Tuesday, February 24, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

This is a book review for The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma. I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The scheduled publication date for this book is March 24 of this year. 

The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.

My first thought after finishing this book: what the hell did I just read? I meant that in the nicest way possible. This book was haunting and scary and depressing and so incredibly good. I have heard it compared to Orange is the New Black and Black Swan. I have heard the author being compare to Shirley Jackson. Check, check, and check!


The book tells the story from two different points of view. Amber is a young girl living in a girls' detention center. Violet is a ballerina struggling with her friend's incarceration after a horrendous murder. The story is told from different perspectives and different times, with each character giving the reader just a few of the pieces to the puzzle. It sounds like it would be confusing, but it isn't. Ori is the one voice missing in the narrative, but her story is told through Violet and through Amber. It was hard to trust either of the narrators because both of them confessed to doing awful things. But still I sympathized with both of them. This book is about innocent and guilt, life and death, friendships, lies that we tell other people and ourselves and it is about walls. Even though Violet was not in jail, she was in a prison of her own making. I loved the depth to all the friendships between the girls, especially thrones in the girls' detention center. Yes, there was violence between the girls, but they were all loyal to each other in the end. Like most women, their relationships and loyalties were very complex. There is not a whole lot more I can say about this book without revealing spoilers, except to say that it was so amazing. The writing was beautiful, the characters were very well developed and the plot was well thought out (if not a little confusing at times). 

My recommendation for this book: BUY, BUY, BUY. Oh, did I mention that you should BUY it?

10 comments :

  1. Ahhh this made me want to read it even more now! It seriously sounds so, so good and interesting! I'm super curious - and the confusing part intrigues me too ... I really don't mind a confusing plot as long as it all clarifies in the end.

    Definitely going to buy this once it comes out! Great review, Cynthia! :D

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    1. Thanks Yvonne! I hope you enjoy it too. It is an awesome book!

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  2. Excellent review! This one totally slipped under my radar and I hadn't heard anything about it... but now it's going on my TBR list for sure! :)

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    1. Thanks so much bookshelffantasies. I hope you love it as much as I did!

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  3. Ah yes. I've never had much luck with this author. Sometimes, I think she's beyond my reach - intellectually, that is. Glad you loved it!

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    1. Joyous Reads, This was the first book I read by this author but I will probably be reading more. I am sorry you don't enjoy her stuff though. Different strokes and all that, I guess. :)

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  4. I definitely agree with most of your points. And the one question I REALLY want to ask you, I can't, because spoilers! I am not understanding a particular event, and I feel like if I did, it might make things click for me a bit more? Perhaps I will message you on Goodreads and see what you thought of this part that confuses me. Great review :)
    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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    1. That would be great Shannon. Feel free to message away. There were a few parts that I am still a little confused on too. Haha. But yes, I would love to talk about it!

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  5. Wow, this book sounds amazing!! I'll add it to my reading wishlist!! Thanks for the well written review.

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    1. Thanks Captivated Reader! I hope you loved it as much as I did. :)

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