All Girls drew me in as it began with its’ early description of an elite private school rocked by a past graduate accusing the school of dismissing rape allegations against a faculty member. So, I was quickly disappointed as the author chose to crowd (no, overcrowd) the book with many, many student names. I felt myself being confused by the huge cast of characters. Honestly, between new students, older students, team members, newspaper staff, faculty names, etc., my head was spinning.

I think the author is talented, but the book is too poorly focused for me. There are many descriptions of traditional school events, but I was so awash with names and connections that my head was really spinning.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this novel.

The author’s debut starts with assurance and an intriguing narrative set in an elite girls’ boarding school. (Think Curtis Sittenfeld’s cult classic PREP.) But I DNF, for the same reason I DNF PREP. The boarding school world interests me not at all. I could not relate to sniveling teens and their artificial lives. Just me. I’m sure PREP lovers will adore ALL GIRLS. To each her own!

Pub Date 16 Feb 2021

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#AllGirls #NetGalley

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This book started off petty strong but wound up going too many places, never once circling back to one girl or idea. Very much a three star book.

I didn't finish this one. The premise sounded promising: a boarding school book with a #MeToo bent. But, the girls were unlikable, overblown and full of stereotypes and they all blended into each other.

I wanted very much to become engrossed in this book. It started out invitingly- introducing young women who are beginning their year at a prestigious, progressive liberal arts womens' boarding school in rural Connecticut. Upon their arrival, there are rumours of a teacher who had raped a former student 15 years ago; the student was dismissed and the teacher continued to teach at the school. The mystery of who this teacher might be, along with the anonymous tips to expose him, is a theme throughout the book.

The main characters are introduced with their own chapters, we learn of their early lives, personalities, and what brought them to the boarding school.. But after meeting 7 or 8 of these protagonists, it's hard to remember one woman from the next. No one or relationship is explored deeply and confrontations are mysteriously resolved. Incidents are suddenly earth-shattering, and after 5 pages we never hear of the incident again..

I became frustrated trying to follow these women and their evolution and their changes over the course of one year at the school, mainly because there were just so many of them and the story itself felt disjointed.

Emily Layden's All Girls gets it just right. All the angst covered up under different personas, the need to express - everything pitch perfect.