The Girls

Summer of ‘69. Evie is 14 and her parents have just divorced. She is desperate to be noticed, and her previous friends are not entertaining enough for her.

We are told the story by Evie, in modern days - some forty something years after, as she is pressed to discuss it with a young girl, who likely reminds Evie of herself.

It is Suzanne, a girl who stands out of her group - dirty and unkempt, but alluring and interesting who is the bridge to the cult group and Russell, the leader. Living in squalor in at an old rundown farm, stealing and taking food from dumpsters, the girls all look up to Russell as some sort of saviour. But Russell, the charismatic leader isn't the one Evie falls for, but Suzanne. Sex, drugs, robbery and eventually more as Evie follows.

It is a quick easy to read novel, with enough shock value to keep it interesting, and characters with flaws who it is easy to associate to real people. The text is sometimes over-written - too many over-stretched metaphors, but it makes up for it with pace - no lulls to give you the opportunity to stop reading.

Taken for what it is - a quick read, not requiring a lot of analysis or brain power during the process, it was successful and entertaining. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.