The Girls Are All So Nice Here was the first novel I have read by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, and it was recommended to me based on other books I have enjoyed. The story itself definitely fell into the thriller and suspense genres, with some dark twists and surprises along the way. After finishing the book, though, I had mixed feelings.
The Girls Are All So Nice Here takes place in two different timelines: present day at the class reunion and ten years prior, when our protagonist and her toxic best friend were in school. After a series of mistakes and one deadly night their freshman year, the two women return to campus, only to find that someone wants revenge for the parts they played in that night many years ago.
I’ll start by discussing the aspects of this book that I enjoyed. The novel had many twists, just as any thriller should, and an unsettling tone to the story. Wanting to know what happened at the end was what kept me turning the page. It also showed the tragic consequences of mental illness and bullying.
The most intriguing part was the relationship between girls that age, especially when boys are involved. It was a much darker Mean Girls. Similarly, most women experience some sort of toxic friendship and/or relationship at some point during their lives. Though none end as tragically as this story did, I thought it was an accurate depiction of how some girls think. That “pack mentality” girls have to exclude others and get what they want was well done in this book.
There were two parts I struggled with: our protagonist and the ending. Often times, thrillers don’t have a pleasant ending, which I can come to terms with on occasion. However, I didn’t care for the ending, but I also didn’t care for our protagonist. So, without spoiling the ending, I suppose poetic justice was served.
Unfortunately, I didn’t really have any particular character to root for the entire story. I didn’t like any of the living characters. The girls were cruel, both in college and at the reunion, and none of the spouses were compelling either. Mainly, I just wanted to know what happened in the past and who wanted revenge at the reunion…that piqued my curiosity until the end.
If you’re looking for a pleasant book with a happy ending, this isn’t the book for you! However, The Girls Are All So Nice Here was an incredibly accurate depiction of how horrible girls can be to one another, especially at that age when boys are involved. So, as with most stories, there are pros and cons and this review is entirely my opinion.
If you’ve read this book or plan to, or have a differing opinion, I would love to discuss!
Books and Bites with Brooke 