Friday, August 19, 2016

BOOK REVIEW: Girl In Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow


I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The scheduled publication date for this book is August 30, 2016.

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The thick glass of a mason jar cuts deep, and the pain washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you. Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge

Charlie is one of those characters that I just wanted to wrap my arms around and give a big hug, you know? This book was so incredibly powerful and dark. There were times when I wanted to just shut my eyes because everything was too much.

The story begins after Charlie's friends dump her at a mental institution and take off. She is hurt and bloody and she doesn't speak at all. Charlie is a cutter. Charlie has been through so much. Her mom kicked her out, her best friend almost died from cutting and she spent some time on the streets, where she was barely able to survive. There aren't many authors that would just talk about the concept of cutting in such a gripping way. The author's note did indicate this was a very personal book for the author and I could tell. The author obviously knew what she was doing because I felt like I was in Charlie's head and I was able to feel her pain so clearly.

This book goes through Charlie's therapy and her time in the institution, followed by her release and her very long way to recovery. The book is told in first person and the narrative style of this story is very fitting for the character and it kind of evolves as Charlie does. In the beginning of the story, Charlie's thoughts are rambling and dark. Throughout the book, the thoughts become slightly less dark and a lot more focused. Charlie's recovery is long and I am so glad the author wrote about this subject. There is no quick fix here. Charlie makes stupid decisions and she struggles with whether to cut every single day, much like an alcoholic still struggles with the urge to drink. The romance part of this book kind of broke my heart. I wanted to root for Charlie and Riley, but they were two very broken people. There were parts of this story that made me hopeful and parts that were heartbreaking. This was a roller coaster of a book and if you can handle the subject matter, it is a must read.

Buy/Borrow/Skip: Buy this one.

14 comments :

  1. That's good to hear. I read a review of this yesterday and kind of felt disheartened because they didn't enjoy it quite as much. In their defense, it sounds like an angtsy read, so I don't blame them. I'll probably feel the same way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joy, I completely understand. There is a LOT of angst and it is very dark. I think you have to be in a particular mood to like it and even then, it might not be for everyone. I hope you enjoy it though.

      Delete
  2. Glad to hear you liked this one! Can’t wait to pick it up...sounds like a emotional read. Great review!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I saw someone else who has dealt with this issue praise this book. Sounds really good. Difficult. But good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christy, oh that is so good to hear! I have never cut, so I wouldn't be able to speak from personal experience about its authenticity. The author did state in her author's note that she was a cutter though so that's probably why it was so realistic. I am glad to hear that person praised it. This book is not an easy read, but it's so important. I hope you get to it!

      Delete
  4. Sounds very intense and I'm glad that it felt very authentic. Which makes it even harder to read I'm sure but a lot more worthwhile too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true Trish! Hard, but important. I hope you read it.

      Delete
  5. I commented on your review on Goodreads too, but yeah, we basically feel the same about this, which is utterly shocking 😂 I am writing my review right now, and mine is far less coherent and well-worded, but yeah, same general idea! It DID feel very honest, and very real, which is incredibly important. Fabulous review!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shannon, I did respond to your Goodreads comment but it means so much to hear that my review was coherent and well worded. It was so hard to describe just how important this book is. Hopefully, my review can push other people to read it.

      Delete
  6. Oh goodness, I feel like this might be why you did your book discussion post about having a good cry? I am so thrilled the author treated the subject with respect and it's so good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Verushka, YES! This book is exactly why I got the idea for that post. I just love those books that rip your heart out. I hope you read this one and I hope you love it.

      Delete
  7. I'm glad this was such a good read for you! It does sound really heartbreaking, real, and honest. I'm still not sure whether I will pick this up, but maybe if I'm in the mood to I will!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Valerie, I understand that. This book is very dark so you do have to be in a certain mood to read it. It is worth it though so I hope you get to it. :)

      Delete