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thereadedit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have yet to find a book that Simone has written that I didn't love. This is by no means an exception. I loved this with my whole chest. I started it on a Friday night and couldn't put it down.
I devoured this book like no other and I can't say that I regret that decision. The characters in this book kept me on my toes thinking way past when I set the book down. And especially when I was in the middle of the book. I was constantly trying to figure out multiple things and I loved being in the middle of a mystery.
This definitely kept me on my toes and I loved it so much. The paranormal aspect definitely gave it the creepy vibe that I loved throughout the book.
I loved Fiona and her need to fill the curiosity from the past. She needed the clarity from her sisters murder but got so much more than she ever bargained for in the end. She was the perfect person to unfold everything from the inception of Idlewild all the way to the present involving another woman's case against her sisters killer.
There was so much happening not just in the past but also in the present that came together to show how much corruption is in the world. Not just in a war but also small town. The people you are supposed to trust, are the ones to be the most wary of. You never truly know what they are hiding.
I devoured this book like no other and I can't say that I regret that decision. The characters in this book kept me on my toes thinking way past when I set the book down. And especially when I was in the middle of the book. I was constantly trying to figure out multiple things and I loved being in the middle of a mystery.
This definitely kept me on my toes and I loved it so much. The paranormal aspect definitely gave it the creepy vibe that I loved throughout the book.
I loved Fiona and her need to fill the curiosity from the past. She needed the clarity from her sisters murder but got so much more than she ever bargained for in the end. She was the perfect person to unfold everything from the inception of Idlewild all the way to the present involving another woman's case against her sisters killer.
There was so much happening not just in the past but also in the present that came together to show how much corruption is in the world. Not just in a war but also small town. The people you are supposed to trust, are the ones to be the most wary of. You never truly know what they are hiding.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, and Child death
boba_n_books's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was my second Simone St. James novel, and I enjoyed it quite a bit! I did prefer The Sun Down Motel, but this was still a worthwhile read.
Written in a dual timeline, The Broken Girls tells the story of Vermont in the 1950s as well as in 2014. In the 50s, we follow four girls who were sent to Idlewild Hall--a boarding school for "troubled" girls. Each girl has their own struggles and reasons for ending up at Idlewild, and they come together to support each other and protect themselves until one of them goes missing. In 2014, Fiona is a journalist whose sister's body was dumped near Idlewild Hall years ago. Her sister's murderer has been in jail for quite some time, but Fiona wonders if there isn't more to the story. At the same time, someone is trying to restore Idlewild Hall, for reasons Fiona could never imagine, as she has heard nothing but horror stories from that school. Fiona discovers long-forgotten secrets of the school that tie back to her sister, and she will stop at nothing to find the truth and justice for the living and the dead.
I love how St. James creates dual timelines that slowly begin to relate to each other and reveal more as you continue reading. I thought the four girls from the 1950s were better characters than Fiona from 2014, though I did still appreciate her motivations and character development.
This well-written mystery/thriller will keep you on your toes and make you think about what you consider "justice."
Written in a dual timeline, The Broken Girls tells the story of Vermont in the 1950s as well as in 2014. In the 50s, we follow four girls who were sent to Idlewild Hall--a boarding school for "troubled" girls. Each girl has their own struggles and reasons for ending up at Idlewild, and they come together to support each other and protect themselves until one of them goes missing. In 2014, Fiona is a journalist whose sister's body was dumped near Idlewild Hall years ago. Her sister's murderer has been in jail for quite some time, but Fiona wonders if there isn't more to the story. At the same time, someone is trying to restore Idlewild Hall, for reasons Fiona could never imagine, as she has heard nothing but horror stories from that school. Fiona discovers long-forgotten secrets of the school that tie back to her sister, and she will stop at nothing to find the truth and justice for the living and the dead.
I love how St. James creates dual timelines that slowly begin to relate to each other and reveal more as you continue reading. I thought the four girls from the 1950s were better characters than Fiona from 2014, though I did still appreciate her motivations and character development.
This well-written mystery/thriller will keep you on your toes and make you think about what you consider "justice."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Child death, and Sexual harassment
dalek_caan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I found the plot of this book to be really well executed. I did not expect that it would have quite so many layers as it did, I really enjoyed this author's method of storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Confinement, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Child abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Mental illness
Minor: War and Violence
alliedelexa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
my first book by Simone St. James and it didn’t disappoint. admittedly, it took me 3/4 of the book to really get invested. i enjoyed the dual timelines and the ending. i could’ve done without the love story because they generally feel forced but i understand the need to entangle the past with the present in this book. i found all the flashbacks incredibly interesting and i always looked forward to those point of views.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Antisemitism, and Child abuse
Minor: Drug abuse, Addiction, Hate crime, Cursing, Murder, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Grief
paronomaniac's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Murder
Minor: Suicide attempt, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
b_lownds127's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really enjoyed parts of this story, the ghost story for one, the 1950 storyline for another. The 2014 storyline felt forced and unrealistic to me, I did not feel the "romance" of the characters to be convincing and the Big Bad felt incredibly over the top.
<<<<<Spoiler:
I felt the resolution of the ghost story was too vague, I really enjoyed the resolution of the 1950 murder, and was irritated beyond tolerance by the end of the 2014 mystery. I felt the author was making a great point about the "good ole boy" cops and small town quid pro quo system with victim silencing accompanied by shoddy police work and then she completely went off the rails and gave us a cop willing to literally hide bodies, cover up murders, kill a journalist, and then shoot at his own son. All the believability ebbed away at that point and I feel the MC's conversation with the irritated chief of police at the end of the book made a better point than the rest of the "corrupt cop" storyline. >>>>
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Violence, War, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
cassielaj's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I liked this. I love a ghost story that also exposes the horrors that exist among the living. The concept of Mary showing everyone their fears and horrors was very creepy and compelling, the back and forth between Fiona and the Idlewild girls kept me on my toes, and both of the mysteries had enough twists that I wasn’t always a step ahead. This book has a lot of emotion in it as well, which always improves a mystery in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Mental illness, Antisemitism, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Rape, War, and Violence
This book discusses the Holocaust and Nazi prison camps.kostyalya's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
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