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A review by jennastopreading
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to the publisher for my eARC of this book!
My second read by Sally Hepworth did not disappoint! This dual timeline story follows three girls who grew up in the same foster home - and the chaos and damage left in the wake of their time there. Each of the girls had different backgrounds, personalities, and trauma, but they bonded over their shared experience, calling themselves “sisters” even though they never legally became so.
The character building in this book started out a bit slow for me, but once the ball started rolling, I couldn’t stop reading. As I became invested in Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, my heart broke for them and wanted to hug them. The dual timeline kept me guessing, as did the journal entries from the psychiatrists office, sharing details of a character with no name, telling a woeful, significant story.
While the entire story makes the reader feel melancholy, you cannot help but root for the justice of these, dare I say it, DARLING girls. The book gives an inside look at how life in the foster care system (this one based in Australia) can leave holes in the hearts of those shuffled through it, but that even the most broken can end up with a redemption story. I think that this book, while heavy, will leave readers with a hopeful feeling of the resilience in human nature, and those who will stand with you when your world is crumbling.
My second read by Sally Hepworth did not disappoint! This dual timeline story follows three girls who grew up in the same foster home - and the chaos and damage left in the wake of their time there. Each of the girls had different backgrounds, personalities, and trauma, but they bonded over their shared experience, calling themselves “sisters” even though they never legally became so.
The character building in this book started out a bit slow for me, but once the ball started rolling, I couldn’t stop reading. As I became invested in Jessica, Norah, and Alicia, my heart broke for them and wanted to hug them. The dual timeline kept me guessing, as did the journal entries from the psychiatrists office, sharing details of a character with no name, telling a woeful, significant story.
While the entire story makes the reader feel melancholy, you cannot help but root for the justice of these, dare I say it, DARLING girls. The book gives an inside look at how life in the foster care system (this one based in Australia) can leave holes in the hearts of those shuffled through it, but that even the most broken can end up with a redemption story. I think that this book, while heavy, will leave readers with a hopeful feeling of the resilience in human nature, and those who will stand with you when your world is crumbling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Emotional abuse