Sooo I’m pretty late to the game on reviewing this one. I read it, loved it, then life got busy. Same old story. Turns out the reminder I needed was a scandal: the author, Emma Cline, was accused of plagiarism by her ex-boyfriend. His claims were deemed false, so it sounds like a jealousy issue…but I digress.
The novel is set in Northern California in the 1960s. Talk about #VIBES. I love reading about that decade—the free spirits, the camaraderie and, of course, the boho style. I was sold right off the bat. The saturated image of a girl in John Lennon-esque sunglasses didn’t hurt, either.
The Girls is anything but flowery and sweet, though. It actually involves a Manson-inspired cult murder. Yeah.
I freakishly love novels and shows about murder. I’m pretty sure my family thinks I’m plotting something…but I promise I’m content leaving the crime to the characters.
Cline’s novel follows Evie, a teenager grappling with becoming a woman while living under her mother’s roof. Her struggle with friendships, crushes and her overall identity are totally relatable.
The not-so-relatable part? She gets caught up in a community of girls all dating one man, living off of discarded food, and stealing to get by.
I’ve heard mixed reviews from my peers about this one, but I wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s a welcome change to the typical coming-of-age story, and it kept me captivated.
Give it a read and let me know what you think!
Colorfully Yours,
Haley
