A review by elaboratelyemily
Gilda Joyce: the Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is one of my favorite childhood books; Gilda Joyce is easily in my top 3 favorite detective characters in literature. I find her incredibly engaging, funny, and smart. I wanted to be her so much as a child. This book is one of my most nostalgic reads; but it's very sad and a little more disturbing as an adult. This book deals with some heavy topics, like death, eating disorders, body image issues, and bullying. It made me very anti-Greek life as a kid, and I stand by this as an adult. Despite the sad story central to this novel, it's still funny and lighthearted at times, and even the unlikable characters are interesting to follow along as the story develops.