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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
A seemingly normal small town and an ever-creepier list of events involving two sisters - I love this story! It's beautifully told and you never know where the mystery is going. Also, top marks for cover art.
Full review here: https://amandasbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/imaginary-girls/
Full review here: https://amandasbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/imaginary-girls/
Ruby has practically raised her younger half-sister, Chloe. They live in a small town where Ruby is the star and she gets whatever she wants. No one messes with Chloe because they are afraid of what Ruby would do. One night, at Ruby's insistence, Chloe goes for a swim and finds the body of one of her classmates. Chloe's father immediately takes Chloe away from Ruby. Ruby is convinced that she can fix everything and Chloe can move back home; and Ruby does - sort of. Paranormal fans, this one's for you!
this book was good until suddenly it wasn't. I felt like the end came suddenly and did not explain enough about Ruby. I had the same problem other readers had where I just could not stand Ruby.
I enjoyed the writing style. I enjoyed the story until the end.
I enjoyed the writing style. I enjoyed the story until the end.
IMAGINARY GIRLS is still my favorite Nova Ren Suma novel. I don't think I'd be friends (or even like) any of the characters in the book if I met them in real life, but there's something compelling about each and every one. Even upon rereading this book (so I already know what's going to happen), I still felt the pull of the novel, the suspense kept me wanting to move forward. A haunting mix of real life feelings and not-real-to-life fantastical setting.
Really frustrating book, had a hard time finishing it.
This book! I don't even know!
In the beginning, I thought Ruby was just a manic pixie dream girl, who got what she wanted because she was so alluring and fanciful. Her initial description sounds like a MPDG, and/or like a Francesca Lia Block character - sunglasses and red wine and strawberry candies and a job she works at adorably! I expected fluffy, dreamy, and perhaps impetuous, but...I wasn't really prepared for what she is instead. What was there was much darker, and more complicated.
Without any spoilers, I can say that this was a book about sisters, power, and forces unknown. It's about what lies beneath and right in front of you. It's really unusual, creepy, and definitely haunting - I expect to dream about these girls and the dark water tonight.
You don't ever really know exactly what's going on here or why, but that is fully intentional, and it works. I didn't think it was flawless, but I did really really like it, and I couldn't put it down.
In the beginning, I thought Ruby was just a manic pixie dream girl, who got what she wanted because she was so alluring and fanciful. Her initial description sounds like a MPDG, and/or like a Francesca Lia Block character - sunglasses and red wine and strawberry candies and a job she works at adorably! I expected fluffy, dreamy, and perhaps impetuous, but...I wasn't really prepared for what she is instead. What was there was much darker, and more complicated.
Without any spoilers, I can say that this was a book about sisters, power, and forces unknown. It's about what lies beneath and right in front of you. It's really unusual, creepy, and definitely haunting - I expect to dream about these girls and the dark water tonight.
You don't ever really know exactly what's going on here or why, but that is fully intentional, and it works. I didn't think it was flawless, but I did really really like it, and I couldn't put it down.
This book was just plan weird, like the concept of the whole book is weird. I can't even really explain it because after I finished reading it, I was just like well okay. The plot and the characters were just plain weak. I get what the author was trying to do, but it just wasn't worth my time. The confusion I felt after reading this book was huge. Wouldn't recommend reading this book because there's really no point.
Imaginary Girls is my favorite novel in which nothing at all happens. It is also my favorite novel that includes an entire cast of pretty unlikeable characters. Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement? It is.
I've had some trouble committing to books at the start of this year but Nova Ren Suma pulled me in and soon I was drowning in the spooky setting of this book. I wanted to know just what was going on in this ghost filled world. This isn't a mystery though, this novel is a member of the "magical realism" genre. If you're not familiar or keen on that sort of thing then this book won't be for you. Because truly, almost nothing happens. This isn't another action packed dystopia. You probably won't fall in love with the characters. What you'll find in this novel is something different than a lot of what is out there today. This story is quiet. It is slow. It feels a lot like sinking*. It's not a trilogy. It's not even a romance. It's love, ghosts and magic. A whole town of ghosts trapped forever beneath.
It's the story of two sisters who are obsessed with each other in a very unhealthy way. Loyal until death. Attached at the hip in an unhealthy way that makes you want to reach out and shake Chloe. Wake up, Chlo. Ruby is the Regina George of your world. She always gets what she wants and we're all left to wonder why. The writing in this novel is so beautiful though, that none of that even matters, and you feel like you are floating in the water of the reservoir yourself; filled with anxiety over what may just grab your ankles in the pages to come and pull you in.
Looking for something a little different from YA? Imaginary Girls is your story. Nova Ren Suma is a beautiful writer and I can't wait for her next book.
* I really just wanted to throw in as many bad water references as I could here. No shame. Plus it's true. This novel does feel like sinking, right?
Recommendation: Those who like magical realism and ghosts. Lovers of pretty prose. Anyone looking to get away from your usual YA romances. Those who don't mind developing irrational fears of reservoirs and balloons.
This review and other bad jokes at my blog: The Night Bookmobile
I've had some trouble committing to books at the start of this year but Nova Ren Suma pulled me in and soon I was drowning in the spooky setting of this book. I wanted to know just what was going on in this ghost filled world. This isn't a mystery though, this novel is a member of the "magical realism" genre. If you're not familiar or keen on that sort of thing then this book won't be for you. Because truly, almost nothing happens. This isn't another action packed dystopia. You probably won't fall in love with the characters. What you'll find in this novel is something different than a lot of what is out there today. This story is quiet. It is slow. It feels a lot like sinking*. It's not a trilogy. It's not even a romance. It's love, ghosts and magic. A whole town of ghosts trapped forever beneath.
It's the story of two sisters who are obsessed with each other in a very unhealthy way. Loyal until death. Attached at the hip in an unhealthy way that makes you want to reach out and shake Chloe. Wake up, Chlo. Ruby is the Regina George of your world. She always gets what she wants and we're all left to wonder why. The writing in this novel is so beautiful though, that none of that even matters, and you feel like you are floating in the water of the reservoir yourself; filled with anxiety over what may just grab your ankles in the pages to come and pull you in.
Looking for something a little different from YA? Imaginary Girls is your story. Nova Ren Suma is a beautiful writer and I can't wait for her next book.
* I really just wanted to throw in as many bad water references as I could here. No shame. Plus it's true. This novel does feel like sinking, right?
Recommendation: Those who like magical realism and ghosts. Lovers of pretty prose. Anyone looking to get away from your usual YA romances. Those who don't mind developing irrational fears of reservoirs and balloons.
This review and other bad jokes at my blog: The Night Bookmobile
Hmmmmmm.
What is this, a new paperback cover for IG? Why? WHY?
There should be some angry tumblr gif in here, but I am too sad to post one.
What is this, a new paperback cover for IG? Why? WHY?
There should be some angry tumblr gif in here, but I am too sad to post one.
Chloe and Ruby are sisters. They are basically on their own. Their mother is a drunk and their fathers have abandoned them. Ruby is charismatic and beautiful and people love her. She can do whatever she wants whenever she wants and she can get the people of the town to do things for her. Chloe looks up to her older sister Ruby and will do anything she asks. One night Ruby asks Chloe to swim the reservoir in their town. During the swim Chloe discovers a dead body in a boat. This so traumatizes her that she moves away and lives with her father for two years. Then Ruby comes and gets her; Ruby wants her back. Back in the town and under Ruby's influence it is like the events of that night never happen. London, the dead girl, is alive and if not well at least present. Ruby's hold on the town and its people seems stronger than ever, but something strange is happening and it involves the reservoir. Ruby has always told stories about the town of Olive and how its people held on even when the government built the damn and flooded the reservoir. She tells of how the people of Olive are still there, waiting at the bottom of the deepest part of the reservoir. Now there seems to be something about the reservoir that Ruby isn't telling Chloe and it involves London.
This was a beautifully written book. The language is almost lyrical. However, I had no idea what was going on throughout most of the book and my questions were not answered at the end. How does Ruby have such influence? It is like she controls everything within the town borders, but this is never explained. The town of Olive? Does it still exist at the bottom of the reservoir? What exactly are its people if it does? What really happened to London? To Ruby? Is it magic, paranormal, aliens? I really have no idea. I couldn't put this book down, mainly because I couldn't figure it out, but it was a very frustrating read. Nothing really made sense and nothing was ultimately explained.
This was a beautifully written book. The language is almost lyrical. However, I had no idea what was going on throughout most of the book and my questions were not answered at the end. How does Ruby have such influence? It is like she controls everything within the town borders, but this is never explained. The town of Olive? Does it still exist at the bottom of the reservoir? What exactly are its people if it does? What really happened to London? To Ruby? Is it magic, paranormal, aliens? I really have no idea. I couldn't put this book down, mainly because I couldn't figure it out, but it was a very frustrating read. Nothing really made sense and nothing was ultimately explained.