Reviews with content warning for Fatphobia - Girls of Little Hope

Have you ever read a book that was both eerie and grotesque, yet soo utterly fascinating you were unable to put it down? Well, that’s what Girls of Little Hope was for me— a fabulously weird and unexpectedly compelling YA Horror from writing duo Sam Beckbessinger and Dale Halvorsen. Which perfectly captures the anxiety, angst and (relatable) growing pains of adolescence, but with a much needed (and surprisingly bloody) supernatural twist that’s guaranteed to keep even the most seasoned Horror fans on their toes.

Set in a small California town during the 1990s, Girls of Little Hope follows the mystery and aftermath of the disappearance of three girls (Donna, Rae and Kat) and the strange circumstances surrounding Donna and Rae’s return three days later: naked, covered in blood and with no memory of what happened…

I loved every deliciously creepy second of this! I’m not usually a huge Horror reader, but the atmospheric and expertly detailed, small town setting (complete with sinister undercurrent) and compelling, misfit characters had me utterly hooked.

Donna, the first character we’re introduced to is portrayed as quite impulsive and the most vocal of the trio but her sense of loyalty, compassion and long hidden vulnerabilities really made her one of my favourite characters.

Rae, our other “survivor” is resident ‘good girl’ who comes from a respectable, church going family who’s perceived perfection and conservative values have forced Rae into a suffocating state of repression and self loathing that was truly heart breaking to watch unravel.

Kat, our amateur sleuth and budding journalist is the only character whose POV is told via journal entries which really added a sense of intimacy and allowed us to explore their deep bond of friendship in such exquisite detail.

We also get to explore Kat’s mum Marybeth’s POV, whose complicated mother-daughter relationship juxtaposes perfectly with Kat’s innermost thoughts and really captures the flaws and nuances that really make up this fascinating, formidable and surprisingly three dimensional supporting character.

As well as Kat’s diary entries, we’re also treated to newspaper articles and Riot Grrl-esque ‘Zine pages, which cleverly immerses us in the history of Little Hope, its supernatural goings on and the angsty 90s high school experience without the pace slowing down or becoming too info dumpy.

I can’t say much else without spoiling the plot but, if you love shockingly twisty, House of Hollow meets Stranger Things style Horror, or books that scream “We are the weirdos mister”, then you definitely need to add this to your TBR just check TWs beforehand.

Also, a huge thank you to Kabriya over at Titan Books for the incredible proof.

Content Warnings

rhensie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Dude, what the fuck? I thought I was getting into a mystery crime novel and got .... very much something else??? A very raw exploration of female friendship, generational trauma, and being an outcast, alongside some pretty horrific horror going on. I would very much recommend reading this book, but be aware that you are not getting into a simple mystery here. The cover is not great, but don't let that put you off; if you can handle the trigger warnings, this is worth a read.

This sort of take on the fungi pandemic is super interesting, considering our own situation on this planet right now, as well as other media that do similar things. I wish we'd learnt more about it, but that also wasn't really what this book was about.

Our main cast of characters are fascinating. Kat, Rae and Donna all have unique flaws and yet fit together incredibly well, and it is devastating to learn what actually happened to them, and the fact that they will never live their full lives. The only thing missing for me was more exploration of the girls' sexuality and identity - there are some fairly heavy handed hints with respect to these issues, but none explored fully, though perhaps there just wasn't time for that in this book.

For anyone who wants to read this, be aware that there is graphic description of self-harm by
cutting
, including a somewhat lengthy and graphic section of the book that was very difficult to read. Also be aware that there is some fairly substantial fatphobia from one of the main characters.

Content Warnings

lily_peach's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

beckbessinger's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is a book about being a teenage weirdo, and how what gets you through is finding other weirdos.

The best thing about writing it was that it was like an elaborate long-term game of make believe with one of MY favourite weirdos, Dale Halvorsen.

It was enormous fun to write. 5 stars! Would write again!

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed coming up with it.

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