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A review by itshardizzy
The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was a pleasant surprise. When I saw what this book was about i immediately got interested: i mean, the book is set in the middle of a robbery and there is a girl that has a secret past and various identities? and she is bi!! what else could I ask for?
Nora is a girl who grow up being taught how to lie and how to fool people. Her mom was a con lady and she taught her daughter everything, making a whole new personality and name for her every time they changed cities. Nora has been more than one person in her life: she was Rebecca, Samantha, Haley, Katie and Ashley – and now she is Nora.
She learned things that she takes with her until the present time. And now she has this confusion inside of her, a confusion that we all have at some point of our life: who am I? Nora doesn't really who she is, if she is one of the girls she had been, if she is Nora or if she is someone totally different – a combination of all the girls.
This book dwells on abuse that comes in many forms. In Nora's life, she met abuse in every step of her childhood. She was used by her mother and by the people around her. And it talks about some experience that we, as women, have to go through – I have one phrase that stucked with me and that I would like to share: "Katie taught me fear. Not of men. I already knew that fear them, because don't all girls learn, in the end?" and if u don't resonate with this one bit is probably bc you are a men. thank u for ur time.
We have also this important content about friendship and relationships that goes beyond love interest. Wes and Nora friendship is the perfect representation of what I would call soulmates - they aren't in love with each other romantically, but they are in love with each other in a way that I feel surpass the romantic side. And this subplot about their friendship was honestly so well done and so genuine.
But, when talking about relationships, I think the most important one in this book is Nora relationship with herself — with all of the girls she have been. I felt like this showed to me its okay for u not to be only a version of yourself, and it's OK to feel conflicted. All of the different yous that you've been only made u stronger and now you can decide who you are gonna be – and the great part is that you can be whoever u want.
Nora is a girl who grow up being taught how to lie and how to fool people. Her mom was a con lady and she taught her daughter everything, making a whole new personality and name for her every time they changed cities. Nora has been more than one person in her life: she was Rebecca, Samantha, Haley, Katie and Ashley – and now she is Nora.
She learned things that she takes with her until the present time. And now she has this confusion inside of her, a confusion that we all have at some point of our life: who am I? Nora doesn't really who she is, if she is one of the girls she had been, if she is Nora or if she is someone totally different – a combination of all the girls.
This book dwells on abuse that comes in many forms. In Nora's life, she met abuse in every step of her childhood. She was used by her mother and by the people around her. And it talks about some experience that we, as women, have to go through – I have one phrase that stucked with me and that I would like to share: "Katie taught me fear. Not of men. I already knew that fear them, because don't all girls learn, in the end?" and if u don't resonate with this one bit is probably bc you are a men. thank u for ur time.
We have also this important content about friendship and relationships that goes beyond love interest. Wes and Nora friendship is the perfect representation of what I would call soulmates - they aren't in love with each other romantically, but they are in love with each other in a way that I feel surpass the romantic side. And this subplot about their friendship was honestly so well done and so genuine.
But, when talking about relationships, I think the most important one in this book is Nora relationship with herself — with all of the girls she have been. I felt like this showed to me its okay for u not to be only a version of yourself, and it's OK to feel conflicted. All of the different yous that you've been only made u stronger and now you can decide who you are gonna be – and the great part is that you can be whoever u want.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Pregnancy, Gun violence, and Vomit
Minor: Rape