Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's by Hanna Alkaf

2 reviews

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

Oh I wanted to like this more than I did. The premise was so interesting and it generally felt different than most YA thrillers out there. I do think the marketing did this one a disservice because it is marketed as dark academia, but it didn't read that way to me. Yes, it was taking place at a boarding school, but the academic aspect didn't necessarily play into the overall mystery/thriller plot taking place.

I did appreciate the way that this explores body automony, trauma, and relationships between teen girls. The relationships and characters are really what drive the main story in the book, which was definitely one of my favorite aspects of the story. 
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starglitters's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s is not just a mass hysteria story. It is a story of sisterhood, of female rage, of a woman’s identity (as a girl, a woman, a mother, a daughter, a sister), of a woman’s voice. It is a story about finding your voice, and about listening to these voices.

This book is in equal part scary and comforting. Terrifying, but full of heart.
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