A review by harleyburch
The Ophelia Girls by Jane Healey

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This was like looking at a car crash. God awful but you've gotta see what happens next. Darkly hooking.
The prose wasn't special. There wasn't much plot. The allusive segments telling the story of the past would have been better aided by being fleshed out more. All of the characters were pretty faceless. The literary allusions didn't add much to the atmosphere, felt much more like a grasp at sophistication which didn't work nor was necessary. HOWEVER: the relationships between parents and their children, the past and the present, and relationships generally alongside the slow spiralling of dismal situations made for a somewhat enjoyable fast-paced reading experience. Like I said, I felt it wasn't worth looking at but I couldn't look away. Therefore, it deserves merit for its ability to entertain. Not much more beyond that though. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings