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A review by onbeasbookshelf
I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
it’s clear what the author was trying to do, and she even says it in the preface: write a book about terrible teenage girls. but the author mistakes what type of terrible teenage girls people want to read about.
this book’s main character is classic archetype of a pick-me girl, chalk full of internalized misogyny and an absolutely astounding lack of self awareness or self preservation. her main goal in her short, 16 year old life is to work for this mysterious, glamorous company but the author really fails to convince the reader why this is. this is a 16 year old girl written by someone who has clearly forgotten what it’s like to be 16.
the murder-mystery is more of a subplot that takes the back seat to the MCs long monologues about her beauty (or lack there of). all of the conflict is shallow and the twists can be seen coming literally from the first few chapters of the book.
finally, this should not be marketed to young readers. the themes and plot, even if they had been done well, are really really dark. they are important and i think should be written about more but the author did not do them the sort of care or depth they deserve.
this book’s main character is classic archetype of a pick-me girl, chalk full of internalized misogyny and an absolutely astounding lack of self awareness or self preservation. her main goal in her short, 16 year old life is to work for this mysterious, glamorous company but the author really fails to convince the reader why this is. this is a 16 year old girl written by someone who has clearly forgotten what it’s like to be 16.
the murder-mystery is more of a subplot that takes the back seat to the MCs long monologues about her beauty (or lack there of). all of the conflict is shallow and the twists can be seen coming literally from the first few chapters of the book.
finally, this should not be marketed to young readers. the themes and plot, even if they had been done well, are really really dark. they are important and i think should be written about more but the author did not do them the sort of care or depth they deserve.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault