Those Girls

Those Girls is a YA contemporary novel by debut author Lauren Saft.

Alex, Mollie and Veronica are those girls – the ones that are attached at the hip and the ultimate party girls.

But in their junior year in their Philadelphia suburb – things are about to change.

Everyone knows of them, but does anyone actually know them?

Alex is crushing on her next door neighbor and has decided to join a band - without clueing her friends in first.

Mollie is dealing with her first exclusive relationship with a popular jock boyfriend – who isn’t the nicest person.

Veronica fulfills her bad reputation superbly – but does she want to explore something more? Is she even able to?

This is a year that could change their bond forever…

Every once in a while I run across a book that totally and completely does not work for me – and I am sorry to say that Those Girls is one of those books.

I’ll preface by saying there are readers out there, of course, that will enjoy Those Girls – and I applaud the writer for releasing her debut novel and do not mean to be insensitive…

I did NOT like Those Girls.

In fact, I kind of hated it…

I know – I really don’t like saying that. And I still encourage everyone to read it for themselves! Unfortunately this book did NOT work for me.

Why?

Not one of the three main characters is even slightly redeemable. Each one is crass, completely lacking in class or any sort of empathy – they are the epitome of a mean girl with more than their share of cruelty, judgment, jealousy and backstabbing of their “friends”.

They are truly despicable and selfish. Veronica probably is the least horrible of the three but she is still not likable – and her loose, drunken, lascivious ways are cliché to the extreme of trashy reality shows today.

I did not find anything in Those Girls to be realistic, relatable or likable – we are simply reading about horrible characters doing horrible things. And worse? We are given a first-person narration from these girls and therefore subjected to their repetitive, poisonous thoughts. Not to mention their excessive swearing and trysts.

Ugh.

Where I thought a book with this description may depict the inner struggles of three girls that may put on an outward show and perhaps deal with sad lives or deep loneliness or something – NOPE.

Fairly quickly (75 pages) I had to begin skimming Those Girls – but what happens at the end is shockingly appalling and lacks a satisfying conclusion in any way.

Definitely not a book for me!

*I received Those Girls as part of NOVL’s galley giveaway. This is an honest review.