Whoa. That is one heckin' good book.
YA feminist horror.
I will keep thinking about this one for a long time. So eerie.

Can't wait for more from this author!

A book does not get to label itself as feminist merely for having an all female cast. That is not what feminism is.

This book could have been really great and I was very excited for it. I did read it all over the course of two days, but I feel like that is because I kept waiting for something to actually happen. Our protagonist has a one track mind and that goal isn’t even useful to the community or herself. There is little concern for what should be the mystery of their disease and why they’ve been sequestered to this island. Instead it’s hundreds of pages of being obsessed with this one friend who it turns out is a pretty crappy person.

There’s probably an allegory about climate change or feminist culture or the United States government somewhere- but it never shines through.

I read Wilder Girls in one sitting. I kid you not -- I did not leave my seat until I was finished. The prose is outstanding, and it had me engrossed immediately. When I read Wilder girls, I was at the Raxter School for Girls watching everything happen and feeling everything Rory Power wanted me to feel. This book is creepy in the most entertaining of ways, because it felt real -- the island, the quarantine, the horrible things in the woods. The exceptional use of setting combined with the complicated relationships between the characters and the look into human nature, into what we would do when pushed to the limit made this book extraordinary. Wilder Girls is the feminist horror novel I didn't know I needed until now. Trust me, you need it too.

Wow, upon finishing this I want to know more!

I love dystopian fiction, this book is definitely in that category. However I feel like it could be a middle grade gateway to the medical thriller genre as well.

The tox has taken over, the girls at school all manifest different symptoms that could give you nightmares....

Will Hetty and Reese find Byatt and survive the Tox?

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Strong female character with great imagery and a creeping and unsettling atmosphere. The second half felt a bit rushed for me, and I would've enjoyed a bit more work on the supporting characters. It felt like there were too many secondary characters who never felt fleshed out. Besides that I really enjoyed the suspense and thrill of the story. I would highly recommend to readers who enjoyed Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand, or Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick.

A wonderfully strange and unique book that will have you wondering what genre that it should be in. I loved the strong female characters and how they work together. It has suspense, horror, and plot twists that will keep you up all night long.

A riveting read. Read through it in two days. Killer twists and turns. A sure fire hit with the teen crowd! Will be purchasing!!

Wilder Girls

Where do I even begin?

Well, to be honest the cover is what caught my attention. It’s gorgeous and I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. Am I right? Kudos to the artist. Then I read the tag line “a feminist Lord of the Flies” and I immediately requested the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for allowing me the pleasure of reading this digital ARC.

Rory Power is a phenomenal author. Her style of writing, choice of words, the way in which she thrusts you into a completely foreign setting with very little context—confusing, yet not so confused that you become frustrated—all of it makes for such a wonderful experience. I found myself rereading lines and whole sections because I was in that much awe of what an incredible writer she is. Rory, if you’re reading this, fingers crossed book 2 is in the works, and I’d be more than happy to advance read it because I do not want to wait that long before diving into another one of your books.

Onto what makes this book stand out (aside from the writing itself): The plot line is unique and intriguing from page one. It pulls you into the story, keeps you guessing, and has elements of mystery and surprise interwoven throughout each chapter. Strong female leads are another powerful element. The characters are so full of life, jumping of the page, you feel like you really know them, and you’re affected when things don’t go their way. Power has a way of sticking so closely to the POV in which she is writing that you find yourself so engrossed with being in the moment of the story as it unfolds. So often, writers can’t help but be “writerly” and throw in unnecessary scenes just for the purpose of beautiful writing, when all that really does is pull the reader out of the story. The setting is a character in and of itself—the remote island boarding school is alive and I could picture every moment so clearly in my mind.

Wilder Girls symbolized everything I love about being a reader. Part mystery, part sci-fi, part horror and all amazing. It’s young adult with moderate violence, so this book is geared toward high school readers. I urge you to pick this one up the minute it hits the shelves.