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A review by rantsandreads
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Girl in Pieces is the kind of book that hits hard, especially when it resonates with certain feelings and experiences deep within you. The scattered beginning perfectly mirrors the feeling of being broken, and as the narrative gradually flows into a more coherent storyline, it almost mimics the way one pieces together a shattered sense of self—something I found profoundly recognizable in my own journey growing up.
Protagonist, Charlie, faces multitudes of trauma—from self-harm and homelessness to devastating betrayals by those she loved. Her pain is visceral, but her slow climb out of the darkness, surrounded by a cast of imperfect, often equally-broken characters, speaks to anyone who has ever felt trapped by their own bleakness. The novel’s message of hope through self-love and survival, even when it feels impossible, is something I deeply connected with.
I found myself reading the last quarter through tear-filled eyes. The wrap up was painful and beautifully cathartic. There’s such an eloquence in the way Charlie’s journey of trying to contribute to the world, rather than being lost within herself and the darkness is written by the author.
Ultimately, this was a bit of a gut-punch of a novel for me, one that doesn’t cower from the harshness of reality but still manages to leave room for redemption. If I had read this in my youth, I would’ve seen it more as a survival guide than a story. I really admired the way Glasgow weaves meaningful words together when tackling such dark themes.
Protagonist, Charlie, faces multitudes of trauma—from self-harm and homelessness to devastating betrayals by those she loved. Her pain is visceral, but her slow climb out of the darkness, surrounded by a cast of imperfect, often equally-broken characters, speaks to anyone who has ever felt trapped by their own bleakness. The novel’s message of hope through self-love and survival, even when it feels impossible, is something I deeply connected with.
I found myself reading the last quarter through tear-filled eyes. The wrap up was painful and beautifully cathartic. There’s such an eloquence in the way Charlie’s journey of trying to contribute to the world, rather than being lost within herself and the darkness is written by the author.
Ultimately, this was a bit of a gut-punch of a novel for me, one that doesn’t cower from the harshness of reality but still manages to leave room for redemption. If I had read this in my youth, I would’ve seen it more as a survival guide than a story. I really admired the way Glasgow weaves meaningful words together when tackling such dark themes.