A review by tmcphetridge4
Squad, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
I won't lie. I did not like this book. What I thought would be a fresh new take on werewolf packs and being a teen girl was just a rehash of Mean Girls meets Heathers.
Spoiler
There is a girl squad who is ruthlessly pretty and it turns out they murder men who sexually harass/assault girls. This felt like it was trying too hard to make commentary on the sexual assault narratives of schools but in a toxic way. Should men who harass women be punished? Yes. But should they be straight up murdered? I also *hated* how they took the black girl of the group and really othered her. From not acknowledging how she wants to be called, to being belittled, I just kept asking myself, "Why?" The ending was the best part, but even then it felt rushed.Graphic: Murder and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Minor: Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Cannibalism