Review: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

DETAILS:
Pages: 348
Genre: YA
Bought this book.

PLOT:
Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about

REVIEW:
Everyone who has reviewed this book has given me the impression that it wasn't a favourite, but was definitely worth the read. After having a read of it my self I have come to the decision that yes these people were right and I will tell you why.

As a lover of Adult, Magical Realism by the likes of Alice Hoffman, a book set in the real world that has surreal elements definitely has its appeal. The book was written in a way that could have many different interpretations of what happened, but in one way or another all of them happened. In other words it's up to the reader to decide what is real and what is imaginary.

I thought that the cover was just brilliant and have to admit that it was one of the first things that got me interested in the novel to begin with. Though, I definitely wouldn't have bought it in a rush like I did if I hadn't have heard such great things from Numerous Vloggers and Bloggers first. The way that the cover is a picture turned on it's side definitely gives it that otherworldly appeal. Straight away I thought of "Inception" and the likes of it.

The characters in the novel had this kooky element about them that toned down the vain aspects of the things they did. The characters reminded me a lot of the girls in the "Virgin Suicides" Movie(Yes I know, I haven't read the book yet). Because they were two sisters that were their sole company and had isolated themselves from everyone else emotionally, everything they did went far beyond the boundaries of normal.

I also thought the writing style had something to lend to the novel. The way everything was written just made the book feel so airy and bohemian. I think this book is definitely more of a summer read. Just the way  they talk about this reservoir reminds me of swimming at the beach in my tank top and skirt floating wildly or being a little kid and talking about the monster in the bottom of the pool. I also thought that the whole "Remember when..." game that the older sister used to play was kinda cool in a screwy sort of way.

I gave this book a 4.5 stars. I got everything I expected and more out of this book. I think the only things that let me down- and face it, there's always something- was just a few little things at the beginning that seemed a little brief and random. E.g when she just skims over losing her innocence in like a paragraph of a list of other things she did for those three months. Hardly an explanation..etc. I think that sort of thoughtlessness or carelessness or what ever you want to call it sat well with the characters behavior, but I don't think it did the novel any favours.

I WOULD RECCOMEND:
-Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman

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