A review by chelsloukelly
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

3.0

3/5: ‘Broken Things’ is a Young Adult, Mystery Thriller by Lauren Oliver; Mia Ferguson and Brynn McNally driven by their obsession with a novel called ‘The Way into Lovelorn’, kill their best friend – the only thing is: they didn’t do it. Oliver takes the innocence of childhood friendship and imagination and produces a much darker, sinister story. We are confronted with a horrific depiction of youth that, in parts, is very uncomfortable to read. However, I found this portrayal refreshing and intriguing and somewhat real as we delve into the darkest parts of child psychology and dynamics. The plot perfectly flits between past, present, fantasy and reality to create a fluid unravelling of characters and the shocking events that occur throughout. The story is voiced through Mia and Brynn, in both past and present time, and through their perspectives, we really get to know the girls and their complexities. With the seamless use of past and present we get to see real character development – or in this case, regression. One of Oliver's key notions in this novel is that every action and decision have a ripple effect. How the experiences, circumstances and injustices of one person's life can 'break' them and subsequently the people around them, leaving a trail of broken things. It also highlights how the courage of one person can break this cycle/ripple effect and we can choose to not be a product of our past. I found this idea so relatable and an honest acknowledgement of humanity in the face of destruction and hardship. This Young Adult mystery isn't just about a 'who-done-it' murder. It explores multiple challenges that adolescents face in everyday life. It shines a light on the difficulties of living in a small, close-knit community and the feeling of being trapped within it - and the label it gives you. Lauren Oliver also explores the challenge of being considered 'different' and how this can affect a person, especially in their youth. It explores homophobia, social anxiety, grooming and much more in this extraordinary array of complex and interesting characters that a wide readership can relate to. My criticism of this book is that in some places it became a very slow read and I had to re-engage myself into the story; this completely contrasts with the end as I felt it was a little rushed and left me wanting more answers and explanations – but that could be a deliberate connection between the reader and the characters in the story. Unfortunately, the major reveal was predictable from the first couple of chapters. Overall, I thought Broken Things was a fantastically dark mystery with beautifully crafted characters and fluid writing that made a very complex plot, filled with twists and turns, easily digestible – Dark!