A review by almirareads
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

One thing about Faridah, she’s gonna write the HELL out of a mystery. I know it’s 400 pages, but I truly felt gripped the entire time, and finished it in two days. We were given PLOT, we were given secret society (disgusting as it was), we were given ANAGRAMS AND MORSE CODE!! This book also feels so real, but I can see the factors that are healing. Reminder to  mentally prep and read Faridah’s letter before you begin the book! Taking care of yourself while consuming media is SO IMPORTANT. I will also say that though the disappointments, tension, and terrors of this book are overwhelming and real, the additional themes of friendship, perseverance, and justice mean so much. 

The way Faridah writes her characters and their relationships is superb. Sade and Baz’s dynamic has got to be one of my favorite friendship dynamics I’ve gotten to read. I loved watching their friendship develop. The ONLY reason I’m knocking off points is because I remember there being so much talk about the Black lesbian romance element of the book, only to be disappointed
with the slowest slow burn known to man. Occasional flirting that barely read as flirting, THEY’RE FEELINGS NEVER REALLY TRULY DISCUSSED EXCEPT FOR A KISS WITH 6 PAGES LEFT IN THE BOOK AND A BRIEF “OH I’M DATING PERSEPHONE BTW” IN THE EPILOGUE, like FARIDAH BABES COME ONNNN
.
The unsettling nature of August and Jude’s characters were also so well written. I knew nearly from the jump that they were dangerous, being very on edge with every one-on-one moment Sade had with them, and that tension is definitely intentional
. 

This book also does a lot to show each character who is a survivor of some sort of trauma recreating their own narrative, as well as making things right for those who have passed on due to various traumas. This definitely is the main thing I hope readers can take away from the book, difficult as it may be. Stand firmly in the truth and shift the paradigm so that those who have wronged may be rightfully punished (though society will always uplift the fragile, evil patriarchy by any means). 
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