Loosely based on the Manson family of the 1960’s, Emma Cline’s debut novel, The Girls, is a gripping story about Evie Boyd who stumbles into the arms of a cult and their charismatic leader the summer before she is supposed to head to boarding school. First published in June 2016, it has since become a New York Times bestseller and it is easy to see why this novel became virtually an instant hit. Part thriller, part coming-of-age story, The Girls captures the innocence of a fourteen-year-old girl who is beginning to explore and understand her womanhood and the world around her. The themes that Cline chose to focus on were spot on for a coming-of-age story and I was intrigued by the story and the main character and narrator, Evie. I found myself wanting to learn more about Evie’s story and to find out what was going to happen next, but at the same time I was not enthralled by it so because of that, this book somewhat missed the mark for me.
The overall plot was enjoyable as Evie weaves her story in and out of her present life and flashbacks to her youth. Evie is a likeable character who is both wholesome and relentless and she is at that age where she is learning about what she likes and what she is expecting out of the world. The flashbacks to Evie’s youth do a fantastic job at describing her life while she was fourteen and sticking to the plot. Unfortunately, when reading Evie’s present-day life, the content felt out of place and almost as if it was used as filler rather than trying to build up momentum to climax to the story. I kept finding myself wanting more from Evie’s present life, searching for clues that would bring about a twist of some kind, but in the end, it was anti-climactic.
One thing that really stood out was that Cline was not afraid to dive into themes that can still be seen as taboo today such as: female masturbation, female sexuality, and the exploration of sexual desires, drugs, and drinking through the eyes of a teenager. These themes are brought up so naturally during the story that they reminded me of how normal these things are in the lives of teenagers today; naturally inquisitive and curious, it only makes sense to include these themes in a coming-of-age story.
For Cline’s debut novel, The Girls is a fantastic start to her career as an author and really shows off the potential that Cline has for writing. Overall, the story was interesting, but I was craving more throughout the story and I was left feeling a little unsatisfied in the end as things just seemed to fizzle out. The Girls only scratched the surface and there was some depth missing that really could have brought the story to another level. At the same time, Cline did a wonderful job keeping the reader interested in the story, using themes that make sense for a coming-of-age story, and giving a likeable character to follow. I am looking forward to what Emma Cline writes next and to watch her blossom as an author!
The Girls is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.
