted it to it was a really good book. I haven't read many if any books about India and loved being transported into another country. Had to keep reminding myself it was set in the 1990's and 2000's not 1920 however based on the way the women were treated.
emilyusuallyreading's review
4.0
What I Liked
Girls Burn Brighter is painful to read because of the sorrows that these characters go through, but it does not feel exploitative or over-the-top. I love a friendship/romance novel (not true romance, but the deep love between two close friends), and this one was excellently done.
What I Didn't Like
The ending.
Girls Burn Brighter is painful to read because of the sorrows that these characters go through, but it does not feel exploitative or over-the-top. I love a friendship/romance novel (not true romance, but the deep love between two close friends), and this one was excellently done.
What I Didn't Like
The ending.
Spoiler
I can understand why some feel that it is fitting, but when the entire novel is approaching the meet-up, it hurts a little to not get to truly see it.crystalh429's review
3.0
This is a heavy book--heavy with abuse, emotion, and darkness. It is one of the few books I've read that I've genuinely had to put down because it was too much to keep pressing forward.
Savitha and Poornima have only a short time together as friends before their lives are ripped apart by a tragic event. They'll spend a lot of time in abusive, disgusting, tragic, heart-breaking events. And I mean A LOT. You might think it will finally end, and then you turn the page and it's even worse than the last page. It is a heavy book.
Somethings I love about this: the friendship they have is so lovely, the theme of girls burning brightly through hard times, can appreciate the India setting only because I've never read anything set in India.
This is a tough one to get through, but I would overall recommend it. I liked it, but it wasn't one that I love--because I'm not sure how you could really love something like this, but I also don't think you have to love every book to appreciate its value.
Savitha and Poornima have only a short time together as friends before their lives are ripped apart by a tragic event. They'll spend a lot of time in abusive, disgusting, tragic, heart-breaking events. And I mean A LOT. You might think it will finally end, and then you turn the page and it's even worse than the last page. It is a heavy book.
Somethings I love about this: the friendship they have is so lovely, the theme of girls burning brightly through hard times, can appreciate the India setting only because I've never read anything set in India.
This is a tough one to get through, but I would overall recommend it. I liked it, but it wasn't one that I love--because I'm not sure how you could really love something like this, but I also don't think you have to love every book to appreciate its value.
heathersbike's review
5.0
I enjoyed this very much. It was entirely out of my comfort zone and it ended so abruptly! But the story pulled me along. It also made me feel like all my problems are first world problems. Every. Single. One. Which is a good thing for me to keep in mind right now.