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A review by paigestilwill
All Girls by Emily Layden
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The writing of All Girls is beautiful and poetic. Layden takes her time setting the scene, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in Atwater, the story’s backdrop.
The cast of characters is uniquely diverse, in religion, sexuality, race, personality and perspectives, giving the book a depth I don’t often come across in young adult work.
While the shifting perspectives and sheer amount of characters is, at first, disorienting, once I got to the halfway point, I understood the point Layden was making—each young woman’s experience and perspective with and on sexual assault is nuanced, but valid. The book calls into the spotlight the epidemic of misogyny characterizing the treatment of young women, especially when reporting sexual assault, and especially when that sexual assault is less black and white in nature. All Girls is not just a story that needs to be told, it’s one that needs to be heard.
For a debut novel, both the writing and complex message were impressive.
The cast of characters is uniquely diverse, in religion, sexuality, race, personality and perspectives, giving the book a depth I don’t often come across in young adult work.
While the shifting perspectives and sheer amount of characters is, at first, disorienting, once I got to the halfway point, I understood the point Layden was making—each young woman’s experience and perspective with and on sexual assault is nuanced, but valid. The book calls into the spotlight the epidemic of misogyny characterizing the treatment of young women, especially when reporting sexual assault, and especially when that sexual assault is less black and white in nature. All Girls is not just a story that needs to be told, it’s one that needs to be heard.
For a debut novel, both the writing and complex message were impressive.