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trout_lily's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Sarah is 16 and on the edge of everything that is going on around her. She lives squarely in that liminal space that is teenage life but one that is unbalanced by family trauma, and abandonment. She wants to be anywhere and anyone else and takes that journey and brings us along with her matter of fact narration. Godfrey captures this teen space and being so eloquently through Sarah's journey. I could feel myself there. Some little fumbles in the plot around Sarah's motivation and it could use more unexpected twists in the story telling but unique, moving and poetic read.
unski_'s review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
katmackie's review
3.0
An angsty and fast moving tale of a teenage girl as she journeys to the underworld of her sleepy town. The Torn Skirt successfully captures the desires of a lost and stranded personality during such a crucial time, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the experience.
Sara Shaw knows what she wants when she sees it. This "it" isn't tangible, it's a way of being. She wants to be seen and invisible at the same time. She wants to be tough. She wants to stand up to bullies. She's full of good intentions, and poor assumptions. She sees the sketchy world of sex workers, johns, and seedy drug fueled parties with rose-colored glasses only a teenager could have. As a reader, I can't say I loved the ride, even if I found it insightful and entertainingly different from my own experience.
As Sara continues to spiral, she can't stop romanticizing the pain and missteps of the people around her. As they continue to disappoint her, she asks herself why she accommodates actions that make her uncomfortable. She carries a lot of pain herself which she isn't capable of articulating. It only gets worse, and she refuses to learn. Somehow there is a cautionary aspect to her tale. Unlike [b:Go Ask Alice|46799|Go Ask Alice|Beatrice Sparks|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327870536s/46799.jpg|2115708], a story mentioned quite a few times in The Torn Skirt, Sara's desires are a reality to be reckoned with.
Sara Shaw knows what she wants when she sees it. This "it" isn't tangible, it's a way of being. She wants to be seen and invisible at the same time. She wants to be tough. She wants to stand up to bullies. She's full of good intentions, and poor assumptions. She sees the sketchy world of sex workers, johns, and seedy drug fueled parties with rose-colored glasses only a teenager could have. As a reader, I can't say I loved the ride, even if I found it insightful and entertainingly different from my own experience.
As Sara continues to spiral, she can't stop romanticizing the pain and missteps of the people around her. As they continue to disappoint her, she asks herself why she accommodates actions that make her uncomfortable. She carries a lot of pain herself which she isn't capable of articulating. It only gets worse, and she refuses to learn. Somehow there is a cautionary aspect to her tale. Unlike [b:Go Ask Alice|46799|Go Ask Alice|Beatrice Sparks|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327870536s/46799.jpg|2115708], a story mentioned quite a few times in The Torn Skirt, Sara's desires are a reality to be reckoned with.
dancingapis's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
books_plan_create's review
I failed in even being able to skim this book to finish it. wow.
dreamofbookspines's review
3.0
Reminiscent of Go Ask Alice, which I hated, but Godfrey's writing is far more beautiful. I've had this on my to-read list for about a decade and while I'm glad I got around to it, I imagine I would've loved it far more in my 20s. The description of this as "angsty and fast-moving" is apt. Maybe a little unbelievable in just how innocent Sara is, and how quickly her life spirals.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape