A Wonderful, Terrible Sex Cult: The Girls by Emma Cline (4 Stars)

Read This Book If You Like: Crime dramas, Books about Sex Cults, Human Psychology, Non-traditional coming of age novels, Strong female voice/characters, Historical Fiction

This Book is Good For: A strong fiction read, a slow weekend

Anybody who knows me well knows that I hate thrillers and crime novels. I often have trouble getting into the story and find myself less than intrigued by the characters and the plot. However, the Girls by Emma Cline is a good mixture of both combined with spectacular literary writing and character building. I first picked up this novel a couple of months ago and it’s been sitting on my shelf ever since. I’m so glad I finally took the time to read it! For a debut author, this is a great novel and a wonderful start. I’m so excited to read more by Emma Cline in the future.

The Girls follow the story of 14 year old Evie as she becomes involved in a hippie sex cult in the 1960s. The story is told from the perspective of an older Evie, probably now in her 40s, as she reflects on her involvement in the sexual abuse and terrible crimes the cult committed. This novel is highly focused on the female experience, specifically adolescence and how girls come to understand their place in the world. Evie’s realizations about her life, family, and friends reminded me of…