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mirrie's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
bookishrey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse and Gun violence
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
oblivisal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
TW: Mental illness, murder, abuse, sexual abuse + assault
etc.
I heard good things about this from boston reads over on youtube. Granted they hadn’t finished the book yet but had definitely sold me on it.
Nora; Rebecca, Samantha, Katie, Haley and Ashley.
Nora has had the life that anyone would love to read, to learn and to gossip about, but would never want to live for themselves. Her entire life was five different roller coasters that didn’t come down until the sixth mile mark.
Nora is gay (bisexual), strong, and furious but she is most importantly, herself. Throughout the entire book Nora struggles with who she is, what her identity is and if she’ll ever find who she is destined to be.
Although there are many other things to mention about this book like her mother, Abby, her stepdad Raymond, her girlfriend Iris, her sister Lee and her-ex boyfriend turned best friend Wes, it doesn’t truly need to be mentioned. Why? Because this is a book about a girl that did not have a normal life, a childhood or even an identity. It is about abuse (i.e. physical, mental + sexual abuse) mental illness, conning, murder, mystery and everything that can come with the life of being a con-artist. Of being raises by one and as one.
!!TW!!: I definitely recommend this book but just be wary of all the trigger warnings. Make sure to do your research beforehand. There is no on page sexual abuse, assault or molestation but it can still be triggering.
Is this really just a three in a half star read? I haven’t written a review like this in awhile so that’s gotta say something about the book.
Moderate: Abortion, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Child death, Child abuse, and Blood
theintrovertedintrovert's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abortion, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
outcrye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
That arc set up a satisfyingly badass final scene with
The thing I love most about this book is how Nora, the main character, lived so many lives with the intent to fool but still managed to make real, meaningful relationships in the present. None of those connections are perfect, because Nora sure isn't, but throughout the book, I could see how the past shaped her and how her current relationships developed as she did in order to process it.
In my opinion, The Girls I've Been is primarily a story about trauma, recovering from abuse, and letting go of the toxic habits one would get from having experienced said abuse. To see this victim love and be loved in whole, healthy ways despite all that baggage is interesting as well as heartening.
The only specific criticism I have is about Nora's relationship with Wes, her best friend. All of her other relationships felt very fleshed out and real to me, despite her past and present being so vastly different from mine, and probably most readers'. I would include Wes in this too, but to a lesser degree when compared to the other characters.
All throughout, we are told that Wes and Nora love each other deeply (explicitly platonic, despite Wes also being an ex-boyfriend) and this love is rooted in their shared childhood trauma. I don't doubt the existence of this love. But what I can't understand is why they connected in the first place, what caused that initial draw—how was young, reclusive Nora, fresh out of an abusive situation, able to open up to this stranger, thus beginning their lifelong friendship?
In contrast with her other connections (her sister, her mom, her girlfriend), we don't see how they meet nor do we have key scenes in their relationship that wasn't
In my opinion, the story placed Wes on the same level as the other key figures in her life but held back for whatever reason... perhaps because, again, there were so many things grappling for the reader's attention.
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Cursing, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
wanderonwards's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, and Trafficking
booksofamber's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Vomit, Blood, Cursing, Drug use, and Pedophilia
Minor: Trafficking