Review by withlivjones - Where Sleeping Girls Lie

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withlivjones 's review for:

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

4.25

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A gripping dark academia thriller about an elite private school whose perfect exterior hides the shady behaviour of some of its pupils. The author reuses a few of the tropes from her previous book “Ace of Spades” (also a must-read!) but rather than focusing on institutionalised racism, in this book she focuses on institutionalised sexism and victim-blaming, as well as criticising how the emphasis on “tradition” at old private schools can often do more harm than good. I didn’t get the big plot twist in this book, although there are enough clues planted that it’s really satisfying when all the puzzle pieces come together. I liked the fact that although there is (queer) romance present, the focus is really on friendship and solidarity. I thought all the characters, both the heroes and the villains of the story, were very well-written - my personal favourites were Baz and Persephone. I personally would’ve loved the protagonist, Sade, to be presented as more morally grey and/or an unreliable narrator from the beginning, so that it’s clear that her own secrets play a pretty big role in the story. Overall, though, this is a brilliant story that, although written for young adults, is definitely enjoyable for older readers as well.

Content Warnings