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A review by thepetitepunk
Bad Girls Never Say Die by Jennifer Mathieu
3.0
Thank you to the publisher for kindly provided me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
A feminist young adult novel laced with anger and hope, Bad Girls Never Say Die depicts the gritty reality of being in a world where autonomy is not a given for women. Although our “bad” girl protagonist Evie Barnes is fighting back in the 1960s, the themes of this novel will remain familiar today.
Evie and her friends defy the rules as they wear makeup, skip class, and smoke cigarettes, branding them as a group of “bad” girls. However, when Evie is saved from a violent attempt at sexual assault by a “good”
girl, her life spins into a new direction. As lies, secrets, and a murder plot unfold, the lack of choices a woman has and the tendency to not be believed becomes more obvious.
This is a great novel to read if you’re looking for strong female friendships, violence and drama, social commentary, and a healthy dose of hope! Although the plot and dialogue did feel a bit too mechanical at times, this book is face-paced and easy to read in a sitting or two. I found the first chapter or so a bit difficult to get into, but things immediately pick up as the novel is plunged into a series of heart-racing events. This book does feel like it would be best suited for a younger teen audience, but overall it was engaging and inspiring!
TWs: attempted rape/sexual assault, murder, teen pregnancy
A feminist young adult novel laced with anger and hope, Bad Girls Never Say Die depicts the gritty reality of being in a world where autonomy is not a given for women. Although our “bad” girl protagonist Evie Barnes is fighting back in the 1960s, the themes of this novel will remain familiar today.
Evie and her friends defy the rules as they wear makeup, skip class, and smoke cigarettes, branding them as a group of “bad” girls. However, when Evie is saved from a violent attempt at sexual assault by a “good”
girl, her life spins into a new direction. As lies, secrets, and a murder plot unfold, the lack of choices a woman has and the tendency to not be believed becomes more obvious.
This is a great novel to read if you’re looking for strong female friendships, violence and drama, social commentary, and a healthy dose of hope! Although the plot and dialogue did feel a bit too mechanical at times, this book is face-paced and easy to read in a sitting or two. I found the first chapter or so a bit difficult to get into, but things immediately pick up as the novel is plunged into a series of heart-racing events. This book does feel like it would be best suited for a younger teen audience, but overall it was engaging and inspiring!
TWs: attempted rape/sexual assault, murder, teen pregnancy