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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I borrowed Bad Girls Never Say Die simply because it was written by Jennifer Mathieu. Her earlier books were immediately placed on my TBR so I was surprised that another of her books was released with so little fanfare, like [b:The Liars of Mariposa Island|42642068|The Liars of Mariposa Island|Jennifer Mathieu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550909072l/42642068._SX50_.jpg|66378713].
Having read this book, I thought that it had a decent plot but felt a little slow. However, I have to admit that I've never read The Outsiders so it may explain why the other reviews have pointed out that it pales in comparison with the original book where the inspiration comes from but I have nothing to compare it to.
Fourteen year old Evie Barnes is known as a bad girl, as her group of friends are all supposedly girls who have come from the wrong side of the tracks. They wear too much make-up, cut too many classes and drink too much. Evie just wants to have fun and to run wild instead of following the cookie-cutter dreams that her mother has for her, especially after her older sister Cheryl has left with her husband. Evie knows how everyone views them, especially in comparison to the River Oaks tea-sippers, i.e. the rich boys and girls who sometimes choose to slum it on her side of town.
Things go horribly wrong one night when Evie is attacked by a River Oaks boy and a girl that she would've labelled as a tea-sipper, Diane, rescues her.
There were parts of the novel that were movingly written, especially about Evie's eventual friendship with Diane, her closeness with the other girls and her loneliness after her older sister has left. However, like some of the other reviewers have stated, some of the plot threads didn't feel like they worked that well together.
Having read this book, I thought that it had a decent plot but felt a little slow. However, I have to admit that I've never read The Outsiders so it may explain why the other reviews have pointed out that it pales in comparison with the original book where the inspiration comes from but I have nothing to compare it to.
"It was like a place for bad girls," Diane offers at last. "Girls who...broke the rules."
Connie snorts ruefully, then nods in understanding. "Yeah, the rules," she says. "It seems like they're different for girls, though."
Fourteen year old Evie Barnes is known as a bad girl, as her group of friends are all supposedly girls who have come from the wrong side of the tracks. They wear too much make-up, cut too many classes and drink too much. Evie just wants to have fun and to run wild instead of following the cookie-cutter dreams that her mother has for her, especially after her older sister Cheryl has left with her husband. Evie knows how everyone views them, especially in comparison to the River Oaks tea-sippers, i.e. the rich boys and girls who sometimes choose to slum it on her side of town.
Things go horribly wrong one night when Evie is attacked by a River Oaks boy and a girl that she would've labelled as a tea-sipper, Diane, rescues her.
Spoiler
Diane accidentally kills the boy and Evie and Diane run away from the accident.There were parts of the novel that were movingly written, especially about Evie's eventual friendship with Diane, her closeness with the other girls and her loneliness after her older sister has left. However, like some of the other reviewers have stated, some of the plot threads didn't feel like they worked that well together.
Spoiler
I believed that Diane's parents were neglectful and didn't care very much about her and Diane's backstory regarding her doomed relationship with Johnny and their baby was tragic. However, I wasn't sure if there was enough pagecount to really delve into that.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Solid historical fiction with a feminist vibe, also a “Grease” element. Set in the early 1960s in Houston, a group of “bad girls” are the main characters, set against the “socs” (here, the “tea-sippers”), especially after one of the rich boys assaults Evie. Diane (the Sandy-type character) comes to Evie’s rescue but now they share a deadly secret. The strong female friendships and loyalty are the highlight of this book, along with the history lessons of what girl’s options were for their futures in this time period. Mathieu does a great job with the message that girls should believe each other, defend each other, stick together, and share their truths. Evie wants more out of life than a husband and children, and learns it’s better to be a “bad” girl who realizes her own potential and that loyal friends come from unlikely places.
edit: omg what the freak, my old review sucked it was so dry and bad my eyes started bleeding so i deleted most of it
Solid YA tale with likable characters. I wonder how it resonates with younger audiences because it’s such a throwback. The themes (unfortunately) persist, even as technology advances.
i read this book in exchange for an honest review, and i really enjoyed it!! it really is just a gender-swapped, feminist reimagining of The Outsiders. i also almost cried at the end
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Everyone and anyone should read this. Absolutely loved it from start to finish
Loved this book! Though there are clear parallels to The Outsiders especially certain scenarios, I enjoyed how the author told the narrative from the point of view of a young teen woman and her group of female friends and how she infused elements relatable to women and girls, including their experiences and tribulations that were common to teen girls at that time and that sometimes still exist today. I also appreciated that the setting was in Texas, my home state. There were things I could relate to in regards to my experiences as a teen despite not growing up in that era. This is a book I'd recommend to my nieces.