The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett
Publisher: HarperTeen
Special thanks to Harper Collins for sending a copy for review.
Summary:
The troublemaker. The overachiever. The cheer captain. The dead girl.
Like every high school in America, Jefferson-Lorne High contains all of the above.
After the shocking murder of senior Emma Baines, three of her classmates are at the top of the suspect list: Claude, the notorious partier; Avery, the head cheerleader; and Gwen, the would-be valedictorian.
Everyone has a label, whether they like it or not–and Emma was always known as a good girl. But appearances are never what they seem. And the truth behind what really happened to Emma may just be lying in plain sight. As long-buried secrets come to light, the clock is ticking to find Emma’s killer–before another good girl goes down (Goodreads).
Thoughts:
This book was both exciting and predictable at the same time. I enjoyed how the plot included tons of teen drama with all the stress, confusion, excitement, and tension.
The novel is narrated from the perspectives of the three prime suspects for the murderer: Claude, Avery, and Gwen. I enjoyed hearing all of the characters’ perspectives as they each had distinctive lives. The story was told mainly in the first person, but it was also told in third person, which was different in a good way. The perspective switches weren’t hard to follow as long as you paid attention to the chapter title. The descriptions are vivid and powerful, so it felt like I was actually in the town of Lorne. Aside from the main characters’ points of view, there was also Emma’s diary, news articles and an anonymous blog that all revealed information about the murderer. It was interesting how the story was set during a police interrogation and told through flashbacks. The prologue had me hooked as it set the suspenseful mood of the story. I like how the chapters were named, as you don’t see that often in many books nowadays. Near the end of the book, I was very into it and held my breath every moment for the ending.
Sadly, the murder was predictable, which upset me because I would’ve preferred having to guess the murder. What wasn’t predictable was the ending, which was unique and something I have never read. I was both shocked and pleased that I did not expect the outcome. The clues were well-planted, and I went back and realized the true meaning of what the characters were trying to say. There weren’t many subplots due to the three points of view, though I enjoyed reading Claude’s romantic subplot because her internal struggles were somewhat relatable.
The characters were all cliches yet realistic at the same time: there was Avery, the popular cheerleader; Claude, the troublemaker; and Gwen, the valedictorian. I didn’t particularly like or hate how the main characters were cliches because it didn’t feel like they had a personality, but the cliches also made them different. Also, cliches exist in high school. Claude is my favourite character because of her independent, carefree and outgoing nature. I felt her struggles in dealing with her romantic feelings; Claude was also the most developed character by the end of the novel. I wish we knew more about Lizzy, Gwen’s sister, because all I know is they had a close relationship. Another side character I would’ve wanted to learn more about is Avery’s boyfriend, Michael. He is a character readers don’t see much of, but he seems like he has some secrets and thoughts he isn’t sharing.
Overall, I enjoyed Bartlett’s writing style. I haven’t seen anything like it, so I would want to read any other books Claire Eliza Bartlett writes. If you don’t mind cliches and want to read a mystery book filled with teen drama mixed with murder *gasps*, you’ll want to read this novel. I guarantee that you won’t be able to guess the ending.
Reviewed by Stacey K.