Syndrie
I definitely enjoyed this book, but I must admit I'm having trouble putting my thoughts into proper words here. Something that I can't quite put my finger on made this novel feel unique and I think it's something readers will have to just dive in and experience themselves to really understand.
I'll start off by saying if you're a reader that likes faster paced novels or plots with a lot of action—this book is definitely not for you. But it will be perfect for the readers who are happy to sit down with a slow-burn story full of atmospheric writing and can, at times, feel a bit like a character study.
In a tale that's absolutely stuffed with longing, as well as anger, grief, classism, and a pinch of witchcraft, we follow alongside a girl named Margaret who just so happens to be a bit in love with Joanie—the girl she considers her best friend. Although coming from different walks of life—Margaret from a poor family and Joanie from wealth—due to a certain series of events, Margaret has ended up in the care of Joanie's family and lives with them instead of her father. But after the pair is discovered in a rather compromising situation by Joanie's father, Margaret is cast out of the house and has no choice but to return to her father's house of squalor. The bulk of the novel really focuses on Margaret's feelings and general state of being after she's been torn away from her love—and let's just say she doesn't exactly handle it well.
As I mentioned before, this is a rather slow-paced novel, but Evans' prose sets the tone so well that I felt as if I was being pulled into a trance while reading it. You can really feel Margaret's pain and the great amount of tension she has between herself and pretty much every other character in the story. There's also really great insight into Margaret's state of mind as well as her motivations for the actions she does (and doesn't) take. With a bit of witchiness thrown in as an extra level of intrigue, this really stood out to me as a story that I haven't quite read anything like before.
(I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.)
I definitely enjoyed this book, but I must admit I'm having trouble putting my thoughts into proper words here. Something that I can't quite put my finger on made this novel feel unique and I think it's something readers will have to just dive in and experience themselves to really understand.
I'll start off by saying if you're a reader that likes faster paced novels or plots with a lot of action—this book is definitely not for you. But it will be perfect for the readers who are happy to sit down with a slow-burn story full of atmospheric writing and can, at times, feel a bit like a character study.
In a tale that's absolutely stuffed with longing, as well as anger, grief, classism, and a pinch of witchcraft, we follow alongside a girl named Margaret who just so happens to be a bit in love with Joanie—the girl she considers her best friend. Although coming from different walks of life—Margaret from a poor family and Joanie from wealth—due to a certain series of events, Margaret has ended up in the care of Joanie's family and lives with them instead of her father. But after the pair is discovered in a rather compromising situation by Joanie's father, Margaret is cast out of the house and has no choice but to return to her father's house of squalor. The bulk of the novel really focuses on Margaret's feelings and general state of being after she's been torn away from her love—and let's just say she doesn't exactly handle it well.
As I mentioned before, this is a rather slow-paced novel, but Evans' prose sets the tone so well that I felt as if I was being pulled into a trance while reading it. You can really feel Margaret's pain and the great amount of tension she has between herself and pretty much every other character in the story. There's also really great insight into Margaret's state of mind as well as her motivations for the actions she does (and doesn't) take. With a bit of witchiness thrown in as an extra level of intrigue, this really stood out to me as a story that I haven't quite read anything like before.
(I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.)