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A review by micaelamariem
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was a hard book to rate because I did enjoy reading it (though perhaps “enjoy” isn’t the right word as there are major depictions of child abuse, so trigger warnings, folks); it kept me in suspense, wanting to know more.
Except as it turns out the “more” was exactly as I predicted. The plot twist, sans epilogue, was pretty much everything I thought it would be. So I’m proud of myself but also disappointed. I felt like there could have been so much more.
What I did appreciate was the way trauma was presented and how it can be carried through life in different ways. That was realistic and hopefully eye opening to the audience.
Except as it turns out the “more” was exactly as I predicted. The plot twist, sans epilogue, was pretty much everything I thought it would be. So I’m proud of myself but also disappointed. I felt like there could have been so much more.
What I did appreciate was the way trauma was presented and how it can be carried through life in different ways. That was realistic and hopefully eye opening to the audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail