Review by differentsisters - The Girls of Summer

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differentsisters 's review for:

The Girls of Summer by Katie Bishop

3.75

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I wasn't so sure what to expect when I stated to read this book, as the title and the cover don't exactly match the content and message of this book. But I found a book that is very fitting in our time on MeToo. It is told from the perspective of Rachel and split between two timelines: Then & Now. Rachel Then, starts as a 17 year old school girl on a backpacking trip through Greece when she becomes enraptured by an older man, Alistair and life on this hidden away island. Fueled by the parties and drinking, this is a dream of a summer. The Rachel Now, is lifeless and unhappy in her ordinary life with her normal reliable husband. She is not a good person. And this is what elivates this novel while being maddening at times. Rachel's gold view on the past makes her a flawed narrator. As an adult woman in these times, I see the clues and the icky and questionable actions that Rachel sees and then brushes off.
I was captured by the island atmosphere and the intrigue of the story and what actually happened in the past so while I feel it is a 3.75, I round up to a 4.

Thank you to NetGalley for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings