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deanab's review against another edition
3.0
First, thank you HarperCollins Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I was anxious to read this book as it sounded like a great psychological thriller. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed as it did not have the twists and turns I was expecting from a story about a woman with lily personalities and her troubled Psychiatrist. I found the book to be a bit long at times and to have some repeated grammatical errors. Overall a great idea for a story just not as absorbing as I was expecting.
marieintheraw's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, the only thing I found interesting about this one was that the main character has DID. It is clear that the author is familiar with this topic, or did a lot of research. The story itself, however, is pretty predictable which would not have been such an issue if it was not so long.
I received an ecopy of this through netgalley; however, all opinions are my own
I received an ecopy of this through netgalley; however, all opinions are my own
sevaspeto's review against another edition
4.0
Brilliantly written -- while emotive and narratively interesting throughout, what struck me from *very* early on was the attention given to psychological disorder and analytical exploration of DID, therapy, disordered thinking, and disassociation. I thought it was fairly clear from the get-go that Chung has a substantial background in psychoanalysis to be able to convey and present the reality of what a person living with DID would experience, and I was pleased to read in the "About The Author" section that that's exactly the case.
The novel really does a pretty spectacular job of putting you into the mind and perspectives of the various personalities living in our heroine's head. You get the vantage point and motivation of each alter as they periodically take possession of the protagonist's body and inform her decision-making. We also get to see the perspective alternating between hers (and the cabal of alters that live in Alexa's head) and the perspective of her therapist Daniel, who's able to offer a bit more clinical insight into what's happening and potentially what's to come.
I thought it was compelling to give voice to a character with a disorder that we routinely see villainized in media or made to look completely insane, and to present them a bit more nuanced and equally vulnerable and powerful. It effectively offers us the ability to peak behind the curtain so to speak, and I loved that.
Though I've still got some gripes with bits of the dialogue and I DO wish there was a bit more psychic exploration during the novel's climax, considering that this is Chung's debut novel, I was HIGHLY impressed, and I'm strongly looking forward to reading whatever she puts out next =0)
The novel really does a pretty spectacular job of putting you into the mind and perspectives of the various personalities living in our heroine's head. You get the vantage point and motivation of each alter as they periodically take possession of the protagonist's body and inform her decision-making. We also get to see the perspective alternating between hers (and the cabal of alters that live in Alexa's head) and the perspective of her therapist Daniel, who's able to offer a bit more clinical insight into what's happening and potentially what's to come.
I thought it was compelling to give voice to a character with a disorder that we routinely see villainized in media or made to look completely insane, and to present them a bit more nuanced and equally vulnerable and powerful. It effectively offers us the ability to peak behind the curtain so to speak, and I loved that.
Though I've still got some gripes with bits of the dialogue and I DO wish there was a bit more psychic exploration during the novel's climax, considering that this is Chung's debut novel, I was HIGHLY impressed, and I'm strongly looking forward to reading whatever she puts out next =0)
adamskiboy528491's review
3.0
“I used to be schizophrenic, but we're fine now.” — Anonymous.
[b:The Eighth Girl|50876421|The Eighth Girl|Maxine Mei-Fung Chung|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578438118l/50876421._SX50_SY75_.jpg|68041446] by [a:Maxine Mei-Fung Chung|18824644|Maxine Mei-Fung Chung|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1568111597p2/18824644.jpg] takes you on many journeys through London’s dark, seedy underbelly & weaving complex & controversial issues dealing with women & London's sleazy nightlife. It follows Alexa Wu, who has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) & is told from her viewpoint & that of her therapist, Daniel. Only Alexa, her best friend Ella, her stepmother, & Daniel know about her diagnosis. When Ella takes a job at a lap-dancing club, Alexa finds herself visiting there as Ella works. Drawn into the dark underworld of the club, Alexa starts to uncover a child sex-trafficking ring.
In real life, Dissociative Identity Disorder (or DID) is a condition believed to be most common among survivors of severe &/or chronic trauma occurring before the age of 6-9. While typically depicted as rare & often misdiagnosed due to lack of education among clinicians, the disorder is actually estimated to occur in 1 to 3% of the population worldwide, placing it on a similar scope to autism & obsessive-compulsive disorder. A simplified (maybe simplistic) explanation by psychologists: the condition is thought to sometimes result when a child/teen copes with abuse by convincing himself that it's happening to someone else; as such, the trigger is generally some experience the child/teen is trying to dissociate from by means of creating an "alter ego" who gets put in charge.
I enjoyed how chapters alternated between the unreliable narrator of Alexa & her personality & her therapist, who, despite his issues, is seemingly more reliable. The alternating voices made it very easy to read & made me want to keep going. This debut is a shocking & breathtaking masterclass in characterisation & plot development - a dizzying thriller with a satisfying ending.
rainbowbritekid's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you NetGalley.
One woman, many personas. But which one is telling the truth?
Alexa Wú is a brilliant yet darkly self-aware young woman whose chaotic life is manipulated and controlled by a series of alternate personalities. Only three people know about their existence: her shrink Daniel; her stepmother Anna; and her enigmatic best friend Ella.
When Ella gets a job at a high-end gentleman's club, she is gradually drawn into London's cruel underbelly. With lives at stake, Alexa follows her friend on a daring rescue mission. Threatened and vulnerable, she will discover whether her multiple personalities are her greatest asset, or her most dangerous obstacle.
Left you guessing and kept you on your toes. If you are looking for a great psychological thriller this is it!
One woman, many personas. But which one is telling the truth?
Alexa Wú is a brilliant yet darkly self-aware young woman whose chaotic life is manipulated and controlled by a series of alternate personalities. Only three people know about their existence: her shrink Daniel; her stepmother Anna; and her enigmatic best friend Ella.
When Ella gets a job at a high-end gentleman's club, she is gradually drawn into London's cruel underbelly. With lives at stake, Alexa follows her friend on a daring rescue mission. Threatened and vulnerable, she will discover whether her multiple personalities are her greatest asset, or her most dangerous obstacle.
Left you guessing and kept you on your toes. If you are looking for a great psychological thriller this is it!
leapearlreads's review against another edition
2.0
The Eighth Girl is a story of a girl named Alexa Wu who has DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder. This book is a harsh look at the reality of mental illness, it's blunt and straightforward. Maxine doesn't skirt around details. I feel, as someone who battles mental illness herself, this novel is a welcome addition to the book world.
The story is told from two points of view, Alexa's and her psychiatrist, Daniel's. It's confusing. Getting into the characters and learning each of Alexa's personas, "the flock", is a challenge. To be completely honest, I have no idea why Daniel's view is necessary, but seeing Alexa's therapy sessions through his eyes is... different and semi-intriguing.
Unfortunately, I couldn't completely grasp the novel. I'm saddened by this fact, and had to give up on it at page 100. Where's the thrill? I got no suspense or thrill from any of those pages, just a lot of dragging, confusing story. This novel had so much potential that it just didn't quite live up to for me.
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC and write my honest review of the book.
The story is told from two points of view, Alexa's and her psychiatrist, Daniel's. It's confusing. Getting into the characters and learning each of Alexa's personas, "the flock", is a challenge. To be completely honest, I have no idea why Daniel's view is necessary, but seeing Alexa's therapy sessions through his eyes is... different and semi-intriguing.
Unfortunately, I couldn't completely grasp the novel. I'm saddened by this fact, and had to give up on it at page 100. Where's the thrill? I got no suspense or thrill from any of those pages, just a lot of dragging, confusing story. This novel had so much potential that it just didn't quite live up to for me.
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC and write my honest review of the book.
bookapotamus's review against another edition
4.0
Did you ever read something that just made you feel so unsettled you thought about it for days afterwards?
The Eighth Girl did that to me. And I'm not mad about it. This book haunted me, and still does a bit. It's equal parts seductive, disturbing, fascinating and yes, unsettling.
It’s the epitome of psychological thriller. The narrative alternates between a young woman named Alexa, who suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder stemmed from horrible childhood trauma, and her therapist.
But its it really Alexa? Or perhaps one of the "flock" of identities inside her?
Strung along by her friend Ella, Alexa gets caught up in some dark and seedy dealings in the London underground club scene. Ella, absorbed by the money and gifts, refuses to quit - and Alexa won't leave her best friend.
Will her multiple personalities be an asset in helping them get out of this shady business, or will they put them in even more danger, and exposed to even more trauma than shes already been through?
This was a bingeable thriller at it's finest. Maxine's insight and knowledge as a mental health professional adds to the realism of this disorder and feeds the narrative with heart-pounding suspense. The plot is engaging and fast-paced, and tense and disturbing in all the right places, and I had a really hard time putting it down.
I had a lot of questions at the end though! I need to know so many things... like why and when and how and why again?!? But as is the case of what goes on in another person's head... I will just never know.
An ambitious and compelling read.
Bravo to Maxine on this debut- which has also been optioned for Netflix! Yay!
The Eighth Girl did that to me. And I'm not mad about it. This book haunted me, and still does a bit. It's equal parts seductive, disturbing, fascinating and yes, unsettling.
It’s the epitome of psychological thriller. The narrative alternates between a young woman named Alexa, who suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder stemmed from horrible childhood trauma, and her therapist.
But its it really Alexa? Or perhaps one of the "flock" of identities inside her?
Strung along by her friend Ella, Alexa gets caught up in some dark and seedy dealings in the London underground club scene. Ella, absorbed by the money and gifts, refuses to quit - and Alexa won't leave her best friend.
Will her multiple personalities be an asset in helping them get out of this shady business, or will they put them in even more danger, and exposed to even more trauma than shes already been through?
This was a bingeable thriller at it's finest. Maxine's insight and knowledge as a mental health professional adds to the realism of this disorder and feeds the narrative with heart-pounding suspense. The plot is engaging and fast-paced, and tense and disturbing in all the right places, and I had a really hard time putting it down.
I had a lot of questions at the end though! I need to know so many things... like why and when and how and why again?!? But as is the case of what goes on in another person's head... I will just never know.
An ambitious and compelling read.
Bravo to Maxine on this debut- which has also been optioned for Netflix! Yay!
jules44's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This wasn’t amazing and it wasn’t awful. As a re-hashing of Fight Club with a female protagonist trying to reconcile her childhood trauma, very readable but the cadence wasn’t great. Too much middle, not enough end.