Book Review (4 Stars) – The Roanoke Girls, by Amy Engel – LittleMissNoSleep Daydreams of Books

Blurb:

A gripping, provocative thriller about the twisted secrets families keep, perfect for fans of The Girls.

Beautiful.
Rich.
Mysterious.
Everyone wants to be a Roanoke girl.

But you won’t when you know the truth.

Lane Roanoke is fifteen when she comes to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin at the Roanoke family’s rural estate following the suicide of her mother. Over one long, hot summer, Lane experiences the benefits of being one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls.

But what she doesn’t know is being a Roanoke girl carries a terrible legacy: either the girls run, or they die. For there is darkness at the heart of Roanoke, and when Lane discovers its insidious pull, she must make her choice…

My Review:

If I’m completely honest, I’m still not sure how I feel about this book. I was initially attracted to this book by its pretty cover and the word Roanoke, as it is a word I had never heard of until Season 6 of American Horror Story, which I watched in recent months, so the word jumped out at me when another blogger posted that they had received a copy of the book, and I just had to add it to my wish list straight away.

This story is about one messed up family with secrets and very flawed characters. It covers different generations of women and girls in the Roanoke family. Covering very dark subjects, this book is likely to trigger strong emotions in some readers.

The Roanoke Girls was told in such a way that it had a subtle feel to it, rather than instant shock. I was able to gradually bond with each of the characters, and rather strangely almost understand the story from both sides. Both disturbing and uncomfortable reading at times, I found this really messed with my emotions and feelings of right and wrong, with me sometimes feeling almost accepting of what was going on, which in turn made me feel sick. I don’t like that it made me feel that way, and for me that made it all the more disturbing to read. Perhaps that was the author’s intention.

Definitely not the book for you if you’re easily upset or offended, but I think this will appeal to those who like dark stories with flawed characters.