I saw enough about Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao before I read it to know this was going to be an emotional and challenging read. I'm not sure if it was Rao's writing or me, but I found myself a little detached from the story and even though it is certainly full of triggers and horrible things, it didn't affect me as much as I thought it would. That being said, if you are affected by triggers, I would definitely check those out prior to reading this story. Nothing is told in too much detail, but you know what is happening and it is rough. I was really impressed that this is a debut novel and I have to hand it to Rao for bringing the characters and their traumas to life in such a vivid way.

The audiobook is a great way to go if you enjoy listening to books, and I thought Soneela Nankani was a wonderful narrator. I usually prefer multiple narrators when there is more than one viewpoint, but Nankani stole the show and enhanced the fact that Poornima and Savitha are 2 different characters. The book tells each of their stories by being broken into parts, and I thought this was a very unique and smart way to break up their stories. Each part was either Poornima's or Savitha's viewpoint and they basically alternate this way throughout the book. I am really glad I got the opportunity to read Girls Burn Brighter and I highly recommend it to literary fiction fans, readers who can handle hard themes/triggers, and those who enjoy stories of powerful female friendship.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

THE 411...

Girls Burn Brighter is a story about friendship and the resilience many girls/women have to find within when faced with trauma and tragedy. We follow two girls Poornima and Savitha who are living in India, they start off walking very different paths but soon end up down the same road. After the loss of Poornima's mother, her father hires Savitha to work in his Sari looms. They instantly strike up a friendship with Savitha bringing much joy to Poornima who is dreading the day her marriage is arranged. Savita is a positive soul who always sees the brighter side of every situation, her smile alone is contagious and often is exactly what Poornima needs. One night, tragedy comes for Savitha and it robs her of the light she carries within. Traumatized by what has happened to her, she flees their village in the middle of the night. Poornima is devastated by the disappearance of her friend and knows something terrible had to have happened. Poornima decides she's going to go after her friend and the story switches to multi-pov as we follow each of the girls journey in America. This story tackles human trafficking and violence many young girls and women face, it is not an easy read. It is raw and violent, all the while communicating to the reader the sense of hope and fight these girls have to find their way back to one another again. 

CW: Human trafficking, domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, violence, mutilation, disfigurement, abuse

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

I was not prepared for this story and yet I could not stop listening and hoping that it would all end on a good note for Savitha and Poornima. The truth however is more painful and tragic, not many escape human trafficking and if they do there are scars to carry. The violence they experience in India and then later in America all the while pushing on was heartbreaking. Watching the girls tuck away their traumas in order to find answers from the men who held them captive was sobering. They couldn't stop and process the constant violations against their bodies because that meant never getting out. They used every tool at their disposal to outsmart and maneuver their way forward in hopes of seeing each-other again. This isn't the type of story that can ever truly have a happy ending and does feel very heavy while reading, the author handled these tough themes in a thought provoking way. A lot of the scenes depicted are violent and sobering because it's the stark reality many face in our real world. The character development is strong with each of their voices and personalities coming through in a very distinct way. My eyes are peeled for anything Shobha Roa writes next. 

Review goes live on LairofBooks Blog: 12/28/2021 @ 8am EST

I read this a year ago at this point, and parts of it still stick with me. I think it will be a novel I remember my entire life. Searing (which goes with the title) and difficult to read at times, but ultimately redemptive and hopeful. What miseries these girls went through. I still recall specific scenes of pain and painful submission. I will not forget.

A heartbreakingly beautiful novel about female friendship. The only reason I didn't give Rao's book 5 stars is due to the amount of cruelty and abuse both girls went through that literally kept me up at night (in a depressing, I can't sleep way). But with that, it takes a powerful writer to bring such uncomfortable emotions off the page and Rao did just that.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first read the description of this book, I wasn't sure if it was for me. But, I had heard some great buzz and decided to pick it up. I don't usually agree with this buzz, but I have to say I did on this one. It was a great story about friendship. I enjoyed the characters so much and couldn't wait to read more. If you are looking for an engrossing read, pick it up.

Poornima and Savitha have very little in life. They come from poor families in a rural village in India, and much of their time is spent weaving fabric for saris to allow their families to put food on the table. But they have a deep, meaningful, once-in-a-lifetime friendship with each other. That is, until fate cruelly pulls them apart. And even though horrible, dark things happen to each of them, the thought of finding each other again keeps them going.

I AM SO CONFLICTED ABOUT THIS BOOK. On the one hand, absolutely incredible writing. Beautiful prose, such robust descriptions of the inner lives of Poornima and Savitha. For that alone, I can't give this book fewer than four stars. But I have to say (without spoilers) that the ending really troubled me. As a reader, you go through so much trauma with these characters. You watch unbelievably cruel things happen to them. Like, A Little Life levels of anguish. And for me, I wanted more at the end of all of that. (Speaking of which - TW for, like, everything. Rape, violence, emotional and physical abuse, etc.) But Shobha Rao is clearly a remarkably talented writer, so I'm certainly going to read whatever she writes next.

This book is heartbreaking and striking, full of situations you want to look away from. But Rai is here to tell the truth about what happens to young girls. This book is one that the reader will devour quickly, then stay stunned forever.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get into this title. It just wasn't a good fit for me. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this title. I will not be posting a review online, in order not to skew the ratings.

A devastating story of the separation of two young indian girls living in poverty struggling to find a sense of home, love, and acceptance being a woman in a hyper-patriarchal culture. Their journeys through rejection from their families, abuse from husbands and in-laws, and eventual powerlessness that leads to sex-trafficking brings them to helplessness but does not break them. This book demonstrates the remarkable courage of these two protagonists.

Girls Burn Brighter is the fascinating story of a friendship between two girls that stretches across continents. Tackling huge issues such as human trafficking, domestic abuse and immigration, the novel still manages to be intimate and heart-wrenching. This is a lovely meditation on friendship that left me with a lot to think about.

I recommend this to writer and activist Ruth Ann Deveney in Episode 154 of What Should I Read Next: "WSIRN Ep 154: Books so inspiring you might be afraid to read them"

A beautifully written novel of poverty, trauma, and loss. Covering the lives of two women born into poverty and forced to make a life for themselves in deeply patriarchal, rural India. The circumstances of their flight and eventual re-location to the US may seem unrealistic within just two characters, but could easily be taken as representative of possible trafficking victims.

Poornima and Savitha became best friends growing up in India as they bonded together to survive the brutal conditions they face. Eventually, they are forced apart. Savitha is victimized and forced to flee her village, and Poornima is married off. Each situation is full of perils for the young women. Desperate to recover her friendship with Savitha, the only thing she really has left, Poornima leaves her life and seeks to reunite with her best friend. While I found the ending a bit forced, the book in its entirety was a powerful statement about what women endure in many parts of the world. This novel is well written and deeply affecting.

novels of friendship are often given short shrift by critics usually rightly so due to the cliche manner most are written. however, Rao is able to write a literary novel that never feels to bloated or overly serious, instead staying focused and reveling in its depth of character

This novel turned into much more than I bargained for. I did not anticipate the amount of tragedy and turmoil I was going to do through as a reader. Though at times I struggled to continue with the story, I thoroughly enjoyed the girls stories.

A stunning debut that examines the enduring power of love, friendship, hope, and perseverance. Evocative without being manipulative, Rao writes the story of two best friends with a sure hand and a powerful voice that doesn't go quietly into the night but rather shouts from the heaven the atrocities that befall them and the amazing tenacity and willpower that allows them to survive. A bittersweet story that is a stunning tribute to women and feminism as through the lens of misogyny and poverty that will break your heart a million times but leave you oddly satisfied in the end. One of my top reads for 2018. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Rao in the future.

This book was so good but also so hard to read at times. I couldn't just sit there and read it, I had to take it in chunks. The things that these women face is just unreal, but I also know that it IS real. Which just hurt even more.

The writing in this was beautiful and I really liked that we got both of the girls POVs.

I just was a little disappointed by the ending. After everything these two went through, to end it where it did just felt like it was cut off. I was surprised when I turned the last page and found nothing more.

Wow. I had no idea this book was about human trafficking. This gut-wrenching story of two young Indian women covers discussable topics ripped from today's headlines in a brutal and very real way. Although the lives of these two characters are constantly challenged by cultural horrors including mutilation for a 'better price' as well as disfigurement caused by an 'angry husband', they never waiver in their search for one another. Their individual drive and collective strengths, their willingness to defy what's expected of them, bring them to a final somewhat rewarding place. Meeting societal and cultural wrongs head on, Girls Burn Brighter is not for the faint of heart.

Oh my! This one took my breath and my soul. A heartbreaking yet somehow ever hopeful story of the humiliation and abuse of two young women with no one or nothing to depend on but their love for each other. Although the story begins in India, it continues in the US as does the disregard for the value of the lives of these two women. Read at your own peril, as this book will not let you remain unmoved. I will not soon stop thinking of Poornima and Savitha and the real women like them who suffer ungodly abasement because of poverty and their sex.
I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

One of my goals this year is to not only read new-to-me authors but also authors who write about different places, cultures and people to expand my knowledge. This was my choice for last month and it was a good one. Rao created vivid characters in Poornima and Savitha. They came alive for me and I felt both their strength and also their heartbreak. Women are more commodity than people in India and it broke my heart. I also sat in awe of their strength, their faith and their willingness to find their way to back to one another and a better life. It was an eye-opening read, although sometimes very bleak, and yet a triumphant showcase of the human spirit.