Scan barcode
A review by evitacademia
Wilder Girls by Rory Power
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I picked up this book for a reset after my last book, expecting a simple and forgettable story. In that directive, I was immensely disappointed and therefore, wholly surprised and impressed with the book. The language is so simple, which makes sense since the narrators are young teenagers. The ability to create wordings you feel in your bones with such simple language is extraordinary. I found so many quote-worthy lines and I also really loved the approach to writing from Byatts perspective when she was not able to think straight. It was so artistic and creative. Whenever a situation was incredibly fearful and tense, the execution was so masterly done, it felt like a panic's transcript. Hettys and just everyone's spiral towards the end was so impressively done, the way she kept repeating she's guilty or how everything's always happening over and over again. So skillful. It was quick to get through and still managed to leave a lasting impression.
I've always had a knack for apocalyptic stories and this one was a great one. Not only did we find out what the Tox is, we got to see how it cruelly altered the entire island and therefore the lives of 100 girls. The dynamic between the girls is a battle of survival and the acknowledgement of former friendship, welted together in this surreal world. Hetty was perfectly flawed, chaotic and likeable, Reese was complicated and capable of growing on you and Byatt was warm and tragic. Girls, in this book, got to be messy. They got to be without a spectator. And I would've never imagined that there's some kind of a happy end, since the whole story seemed doomed and their fate sealed. But that was a cliffhanger i didn't even mind because at least it didn't end in the three girl's death.
And I loved the map!!!!
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"but we've all lost things, eyes and hands and last names." (P. 19)
"The Tox didn't just happen to us. It happened to everything." (P. 60)
"and oh god I forgot I forgot how it hurts" (P. 121)
"Water and shoreline born new every day. Everything what it wants to be. Everything mine. I'm buried there no matter where I go." (P. 175)
"This has always already happened." (P. 179)
"There's no room to feel bad. If I feel that, I have to feel everything else." (P. 195)
"Byatt was rhe one who put the bones in my body." (P. 209)
"I'm alone but the kind of alone where you aren't where you can feel the other girls behind you running laughing chattering and it's okay that you're by yourself on the beach because all you have to do is turn around and there they'll be
But I don't turn around" (p. 231, byatts perspective, that's why is a grammatical nightmare)
"this is fracture this is breaking this is an ending" (p. 242)
"The things I've done here, the bodies I've felt under my hands." (P. 272)
I've always had a knack for apocalyptic stories and this one was a great one. Not only did we find out what the Tox is, we got to see how it cruelly altered the entire island and therefore the lives of 100 girls. The dynamic between the girls is a battle of survival and the acknowledgement of former friendship, welted together in this surreal world. Hetty was perfectly flawed, chaotic and likeable, Reese was complicated and capable of growing on you and Byatt was warm and tragic. Girls, in this book, got to be messy. They got to be without a spectator. And I would've never imagined
And I loved the map!!!!
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"but we've all lost things, eyes and hands and last names." (P. 19)
"The Tox didn't just happen to us. It happened to everything." (P. 60)
"and oh god I forgot I forgot how it hurts" (P. 121)
"Water and shoreline born new every day. Everything what it wants to be. Everything mine. I'm buried there no matter where I go." (P. 175)
"This has always already happened." (P. 179)
"There's no room to feel bad. If I feel that, I have to feel everything else." (P. 195)
"Byatt was rhe one who put the bones in my body." (P. 209)
"I'm alone but the kind of alone where you aren't where you can feel the other girls behind you running laughing chattering and it's okay that you're by yourself on the beach because all you have to do is turn around and there they'll be
But I don't turn around" (p. 231, byatts perspective, that's why is a grammatical nightmare)
"this is fracture this is breaking this is an ending" (p. 242)
"The things I've done here, the bodies I've felt under my hands." (P. 272)