A review by grace_astudentreading
Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore

mysterious slow-paced

3.0

Advanced reader's copy review

I hate to say it but this book was a disappointment. It did not live up to the (admittedly high) expectations I have for a book by Anna-Marie McLemore. It certainly had the hallmarks of their writing, with beautiful, atmospheric prose, a dash of magic, and fantastically queer characters. But it felt more like a draft than a completed book. Also, this book was labeled as horror and while it has some creepy elements, I feel that calling it horror is a bit of a stretch. However, even if this book was not everything I wanted it to be, it was still an enjoyable read. I truly loved how heavily visual the writing was, with the vibrant descriptions of the Alarie House and its girls. I also loved the main character Isla, though I wish I could have seen more of her relationship with Renata before they went to the Alarie House. And while I found the plot a bit lacking, I did really like the ending of the book. It was an excellent resolution and tied things up between Isla and Renata very well. Overall, this book did not meet my expectations but was still enjoyable.

Thank you Netgalley and Feiwel and Friends for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review