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A review by callikat
Other People's Clothes by Calla Henkel
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What an amazing read! I feel like a very specific type of person will like this (20-something girls looking for their identities, mixed up in toxic friendships) but I absolutely loved it. The dynamic between Zoe and Hailey is so well crafted; the constant one-upping, the jealousy, the manic desire to be a Great Artist (mostly Hailey for that last one) creates such tension - both of the girls are like ants in a jar, as they spend a lot of their time isolated from the other students, totally co-dependent on each other.
That in itself would be an interesting novel, but the thriller elements take it to the next level - Ivy's murder in the beginning (and that mystery persists all throughout the book), the creepy elements with the apartment, and of course how unhinged Hailey becomes. I also love a novel that knows how to end; the rising actions were so great, I was worried the book wouldn't stick the landing in the end - but it did! Even up until the gut punch on the last page!
That in itself would be an interesting novel, but the thriller elements take it to the next level - Ivy's murder in the beginning (and that mystery persists all throughout the book), the creepy elements with the apartment, and of course how unhinged Hailey becomes. I also love a novel that knows how to end; the rising actions were so great, I was worried the book wouldn't stick the landing in the end - but it did! Even up until the gut punch on the last page!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Vomit