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A review by justinkhchen
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
fast-paced
3.5
An ideal wine mom mystery, Darling Girls is a stress-free reading experience with broad appeal; even with its narrative touching upon subject matters such as domestic violence or drug abuse, it is always through the gentrified lens of glossy entertainment, rather than depicting the frank, ugly reality.
The 'thrills' are mostly derived from information being intentionally withheld, rather than action taking place in its plot (characters did very little other than conversing among each others in different environments), but overall I was entertained by most of its maneuvers (except for one instance where a concealed identity was pretty obvious early on), and the fiery personalities / bonding of the three sisters (which really came to life via its audiobook). The pivotal villain was unfortunately cartoonish and garishly depicted, lacking any compelling nuances (which, could be an intentional choice to lessen the true brutality of their action).
Darling Girls is a fine choice if you're seeking a surface level thrill, with sensationalized melodrama that is involving without graphic violence or gore on page. Even though personally speaking this is overall too low-stake and action-less for my usual preference, the short chapters and lively narration elevates the experience overall.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
The 'thrills' are mostly derived from information being intentionally withheld, rather than action taking place in its plot (characters did very little other than conversing among each others in different environments), but overall I was entertained by most of its maneuvers (except for one instance where a concealed identity was pretty obvious early on), and the fiery personalities / bonding of the three sisters (which really came to life via its audiobook). The pivotal villain was unfortunately cartoonish and garishly depicted, lacking any compelling nuances (which, could be an intentional choice to lessen the true brutality of their action).
Darling Girls is a fine choice if you're seeking a surface level thrill, with sensationalized melodrama that is involving without graphic violence or gore on page. Even though personally speaking this is overall too low-stake and action-less for my usual preference, the short chapters and lively narration elevates the experience overall.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**