The Girls by Emma Cline – Review

The Girls by Emma Cline is loosely based on the infamous US Manson Murders of 1969. When I first heard of this book I was unaware of the murders I had heard of the name Charles Manson but nothing more than that entered by consciousness. So my eagerness to read The Girls was purely based on the premise it’s self. Very quickly I researched the Murders, what happened and having that information became a important part of my reading experience.

The Girls follows fourteen year old Evie, she is at an emotional time in her life, her parents her divorced and occupied by new partners, boys are just coming into her focus and her best friend is not so best any more. Rejected and alone Evie meets Suzanne a savage, wild and free young girl. Evie is drawn to her magnetic nature, her ruff beauty and the enigmatic girls who surround her.

What Emma Cline has done with the girls is really shown she understands young women and how obsessive they can be, friendships the world of friends and how devastating it can be when you are rejected from that world. Cline pens a tale where girl- hood is every thing and the murders that we know are coming are outside somewhere on the peripheral  of the story and very slowly start closing in all around us as  readers.

I did feel that the story got a little bit lost in the middle but it quickly won me back round. The writing is creepy and sent me on a 60’s trip and kept me morally on my toes, I would recommend this book to everyone it’s deep, hearty and emotional all the while keeping its story rooted deeply in the heart of girl hood.

The Girls has been optioned for a movie so keep your eyes peeled for all up and coming movie news here on Paint and Butterflies Books.

Paint and Butterflies Rating- 

3/5 Stars! 

Happy Reading Everyone!