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jess_mango's review against another edition
3.0
Atwater is a prestigious all girls prep school in Connecticut which attracts the best and the brightest. They have a stellar image until an alum announces that 20ish years ago, she was raped by a faculty member when she was a senior at the school. She says the school covered it up and asked her to leave. She also says the teacher wasn't punished and still works at the school. Over the course of a school year, we see the impact of this scandal on 7 different girls at the school. They each have issues of their own, most related to power, sex, or being their true self.
Each section of the book is told from the 3rd person point of view of a different student. It was almost like 7 interconnected short stories. The overarching narrative was more about the school and how the faculty and students address the scandal than it was about any of the individual girls. I connected with some of the students more than others and wish I could have followed their stories for longer. It was a challenge to remember which girl was which between the various sections. There were too many characters, in my opinion. The book would have had more impact for me, if the number of POV's was reduced
What to listen to while reading...
Campus by Vampire Weekend
Youth by Daughter
Read All About It, Pt III by Emeli Sande
Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood
Comfort Crowd by Conan Gray
Hallelujah by k.d. lang
Out of My League by Fitz & the Tantrums
Teenage Talk by St. Vincent
Stubborn Love by The Lumineers
Call your Girlfriend by Robyn
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Each section of the book is told from the 3rd person point of view of a different student. It was almost like 7 interconnected short stories. The overarching narrative was more about the school and how the faculty and students address the scandal than it was about any of the individual girls. I connected with some of the students more than others and wish I could have followed their stories for longer. It was a challenge to remember which girl was which between the various sections. There were too many characters, in my opinion. The book would have had more impact for me, if the number of POV's was reduced
What to listen to while reading...
Campus by Vampire Weekend
Youth by Daughter
Read All About It, Pt III by Emeli Sande
Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood
Comfort Crowd by Conan Gray
Hallelujah by k.d. lang
Out of My League by Fitz & the Tantrums
Teenage Talk by St. Vincent
Stubborn Love by The Lumineers
Call your Girlfriend by Robyn
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
aliceb0505's review against another edition
3.0
Jag är glad att jag har läst den, jag ångrar det inte, men det kändes som att det fanns mycket mellan raderna som jag inte riktigt förstod så hela boken kändes lite osammanhängande.
madelinesouthern's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
marinaemoore's review against another edition
4.0
*For transparency, I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.*
I enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was beautiful and thoughtful.
This book is written from multiple POVs. While each character was nuanced, I did deduct one star because I felt the author used too many characters to tell the story. Sometimes the main story got lost in the different characters’ backstories.
I enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was beautiful and thoughtful.
This book is written from multiple POVs. While each character was nuanced, I did deduct one star because I felt the author used too many characters to tell the story. Sometimes the main story got lost in the different characters’ backstories.
mccullah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
scavengercat's review against another edition
4.0
I grew up having a mild obsession with boarding school, so my rating might be biased. I devoured it.
indigoivee's review against another edition
2.0
A coming-of-age novel set in a prestigious New England prep school. The story follows nine young women as they navigate their ambitions, friendships, and fears amidst a scandal that the school administration desperately wants to suppress within the elite all-girls boarding school. This novel skillfully navigates the lives of a diverse group of students, examining their experiences, struggles, and the lasting impact of their time at the prestigious Atwater School.
The storyline unfolds through the shifting perspectives and narratives of female students whose stories all interconnect throughout the school year, that collectively explores the multifaceted nature of girlhood.. The characters are vividly drawn, with their individual stories contributing to a broader examination of friendship, identity, and societal expectations. The story explores the struggles and triumphs of these characters as they strive to find their voices and assert their power in a world that often denies them.
The author tackles issues such as body image, sexuality, friendship dynamics, and the pressures to conform to societal expectations. The narrative is both sensitive and candid, delving into the emotional landscape of the characters with empathy and authenticity.
While the premise and themes of the book are compelling and relevant, the execution falls short. The pacing feels uneven, with moments of gripping intensity intermixed with slower, less engaging chapters. Additionally, I felt, the plot lacked a sense of continuity, making it difficult to fully invest in the story.
Some readers, like myself, may find some of the subject matter disturbing, as the book includes themes of sexual assault and abuse. It is important to note that there is a trigger warning for these sensitive topics.
Despite its flaws, "All Girls" offers glimpses of insight and inspiring moments. It is not just a story about a specific place and time; it's a universal exploration of the complexities of female relationships and the journey to self-discovery. The novel encourages us to rethink the impact of societal expectations on our lives and the resilience of young women as we navigate a world that often demands conformity. Layden's writing style is evocative, and the portrayal of the characters' emotions is often poignant and relatable. However, the overall reading experience leaves much to be desired.
If you enjoy novels exploring the complexities of teenage life and the challenges faced by young women, "All Girls" may be worth a read. It's a novel that resonates with authenticity and empathy, offering a compelling narrative that lingers in the reader's mind.
Favourite quote: “My point is, love is love is love, or whatever, even if it doesn’t always look the way we expect.”
The storyline unfolds through the shifting perspectives and narratives of female students whose stories all interconnect throughout the school year, that collectively explores the multifaceted nature of girlhood.. The characters are vividly drawn, with their individual stories contributing to a broader examination of friendship, identity, and societal expectations. The story explores the struggles and triumphs of these characters as they strive to find their voices and assert their power in a world that often denies them.
The author tackles issues such as body image, sexuality, friendship dynamics, and the pressures to conform to societal expectations. The narrative is both sensitive and candid, delving into the emotional landscape of the characters with empathy and authenticity.
While the premise and themes of the book are compelling and relevant, the execution falls short. The pacing feels uneven, with moments of gripping intensity intermixed with slower, less engaging chapters. Additionally, I felt, the plot lacked a sense of continuity, making it difficult to fully invest in the story.
Some readers, like myself, may find some of the subject matter disturbing, as the book includes themes of sexual assault and abuse. It is important to note that there is a trigger warning for these sensitive topics.
Despite its flaws, "All Girls" offers glimpses of insight and inspiring moments. It is not just a story about a specific place and time; it's a universal exploration of the complexities of female relationships and the journey to self-discovery. The novel encourages us to rethink the impact of societal expectations on our lives and the resilience of young women as we navigate a world that often demands conformity. Layden's writing style is evocative, and the portrayal of the characters' emotions is often poignant and relatable. However, the overall reading experience leaves much to be desired.
If you enjoy novels exploring the complexities of teenage life and the challenges faced by young women, "All Girls" may be worth a read. It's a novel that resonates with authenticity and empathy, offering a compelling narrative that lingers in the reader's mind.
Favourite quote: “My point is, love is love is love, or whatever, even if it doesn’t always look the way we expect.”
beckimoody29's review against another edition
4.0
#metoo in the context of a private boarding school. As students head back to class, they are greeted with yard signs suggesting that a student had been raped years before and the administration covered it up. As the students search for the truth, they also are forced to confront their own ideas about consent. I really liked this book but it was very confusing at first. It is important to know that this is really a series of "vignettes" featuring various students. It is not a straight narrative and characters wander in and out of the story. I was not expecting that and so I had a lot of trouble following the timeline at first.
This book is also less a story and more discussion starter. There are answers (at least implied) and lessons learned, but there is a lot going on. There were girls I really wanted to follow longer, and some stories were a little boring. However, I thought there was a balanced approach with lots of different situations.
This book is also less a story and more discussion starter. There are answers (at least implied) and lessons learned, but there is a lot going on. There were girls I really wanted to follow longer, and some stories were a little boring. However, I thought there was a balanced approach with lots of different situations.
mcearl12's review against another edition
1.0
Should have DNF. Boring and bounced around. Confusing and boring, bad combo.
bookish_maddie's review against another edition
4.0
As an All girls high school (though not boarding school) graduate and an alum of a college which had its own sexual assault accusations made and poorly handled, this book could not have gotten closer to my liver experience. This book is chock full of nostalgia for my days at my own all girls high school. The stories of each girl who gets her turn at a point of view - Lauren, Macy, Louisa, Chloe, Celeste, Abby, Sloane, Emma, Bryce, Collier, Mia, Anjali, Kat, and Olivia - felt so true to what I went through growing up as a young woman at a private, all girls school.
Lauren Miro never makes an appearance, but what she went through is felt keenly throughout, just as the scandal that took place on my college campus was felt by the student body. When I was in college, a staff member was accused of helping to cover up an assault and mishandling dozens of others. Though I was not personally a victim of these I went through in college was echoed perfectly in this book, right down the the emails to the student body and parents, the investigation, and the faculty member eventually departing.
This book had five stars until the chapter where the culprit of the various “pranks” at Atwater is revealed. Something about it rang false for me. A nice bow is rarely put so neatly on these things, and to reveal the prankster to be Bryce felt wrong somehow. I think there might have been a better way to handle this particular event, If the author felt this was a plot point that needed wrapping up.
Lauren Miro never makes an appearance, but what she went through is felt keenly throughout, just as the scandal that took place on my college campus was felt by the student body. When I was in college, a staff member was accused of helping to cover up an assault and mishandling dozens of others. Though I was not personally a victim of these I went through in college was echoed perfectly in this book, right down the the emails to the student body and parents, the investigation, and the faculty member eventually departing.
This book had five stars until the chapter where the culprit of the various “pranks” at Atwater is revealed. Something about it rang false for me. A nice bow is rarely put so neatly on these things, and to reveal the prankster to be Bryce felt wrong somehow. I think there might have been a better way to handle this particular event, If the author felt this was a plot point that needed wrapping up.