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A review by vee
Girl on the Verge by Pintip Dunn
5.0
Oh. My. God. What a book. This book has left me speechless (and I talk quite a lot). It's one of the best new books I've read and I don't think anything can compare.
When I first started this book I thought it was going to be the classic cookie cutter story about a popular girl taking someone socially awkward under her wing. But I was pleasantly surprised. The contrast between Shelly and Kanchana's personality becomes more evident as the book moves along and the author is an expert at subtly making you feel uncomfortable about Shelly's actions. The beginning of this book has little clues that hint at the bigger picture which makes the novel definitely worth reading again.
I love how the author explores Kanchana's being caught between to worlds. I'm sure that many second-generation immigrant children feel displaced and confused about their identities. This book delves into what it really means to be proud of your family heritage and the pressure many kids feel for being "too American". It also went into the term "exotic" and how it's used to fetishize more often than not. When it comes to the Immigrant-American experience, this book is a great portrayal.
As a thriller, this book didn't let me put it down. It was the perfect pace in which it allowed the reader to grasp the setting but didn't drag on. I couldn't put it down. The little chapters in Shelly's point of view complimented Kanchana's chapters amazingly. The book kept you wondering about what was going to happen next.
And yes, this book did break my heart. Reality isn't fair and this book showed that as well. It showed the consequences of secrets and abuse, some of which were too horrifying to even imagine. The best part is that details were paid attention to and the sadness didn't feel hasty. It did play with my emotions but instead of using it as a cheap tactic to keep me engrossed, it made me empathize with Kanchana more and what she was going through.
Final Thoughts: I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a quick thriller. This is the type of book I would honestly recommend anyone if they were looking for something to read, but especially teens who lack representation in novels.
(Psssst... If you like my review and want to read more like it, check out my blog willreadanything.wordpress.com. Thanks!)
When I first started this book I thought it was going to be the classic cookie cutter story about a popular girl taking someone socially awkward under her wing. But I was pleasantly surprised. The contrast between Shelly and Kanchana's personality becomes more evident as the book moves along and the author is an expert at subtly making you feel uncomfortable about Shelly's actions. The beginning of this book has little clues that hint at the bigger picture which makes the novel definitely worth reading again.
I love how the author explores Kanchana's being caught between to worlds. I'm sure that many second-generation immigrant children feel displaced and confused about their identities. This book delves into what it really means to be proud of your family heritage and the pressure many kids feel for being "too American". It also went into the term "exotic" and how it's used to fetishize more often than not. When it comes to the Immigrant-American experience, this book is a great portrayal.
As a thriller, this book didn't let me put it down. It was the perfect pace in which it allowed the reader to grasp the setting but didn't drag on. I couldn't put it down. The little chapters in Shelly's point of view complimented Kanchana's chapters amazingly. The book kept you wondering about what was going to happen next.
And yes, this book did break my heart. Reality isn't fair and this book showed that as well. It showed the consequences of secrets and abuse, some of which were too horrifying to even imagine. The best part is that details were paid attention to and the sadness didn't feel hasty. It did play with my emotions but instead of using it as a cheap tactic to keep me engrossed, it made me empathize with Kanchana more and what she was going through.
Final Thoughts: I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a quick thriller. This is the type of book I would honestly recommend anyone if they were looking for something to read, but especially teens who lack representation in novels.
(Psssst... If you like my review and want to read more like it, check out my blog willreadanything.wordpress.com. Thanks!)