Darling Girls

by Sally Hepworth

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia may not be bound by blood – but they are sisters nonetheless. The woman that brought them together is no longer in their life and with good reason. They escaped from Miss Fairchild and never looked back.

Until now, a body has been found on the farm they once called home. The sisters think they know who it is, but given how young they were when it happened, it will be a challenge to get anyone to take them seriously.

My Review:

Hrm. What to make of Darling Girls? Well, it's a complex web of stories, that's for sure! Things never seemed to go how I expected, for better or worse. Overall, I'd say that this was a compelling read – but perhaps not the strongest I've read this month.

Darling Girls has four different perspectives, the three sisters and one surprise (left intentionally vague until the end). Their tales help to intentionally obfuscate the truth. I don't mind this writing trick, and I certainly enjoyed how different each sister was.

That said, something bothered me throughout this book. It took me until the end to put my finger on it—the blasé relationship with reality. I get it—it's a thriller! But sometimes, what was described is not how things would go down in real life (again, for better or worse). But that's just me nitpicking, so I won't let that affect my overall review that much.

I do think the three primary perspectives were stronger than the fourth. There's a reason I feel this way, and it has a lot to do with the big reveal at the end. Naturally, that means I can't go into too much detail.

Long story short, Darling Girls is another fascinating read from the mind of Sally Hepworth. Be sure to check it out! (But also, check the trigger warnings first).

Highlights:
Suspense/Thriller
Multiple Perspectives
Unreliable Narrators

Trigger Warnings
Child/Domestic/Sexual Abuse
OCD
Childhood Trauma

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