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panic_at_the_bookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Some scenes and characters felt rather empty. Sex was mentioned sooo many times. There are plenty of scenes where a minor is sexually involved with plenty of adults, often twice her age. Not sure if these scenes should have been this explicit.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Blood, Death, Sexual content, Murder, Addiction, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse
issyd23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Rape, Addiction, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Self harm, and Sexual harassment
fabiaemma'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
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Drug abuse
makcrowley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape
plumdustsuns's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I think personally the book would have profited a lot from Evie being upwards of 17. While it would have taken away a bit of the hopeless lamb, but it wouldn’t have been that much. I think it would have lent to Evie and Suzanne’s relationship and Evie’s character in general.
Aside from that, all the SA on a 14 year old and this promiscuity put upon them in literature makes me really uneasy and angry, honestly. I don’t think teenagers are ever that deliberate of sex in the way it’s presented in books like this. While it is shown that Evie is forced into it, it’s played off for the most part by her being like “oh well,” until the Mitch situation. Even that didn’t have enough anger or was presented in a bad light. I’m always aware in books of what writers project onto their characters and of what age because it is a choice, and not inspired off of true events ( entirely here anyway).
I also found it really redundant that all of this happened over a fucking record deal. I wish it was something else and the bad blood between Russel and Mitch had more weight and tension, especially for the girls. (I read up and see this is what happened in real life but just copy pasting these events without much of a weight or exploration just feels like a waste and triggering for no reason.) I wish it would have subverted the tale by instead having the girls turn on Russel somehow and kill him instead. That would have made a better story line.
I kept reading this book as it had a premise for having the opportunity to explore queerness, girlhood and the patriarchy in depth. However, besides from some insightfully written paragraphs on what it is like to be a girl, it feels rather flat in all the other departments. And it felt rather disappointing to finish this triggering book to get through with all the events just falling flat onto nothing overall and by the end.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Drug use, Rape, Blood, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
liannaengland's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Blood, and Drug abuse
thisbookrox's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Death, Drug abuse, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent
holasisoymaca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Situada en la California de fines de los años sesenta, la historia sigue a Evie, una adolescente solitaria e insegura hasta de su sombra que sufre un cambio muy drástico en su vida cuando ve a un grupo de chicas de aspecto extraño en el parque. Es a través de ellas que conoce a Russell, un músico frustrado y líder de una comunidad "libre" que pregona "el amor" y "la paz". Está basada en la historia de "la Familia Manson".
Si bien me gustó el libro, tengo sentimientos encontrados.
Vamos con lo positivo:
1. Creo que desarrolla muy bien la psiquis de la protagonista y ese deseo adolescente de ser amada y aceptada por los demás. Esto conforma gran parte de la introducción a la historia, por lo que desarrolla bastante este aspecto de Evie al inicio y nos da un poco de contexto para lo que termina sucediendo después.
2. Por otro lado no podía parar de leerlo, pasar las páginas era adictivo. La autora logró plasmar bien ese misterio en torno a la figura de Suzanne y ella me pareció enigmática y terrorífica hasta el final.
Pero ahora vamos con lo que no me terminó de convencer:
1. La introducción para explicar la vida de Evie antes de conocer "la comunidad" me pareció demasiado larga. La historia que nos promete la sinopsis recién empieza bastante entrada la lectura.
2. Nadie me llamó la atención tanto como Suzanne. Si bien es cierto que la historia gira más en torno a Suzanne que a Russell, el resto de los personajes quedó en un segundo plano al punto en que, en cierto momento, me parecían todos iguales. Por ello, tampoco conecté demasiado con ninguno de ellos ni con el libro en sí.
3. Tampoco me gustó el desenlace que tuvo Evie. Hay cierto atractivo en ciertas figuras decadentes que vivieron su juventud de forma plena, pero para este personaje en particular no me terminó de convencer.
4. Sin embargo, lo que más me pesa a la hora de escribir esto (y que leí en otra reseña y no pude estar más de acuerdo) es que 'Las chicas' está basado en una historia real, la de los asesinatos de Charles Manson. Lo que hace el relato es ceñirse a los hechos, no le da otra vuelta de tuerca teniendo la posibilidad de crear otro final con un plot twist que generara sorpresa en el lector, con todos los elementos que había para hacerlo.
En conclusión: es un buen libro, a muchxs les gustó pero para mi simplemente no funcionó. Fue una buena lectura para pasar el rato.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Rape, and Drug abuse
autumnrevisited's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Violence, Death, Blood, Murder, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, and Child abuse
emmasilvia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Classism, Drug use, Murder, and Sexism