A review by tessa_talks_books
Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor

3.5

 Girl Falling is a novel that lingers in the quiet spaces of grief, memory, and the tangled threads of female friendship. Told in two interwoven timelines—"before" and "after"—Finn navigates the sudden loss of her girlfriend, Magdu, in a tragic climbing accident while reflecting on the complicated, almost gravitational pull of her best friend, Daphne.

While the book initially sets itself up with the tension of Magdu's death, I wouldn't classify it as a thriller or crime novel. Instead, it's a deeply introspective story about relationships—how they shape us, break us, and sometimes warp us into something unrecognizable. 

The dynamic between Finn and Daphne is particularly striking; their toxic, manipulative friendship feels cliche in the best (and most frustrating) way, capturing how certain friendships can feel intoxicating, even when laced with something corrosive.

One of the biggest surprises for me was the twist—I honestly didn't see it coming, and I love it when a book catches me off guard like that. It added depth to the narrative and elevated my overall experience. And then there's the writing—at times, so breathtakingly beautiful that I had to pause just to take it in. Scrivenor has a way with words, making the emotions in this book feel raw and intimate.

While I appreciated what this novel did, it didn't always hold my engagement as I wanted it to. The pacing felt uneven sometimes, and I found myself more invested in some parts of Finn's story than others. Still, if you love books that explore the intricacies of female relationships with a touch of mystery and gorgeous prose, Girl Falling is worth the read.