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A review by meganac
The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna
5.0
"Can we be certain of anyone's soul, human or otherwise?"
This is a powerful story about identity, death, grief, fundamental rights, and the value of human life. It's told through the eyes of a rebellious, passionate, impulsive girl named Eva. Eva was created to replace a girl named Amarra if she were ever to die, and so her life, from afar, is Amarra's - she is forbidden to have her own name (but chooses one anyway), she must eat what Amarra eats, watch what Amarra watches, learn what Amarra learns, read what Amarra reads, and love Amarra's family and boyfriend as Amarra does. When Amarra passes away in a car accident, Eva is flown to India to convince everyone that Amarra is still alive. She must be Amarra to the world. What follows is an agonizingly tense world.
As Amarra's echo, Eva's existence is illegal in India. If anyone outside of the family learns that she isn't really Amarra, and they tell, she could face death. The Weavers who created Eva are watching, just in case she screws up. There are hunters who hate people like Eva and search them out to kill them. And Amarra's family is grieving and adjusting to the loss of their daughter/sister and the presence of her copy. I was held in suspense, constantly waiting for the worst to happen.
Eva struggles with the desire to be her own person, to have her own identity and her own life. In a world where people said the copies that the Weavers made weren't human, had no soul, and were monsters that didn't deserve to be alive, she fights for her own space to exist.
Other reviewers stated that there were many plot holes. There were a few, but I was easily able to reason them out in my imagination or explain them with Eva's impulsive nature. There's a little bit of romance, but it isn't the whole story and it definitely isn't overpowering. The author has stated that The Lost Girl was supposed to have sequel, so she left loose ends, but now it's a standalone. I loved the way it was left. The ending was perfect.
Recommendations: I'd recommend this to people who like [b:Hold Me Like a Breath|18584521|Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family, #1)|Tiffany Schmidt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443434262s/18584521.jpg|26321682] and stories with raw characters. Those who like books to guide their thinking through difficult ethical questions would also benefit.
Noteworthy Content: there wasn't anything that I thought parents would object to. The romance is very light and not racy, and there wasn't any language.
This is a powerful story about identity, death, grief, fundamental rights, and the value of human life. It's told through the eyes of a rebellious, passionate, impulsive girl named Eva. Eva was created to replace a girl named Amarra if she were ever to die, and so her life, from afar, is Amarra's - she is forbidden to have her own name (but chooses one anyway), she must eat what Amarra eats, watch what Amarra watches, learn what Amarra learns, read what Amarra reads, and love Amarra's family and boyfriend as Amarra does. When Amarra passes away in a car accident, Eva is flown to India to convince everyone that Amarra is still alive. She must be Amarra to the world. What follows is an agonizingly tense world.
As Amarra's echo, Eva's existence is illegal in India. If anyone outside of the family learns that she isn't really Amarra, and they tell, she could face death. The Weavers who created Eva are watching, just in case she screws up. There are hunters who hate people like Eva and search them out to kill them. And Amarra's family is grieving and adjusting to the loss of their daughter/sister and the presence of her copy. I was held in suspense, constantly waiting for the worst to happen.
Eva struggles with the desire to be her own person, to have her own identity and her own life. In a world where people said the copies that the Weavers made weren't human, had no soul, and were monsters that didn't deserve to be alive, she fights for her own space to exist.
Other reviewers stated that there were many plot holes. There were a few, but I was easily able to reason them out in my imagination or explain them with Eva's impulsive nature. There's a little bit of romance, but it isn't the whole story and it definitely isn't overpowering. The author has stated that The Lost Girl was supposed to have sequel, so she left loose ends, but now it's a standalone. I loved the way it was left. The ending was perfect.
Recommendations: I'd recommend this to people who like [b:Hold Me Like a Breath|18584521|Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family, #1)|Tiffany Schmidt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443434262s/18584521.jpg|26321682] and stories with raw characters. Those who like books to guide their thinking through difficult ethical questions would also benefit.
Noteworthy Content: there wasn't anything that I thought parents would object to. The romance is very light and not racy, and there wasn't any language.