Thank you so much to Gallery Books for providing my free copy – all opinions are my own.
Description:
Twinsets and pearls, secrets and kinship, rituals that hold sisters together in a sacred bond of everlasting trust. Certain chaste images spring to mind when one thinks of sororities. But make no mistake: these women are not braiding each other’s hair and having pillow fights—not by a long shot. What Genevieve Sly Crane has conjured in these pages is a blunt, in your face look behind the closed doors of a house full of contemporary women—and there are no holds barred. These women have issues: self-inflicted, family inflicted, sister-to-sister inflicted—and it is all on the page. At the center of this swirl is Margot: the sister who died in the house, and each chapter is told from the points of view of the women who orbit her death and have their own reactions to it. With a keen sense of character and elegant, observant prose, Crane details the undercurrents of tension in a world where perfection comes at a cost and the best things in life are painful—if not impossible—to acquire: Beauty. A mother’s love. And friendship… or at least the appearance of it. Woven throughout are glimmers of the classical myths that undercut the lives of women in Greek life. After all, the Greek goddesses did cause their fair share of destruction.
My Review:
Lately, I’ve been really enjoying slow-burn, character-driven stories and I thoroughly devoured this one! Crane is not afraid to shine a light on the downfalls of sorority life and unlikable characters, but does so with intensity and heart, and in such a clever way. The story centers around Margot as she is found dead. Was it suicide or something else? We read about each sorority sister in the house and the events that led up to that moment.
This book is unlike any other I’ve read. Each chapter is about its own character, almost like a collection of short stories with each story including the character’s individual triumphs, flaws, and hardships. There are some exquisite details, specifically in the beginning chapter, where we get a brief introduction of each girl before diving into their unforgettable stories. There are quite a few harrowing moments because these girls are not exactly the innocent type. Crane does a phenomenal job writing a large cast of characters and keeping them distinct with their own voice so it’s never confusing. The writing is beautiful, dazzling, and something I wasn’t expecting which made it unique and wonderful. Crane is a true talent and I cannot wait to read what she writes next!
My rating is 5 out of 5 stars!
Click here to purchase on Amazon.
Leave a Reply