Sawkill Girls has been on my radar since I hear about it releasing. The cover is very intriguing and the story sounded like something I’d love. I received this book last year and finally sat down to read it. Horror isn’t my go to genre, but it’s one I’m curious about. Keep on reading for my review!
Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep.
He’ll follow you home, and he won’t let you sleep.
Who are the Sawkill Girls?
Marion: the new girl. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.
Zoey: the pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.
Val: the queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives, a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.
Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires.
Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight… until now.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 02/10/2018
Genres: Horror
Pages: 447
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
Review
“Girls hunger. And we’re taught, from the moment our brains can take it, that there isn’t enough food for us all.”
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started Sawkill Girls, but it definitely took me by surprise. One of our main characters, Marion, moves to Sawkill Rock. When it’s first described, it definitely sounds like a place I wouldn’t mind living. It sounds beautiful and peaceful, but it’s not that at all. Girls have been going missing and no one can seem to solve the case.
The author had me from the start and I had a creepy feeling while reading this book. I felt like I was there and I can just imagine how it all looks like. While Sawkill Rock seems interesting, after reading this book I think I’ll avoid islands for awhile, haha! That’s definitely a compliment to the author’s writing! I love when they’re able to make me feel like I’m in their world.
The mystery and legends of this place added even more to the creepy feeling it gave me. I thought it was a really nice touch. I loved that as readers we got little pieces of the story at a time and that made me wonder what was going to happen! This together with the setting was a perfect match. I also love that in stories like these there is always someone who thinks they know what’s going on and thinks that they can solve it. It never turns out as planned and that always give such an interesting twist to the story!
“Hope, she thought, breathing with the tide, was a choice that only those with resolute hearts dared to make.”
Zoey is funny and feisty and I loved her. She’s asexual and I loved how it was incorporated to her story. Even though this book isn’t heavy on the romance, her story is told in such a good way! The author made this fit perfectly in the story. Zoey’s one of the first to start realize something is going on and wants to fix it! Another strong character who is willing to do just about everything to make this island safe again.
Then there’s Val. I really didn’t like her in the beginning. She seems like a character you’d see in the movie Mean Girls. Val is popular and comes from a rich family. It seems like she has everything she wants, but it turns out to be a lot different than expected. I really felt for Val. Her family’s legacy didn’t make her life easy and all she wanted was to make it stop. Again, Val is another really strong character and really fought even when everything was working against her.
“Screw that book,” said Val. “It was written by men.” She held out her free hand to Marion. “We’re rewriting it.”
These three girls don’t always see eye to eye, but they team together to make everything go away. I loved how it all came together and after the halfway mark, I didn’t want to put this book down. I really loved how everything played out and then the author did something I hate (I don’t want to say too much, because I don’t want to spoil) and kind of ruined the strong ending for me. Don’t get me wrong, up until that point I loved every minute of this book.
If you’re looking for a group of strong female characters (who don’t need men to help them), feminism, creepy settings, mystery, a little romance and a diverse cast of characters, Sawkill Girls is definitely for you!
All in all, I really enjoyed Sawkill Girls. I would love to know your thoughts if you’ve picked this one up! Also, if you have any YA horror recommendations, let me know in the comments!
Great review! Thanks!
Great review!