Imaginary Girls

by Nova Ren Suma

[clementine]

I don't know what to say about this book, or how to feel about it. I didn't hate it, nor did I love it, but I also don't feel indifferent towards it. I was a bit underwhelmed for the first third or so, but then things began to shift. So... I wasn't underwhelmed, but that doesn't mean I loved it, exactly.

At first, both Chloe and Ruby bothered me. They're not really likeable characters, Ruby especially. But then I realized that that's kind of the point. Ruby's eerie hold over Chloe - and everyone else - is, essentially, what the book is about. So, I kind of liked that. But then I also disliked it, because it just wasn't believable to me. I understand a person being attractive and having a sort of radiance that draws people in, and I understand that there may or not be something supernatural affecting Ruby's impact on the town, and I understand that the influence of a person in a town is different from in a city (which is where my experience lies), but that constantly nagged at me. HOW does she have so much influence? HOW can she get people to do literally anything she wants? I don't know. I just wasn't buying that. It was almost Mary Sue-ish, but not really, because I don't think she's a lazy, badly-written character. That aspect of her is just not believable.

I liked that nothing was ever fully explained. There's obviously a supernatural element to it, but there are a lot of questions left unanswered, and not in a sloppy way. It's almost as though the narration is very distant, even though it's first person. I felt like I never really knew what was going on, but rather than being annoyed at my confusion I liked it. It was purposeful. I was being held at arm's length, not struggling to keep up due to poor writing.

I don't know. I definitely was not blown away, although at the same time I kind of was. It wasn't what I expected. It was weirdly haunting, the way I never knew what was what, and the way Ruby and Chloe's unhealthy, bizarre relationship infiltrated the narration. It definitely was surprising, often, in a lot of ways. But I also just do not love this book. So my rating doesn't really reflect my thoughts on it - and nor, really, does this rambly review.

I appreciate that I'm having such a mixed, not easily quantified reaction to this book. Sometimes I just want a fun, fast, enjoyable read, but sometimes I really do enjoy having to chew something over. So, while this is not the most positive review, I'm really glad I read Imaginary Girls, and I will definitely be giving it a re-read at some point.