Book: The It Girl
Author: Ruth Ware
Pages: 431
Read on: Kindle
Read in: ~4 hours
Plot Summary:
Everyone wanted her life
Someone wanted her dead
It was Hannah who found April’s body ten years ago.
It was Hannah who didn’t question what she saw that day.
Did her testimony put an innocent man in prison?
She needs to know the truth.
Even if it means questioning her own friends.
Even if it means putting her own life at risk.
Because if the killer wasn’t a stranger, it's someone she knows.
Things I Liked:
1. This is a split/ dual timeline book based within the hallowed halls of Oxford University. The narrative moves between the events of present day and the events of 10 years ago leading to the murder of 'it girl'- April. If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time you'll know that cold cases, friendship group dynamics and split timeline narratives are some of my favourite tropes in crime thrillers. Picking up this book was an absolute no-brainer for me! :))
2. The author does a good job of bringing the six key characters in this story alive. I wouldn't say a 'great' job because there could've been more done to flesh out characters like Ryan, Will, Hugh and Emily, but Hannah and April (the eponymous 'it girl') are fairly well developed. You felt like you understood both of them and their friendship and the power dynamics of it was quite interesting to me as well.
3. The setting of Oxford is quite well exploited in the narrative. The grand old buildings, the typical culture of the elite university, the subtle (or not) divisions between the haves and the have-nots, the group dynamics of a new group of friends, where some are more confident and surefooted than the others are all interestingly done. There will be someone in the group of six that you can relate to, which will make the book that much more interesting to read.
4. The murder mystery itself is quite nicely done. It is almost a locked-room sort of a mystery and you'll keep wondering if the guy in prison is innocent then how could anyone else have killed April?! I really enjoyed figuring out that part of it. There are not that many breadcrumbs, but if you really pay attention, then you'll find them!
The 'how was it done' bit was interesting but it has already been done by Agatha Christie. But then what has not been done by the Grand Dame of Crime Fiction?! :) I can forgive Ms. Ware for using this trope quite nicely in this book!
5. The book is fast-paced and fairly unputdownable. There are no unnecessary chapters or random musings, which is always a good thing in a crime thriller.
Things I Didn't Like:
1. There could've been a little more focus on the group dynamics between the six friends back in college instead of Hannah and Will's struggles in present day. There was quite a lot that went down in that one academic year at Oxford and when I finished the book, I wished there was more that the author had told us about these six young people and their friendship, then just some bits and pieces here and there.
Rating: 4/5
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