A review by thenovelmaura
This Is Not a Dead Girl Story by Kate Sweeney

emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thank you for Penguin Teen for the finished copy of this book! This isn't a YA mystery so much as an exploration of grief, first love, violence against girls, and several other dark topics. I might have enjoyed it more had I known that going in, but I was expecting something more along the lines of Karen McManus. The mystery aspects took a backseat to the relationship dynamics between Jules, Remy, and River. Jules was too passive to be a compelling character, although her bad decisions and how she waded through the stages of grief made sense for a teenager in her position. I don't think I got as much out of this story as I would have if I had known that this wasn't a traditional YA mystery.
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