Girlhood by Cat Clarke
Girlhood by Cat Clarke
Hello All!
Today I am here to review Cat Clarke’s newest book, Girlhood!
About the Book
Harper has tried to forget the past and fit in at expensive boarding school Duncraggan Academy. Her new group of friends are tight; the kind of girls who Harper knows have her back. But Harper can’t escape the guilt of her twin sister’s Jenna’s death, and her own part in it – and she knows noone else will ever really understand.
But new girl Kirsty seems to get Harper in ways she never expected. She has lost a sister too. Harper finally feels secure. She finally feels…loved. As if she can grow beyond the person she was when Jenna died.
Then Kirsty’s behaviour becomes more erratic. Why is her life a perfect mirror of Harper’s? And why is she so obsessed with Harper’s lost sister? Soon, Harper’s closeness with Kirsty begins to threaten her other relationships, and her own sense of identity.
How can Harper get back to the person she wants to be, and to the girls who mean the most to her?
A darkly compulsive story about love, death, and growing up under the shadow of grief.
My Review
What If
Upon starting this book, I instantaneously fell in love with it. It was thrilling, addictive and essentially a true page-turner. Unfortunately while this feeling continued until the very last page, I feel a little conflicted about the ending of the book. I know why the author ended the book the way she did but I also feel that it was too rushed. In my opinion, the girls forgave each other too quickly thus not allowing breathing or healing. On the other hand, it was such a hopeful and lovely ending that I just struggled to work out my own feelings on it all. Due to that, it did slightly hamper my overall feelings towards the book but I did love everything else until that moment. It was a very unique and intriguing story – also friendships were a large theme in the book and I adore books about friendships!
You Didn’t
As mentioned above, the ending didn’t really work for me but what did work was the plot of the book. I absolutely loved how everything in the book played together. It was enticing. Cat only gave you minor details as the book continued, allowing your brain to try and theorize what was happening or going to happen in the long run. She slowly raveled you into the story until you were fully immersed and were unable to stop until you got to the final conclusion. This was all very well written and really shows how important plot and narration are when it comes to thrilling and addictive reads. There was just so much mystery and conflict!
Know Who
Every single character in this book was different and I truly love the way that Cat has managed to bring so many vibrant and wonderful personalities together. It is a wonderful representation of real life and shows how we can all have different interests but can still form bonds despite this. However, my favourite character was Rowan. She was so full of life, sparky and wild. I just loved her personality so much. She was so sure of herself, and yet she also had her vulnerabilities and worries as well. She could be a bit snarky and sharp but she was also just vibrant and loveable. She is the kind of person that I would absolutely love to befriend!
To Trust
All in all this book was an entertaining and mysterious read that I enjoyed while reading but just felt a bit lost by the ending. It is a book that I would still recommend and I am absolutely certain that some people will have no problems with the ending. I think personally it just struck a little close to home. Cat Clarke is a strong voice in the UKYA community and her books are always interesting, hard-hitting and addictive and this book is no different. I will definitely be making sure I pick up the next book she writes and would still highly recommend this book if you want a thrilling book that centers on friendship. (Not to mention including a vastly diverse cast – yay!)
** I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. **
