Genre: Young Adult, Thriller
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 352
Release Date: September 13, 2022
When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest.
A spiritual successor to the 2018 breakout hit, Sadie, I’m the Girlis a masterfully written, bold, and unflinching account of how one young woman feels in her body as she struggles to navigate a deadly and predatory power structure while asking readers one question: if this is the way the world is, do you accept it?
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I requested I’m the Girl from Netgalley because Summer’s writing is always impressive and it was described as “a spiritual sequel to Sadie”. I absolutely loved Sadie, but, unfortunately, I didn’t love I’m the Girl.
The synopsis describes I’m the Girl as a murder investigation, however there’s very little of that in the novel as the focus is on Georgia’s naitivity in the face of a very corrupt and depraved world.
Summers is excellent in her characterization of unlikeable main characters. Georgia is no exception. She’s naive and frustrating for most of the novel, however that’s also the consequence of being a sixteen year old girl who was given little to no information.
What I disliked most about this novel is that Summers thrusts readers into the story with little to no context. I felt lost for the first few chapters before I began piecing the story together. Had the novel started a few days earlier, it would have given the story and Georgia as a character more context.
Lack of communication is what drives the story. Most of the tension in the novel could have been resolved before it even started had Georgia’s mom or brother been honest with her about the realities of Aspera. They could have still shielded her from most of it while still being honest.
Overall, I’m the Girl was mildly disappointing after the perfection that was Sadie. I’m the Girl is a story about the ugly underbelly of the elite and what can happen to young girls who are taken advantage of by older men.
***I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Will you be reading I’m the Girl?
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