Going off to college is a scary, exciting new chapter for many people. For many people, you are going to a new town, with new faces, and you start on a clean slate. Years later, it is fun to look back on memories from undergrad. However, when we hide secrets in our past, they eventually creep into our future. In this book review and Laurie Elizabeth Flynn’s book, The Girls Are All So Nice Here, we dive into a past that holds many dark secrets, some better left unspoken.
Synopsis
The story starts off full of innocence. Ambrosia Wellington opens her email inbox to see an invite for a college reunion and deletes it. Then a second one arrives, Ambrosia scrolls down just far enough to see one familiar name, Flora Banning, before the email joins the ranks of unwanted ads and spam. But the emails don’t stop, and now letters start arriving. Which only leads to questions from her husband, followed by begging to see the college and friends he hasn’t heard much about.
Despite countless efforts to ward off this dreadful reunion, Ambrosia caves. One weekend can’t hurt, especially if she keeps her guard up and continues to shelter her husband from the secrets she’s left carefully hidden. However, when little messages keep appearing and an unwanted roommate, Sully, arrives, the odds stack against her quickly.
As time progresses, her husband learns more despite Ambrosia’s countless efforts to keep him safe and separated from the shadows of her past. While many of her fellow alumni are enjoying the weekend reconnecting with one another, many of Ambrosia’s conversations reveal a little piece of who Ambrosia once was.
Finally, the story comes to an end, more secrets are revealed and justice is served. Well, perhaps justice is served in some eyes but not others. Whether the ending was happy or incomplete will be up to the reader. One thing is for certain, these girls may not be the nicest ones around.
Throughout the present timeline, the reader also follows a timeline of the past. This allows the reader to follow all secrets to their fruition. From Ambrosia’s first day on campus as a freshman, she sees what she wants and will do anything to get there. As Ambrosia continues down this path, secrets and bad decsions begin to stack against her. By the time the past matches up with the present, the pieces all fall into place revealing the shocking twist of it all.
Likes and Dislikes
Overall, this book was truly hard to put down. The alternating timelines were easy to follow and lined up perfectly with events from both. I really appreciated the short chapters. They added an urgency to the story making it feel like time really was running out. I also enjoyed the twist of an ending. While I was able to predict the who-dun-it pieces, the ending really caught me off guard.
I felt like some of the characters were cartoonish in their behaviors and personalities. This didn’t necessarily take from the story, but they did get annoying at times. I caught myself rolling my eyes at some of the moments because I perceived them as unrealistic. However, in reflection I find my disgust was not in the lack of realism but more so the realization these behaviors are magnified characteristics many “mean girls” display.
I think this book, while clearly a piece of fiction, paints a big picture of how our actions and desires can greatly impact the realities of other people. Sometimes when we are so zoomed in on wanting to be liked, we dismiss and harm the people who accept us as we are. I’m sure many people have found themselves stuck between doing what is right and doing what is more favorable. This story tells of the repercussions of doing what is favorable. Even when doing what is favorable might make us feel better, it can sometimes cause harm to those around us.
This book also shows the dangers of caring secrets. While some things are better left in the past, some secrets need to be aired. However, our secrets can catch like wildfire, and before we know it we are left in the ash and soot of what once was. The quicker we put out the embers, the better our chances of surviving may be. Perhaps this is something Ambrosia could have benefited from learning.
Recommendations and Review
Overall, this book was really good. I read it very quickly and think it makes the perfect weekend read (especially with summer break right around the corner). I do feel this book needs a warning for anyone who may be sensitive to abuse or bullying. There is also implied sexual content and mentions of sexual abuse. So please keep this in mind if you are sensitive to these themes.
Intriguing 8/10
As always, happy reading!