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mfrabbiele's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.75
smortnerd's review
challenging
dark
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
chinesa72's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book is the most accurate representation of dissociative identity disorder I've seen in pop culture, which is refreshing. However, this definitely reads like a first-time writer who lacks training. I liked the book well enough until the ending, which features a poorly-executed plot twist that simply does not make sense with the rest of the book.
vlynch5's review
3.0
Alexa is a smart girl. And deeply troubled. But from the onset, as we get to know her, her stepmom Anna who stuck by her side even after her father left them, and her best friend Ella who also stuck by her side when others may have found her strange, Alexa seems to be working hard to live with and maybe even ultimately overcome her multiple personality disorder.
Her therapist, Daniel, is a strange bird too. He seems to deeply care about his patients, but also seems to lack a maturity and a knowledge of what a really healthy doctor/patient relationship looks like. Still, he cares about Alexa and wants to help.
Alexa, understandably so, is a bit stunted socially. So she follows Ella around like a little bird, even when Ella is walking all over her. So when Ella takes a job as a waitress as a strip club, Alexa also gets sucked into the unsavory and seedy underbelly of the club.
On one hand, Alexa is working hard as a photographer’s assistant to build a strong legitimate career, and on the other, she is dating a bartender who may be involved in pornography, oh, and also sex trafficking. It’s not good.
The Eighth Girl was an interesting read, but I had a hard time staying focused on exactly what was going on. Flash. What exactly was going on with Daniel and who the heck was in charge of Ella’s mind. And what was the timeline again? Flash.
I think it was supposed to be confusing to a point, because can you imagine having eight personalities? My husband gets confused by just me. But it went a little foo far for me. I will say I was genuinely surprised by some of the plot twists.
Her therapist, Daniel, is a strange bird too. He seems to deeply care about his patients, but also seems to lack a maturity and a knowledge of what a really healthy doctor/patient relationship looks like. Still, he cares about Alexa and wants to help.
Alexa, understandably so, is a bit stunted socially. So she follows Ella around like a little bird, even when Ella is walking all over her. So when Ella takes a job as a waitress as a strip club, Alexa also gets sucked into the unsavory and seedy underbelly of the club.
On one hand, Alexa is working hard as a photographer’s assistant to build a strong legitimate career, and on the other, she is dating a bartender who may be involved in pornography, oh, and also sex trafficking. It’s not good.
The Eighth Girl was an interesting read, but I had a hard time staying focused on exactly what was going on. Flash. What exactly was going on with Daniel and who the heck was in charge of Ella’s mind. And what was the timeline again? Flash.
I think it was supposed to be confusing to a point, because can you imagine having eight personalities? My husband gets confused by just me. But it went a little foo far for me. I will say I was genuinely surprised by some of the plot twists.
miamia1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.75
This book was far darker than I expected it to be with hard to read themes others may find disturbing. The content of this book was unexpected
tinabean's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
lindsaytonner's review against another edition
4.0
Oh wow. I feel like I am going to need some time to recover after finishing the Eighth Girl. A novel where the main character has dissociative identity disorder is quite uncommon, a novel where the character has DID and it is done well is rare, a novel where the character having DID isn't the entire plot line is unheard of. Initially I was slightly concerned - would the different personalities be different enough to make them stand out or would they all blend into one, ill-defined 'crazy'character? I shouldn't have worried! Maxine Mei-Fun Chung writes her characters with such care and tenderness, it is almost like she is just describ8ming her real friends and the way she integrated them was perfect. Alexa, the host for all of these personalities and her best friend Ella get involved in the murkey underworld of Sex Clubs and human trafficking, making for an impressive and tense thriller with several gasp-inducing twists!
I really enjoyed how chapters alternated between the unreliable narrator of Alexa and her personalities, and her Therapist, who despite his own issues, is seemingly more reliable. The alternating voices made it very easy to read and made me want to keep going.
This debut is a shocking and breath taking masterclass in characterisation and plot development. A dizzying thriller with a satisfying ending.
I really enjoyed how chapters alternated between the unreliable narrator of Alexa and her personalities, and her Therapist, who despite his own issues, is seemingly more reliable. The alternating voices made it very easy to read and made me want to keep going.
This debut is a shocking and breath taking masterclass in characterisation and plot development. A dizzying thriller with a satisfying ending.
njoseph12's review against another edition
3.0
Where’s the twist?
I felt sad for Alexa Wu for what she suffered and went through at the hands of all of those people excluding her therapist. Even the therapist seemed mentally ill. I didn’t really get this book to be honest. Interesting book though I was kind of hoping for more.
I felt sad for Alexa Wu for what she suffered and went through at the hands of all of those people excluding her therapist. Even the therapist seemed mentally ill. I didn’t really get this book to be honest. Interesting book though I was kind of hoping for more.