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A review by lisavegan
The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld
4.0
I won this book from Goodreads giveaways program in exchange for an honest review. I got an ARC paperback copy with 265 pages. No chapter numbers in this edition but I could tell where the chapters were. There are ink prints of butterflies on the first page of every chapter. The book has three parts: One: Caterpillar, Two: Chrysalis, Three: Butterfly
This is the 14th book I’ve won at Goodreads but the first 13 were all won during 2008-20011. So it’s been a long time.
I tried to coordinate my reading so that I’d be ready to start reading this book the day I received it and was able to do that. I read the book over a 4 day period, over Labor Day weekend. (Won: 7/10 end day – Mailed: 7/11 –- reported at giveaway page not received 8/13 – messaged Goodreads AND Harper that still not received 8/22 – heard back from Harper and they sent another copy - Received: 8/30 - Read: 8/30-9/2 (official publication date: 10/1/19 )
I loved the first book The Child Finder and was eager to read the sequel.
For me the characters are 5 star worthy, the story is 4 star to 4-1/2 star worthy so 4-1/2 stars. How it made me feel? Close to 5 stars worthy. Memorable and endearing characters. I’ll remember them.
I’d forgotten one important thing from book one but the author deftly catches up the reader regarding what happened in book one so it was fine. I do recommend reading book one first but reading it first is not absolutely essential. It’s also not necessary to read this book if readers have read The Child Finder, but I highly recommend it. This book has some satisfying resolutions continued from book one.
I definitely felt tense as I read. It’s achingly sad. It felt painful to read but was worth it to me, and it does have a hopeful outlook, despite the tough subject matter.
I love Naomi. I love Celia even more. I cared about and liked so many of the characters. In addition to Celia and Naomi, I really liked Jerome, Diane, Winfeld & Richardson, and the public librarian. Others too.
I enjoyed how the story was alternately told by Naomi and by Celia, and a bit by Jerome too.
So much was predictable but I was fine with that. I did guess something about someone’s identity from early on, and that was also okay.
I liked the story and especially the characters from start to finish.
This author understands trauma and homeless children and seems to know of what she writes.
One thing that rang false to me
I do recommend this book for people who’ve read this author’s The Child Finder and I highly recommend that book to all readers who find the premise intriguing.
Because I read an ARC copy I can’t be 100% sure all the words will be the same in the finished hardcover edition. (I will look at the hardcover edition when it’s available to check for any differences I can identify) I am not officially adding quotes to the book.
But quotes that hit me hard in the context of this story:
“It can only take a minute to ruin a lifetime.” (page 60 in the ARC)
“When you have lost everything, everything matters.” (page 73 in the ARC)
“How many people spend their entire lives not even knowing that they have already left?” (page 96 in the ARC)
“What if we are all capable of lying to ourselves…confirming that the stories we tell ourselves have more meaning than the facts. That doesn’t make them lies. Seeded with every myth was the emotional truth.” (page 122 in the ARC)
And from the Acknowledgments:
“Life is a story we tell ourselves and each other – we can make the story full of justice, kindness, and redemption. It’s up to us.”
I really like this author. I plan to read more books by her.
This is the 14th book I’ve won at Goodreads but the first 13 were all won during 2008-20011. So it’s been a long time.
I tried to coordinate my reading so that I’d be ready to start reading this book the day I received it and was able to do that. I read the book over a 4 day period, over Labor Day weekend. (Won: 7/10 end day – Mailed: 7/11 –- reported at giveaway page not received 8/13 – messaged Goodreads AND Harper that still not received 8/22 – heard back from Harper and they sent another copy - Received: 8/30 - Read: 8/30-9/2 (official publication date: 10/1/19 )
I loved the first book The Child Finder and was eager to read the sequel.
For me the characters are 5 star worthy, the story is 4 star to 4-1/2 star worthy so 4-1/2 stars. How it made me feel? Close to 5 stars worthy. Memorable and endearing characters. I’ll remember them.
I’d forgotten one important thing from book one but the author deftly catches up the reader regarding what happened in book one so it was fine. I do recommend reading book one first but reading it first is not absolutely essential. It’s also not necessary to read this book if readers have read The Child Finder, but I highly recommend it. This book has some satisfying resolutions continued from book one.
I definitely felt tense as I read. It’s achingly sad. It felt painful to read but was worth it to me, and it does have a hopeful outlook, despite the tough subject matter.
I love Naomi. I love Celia even more. I cared about and liked so many of the characters. In addition to Celia and Naomi, I really liked Jerome, Diane, Winfeld & Richardson, and the public librarian. Others too.
I enjoyed how the story was alternately told by Naomi and by Celia, and a bit by Jerome too.
So much was predictable but I was fine with that. I did guess something about someone’s identity from early on, and that was also okay.
I liked the story and especially the characters from start to finish.
This author understands trauma and homeless children and seems to know of what she writes.
One thing that rang false to me
Spoiler
was how the same person, even though maybe because at different ages? being sexually attracted to and hurting/killing children of such different ages 5 & 2 vs. 12 & teens??? That doesn’t seem typical. Yet the author seems to know more about this than I do so ???I do recommend this book for people who’ve read this author’s The Child Finder and I highly recommend that book to all readers who find the premise intriguing.
Because I read an ARC copy I can’t be 100% sure all the words will be the same in the finished hardcover edition. (I will look at the hardcover edition when it’s available to check for any differences I can identify) I am not officially adding quotes to the book.
But quotes that hit me hard in the context of this story:
“It can only take a minute to ruin a lifetime.” (page 60 in the ARC)
“When you have lost everything, everything matters.” (page 73 in the ARC)
“How many people spend their entire lives not even knowing that they have already left?” (page 96 in the ARC)
“What if we are all capable of lying to ourselves…confirming that the stories we tell ourselves have more meaning than the facts. That doesn’t make them lies. Seeded with every myth was the emotional truth.” (page 122 in the ARC)
And from the Acknowledgments:
“Life is a story we tell ourselves and each other – we can make the story full of justice, kindness, and redemption. It’s up to us.”
I really like this author. I plan to read more books by her.