"An Anonymous Girl" begins with Jessica (Jess) who does make up for a living through the company Beauty Buzz in New York City. She had been working on broadway shows before she was assaulted. With the current job, she makes enough to maintain her lifestyle plus send some home to care for her younger sister, who has traumatic brain injury and needs lots of care. While doing a client's make up at the college, she learns that she was invited to do an ethics study which would pay $500 for a couple hours. Learning that the client is unlikely to go, Jess decides to go in her place.
The ethics professor, Dr. Shields, is watching as Jess enters the study. She fits the demographic profile but lied in order to enter the study- one about ethics. Dr. Shields invites her back to make sure she would be the person she was looking for. After she does, Dr. Shields invites her to participate in further, in-person experiments. Unable to pass up the money, Jess decides to give it a try- after all, she can exit the study at any time.
However, as things begin to escalate, Jess is unable to extricate herself from Dr. Shields and her life begins spiraling out of control. Will Jess be able to unravel the past- the previous study subject who died- and outmaneuver Dr. Shields before it is too late?
This book was fast-paced and I felt just as confused as Jess. The book is told in alternating points-of-view between Jess and Dr. Shields. We get pieces from each, but neither is explicit about the information they have nor where it could lead. We must read and unravel the tangled web ourselves. Jess was easy to like, and she is the one we really feel for when reading the story. On the opposite site, Dr. Shields makes an excellent villain, and we are never totally sure of her motives. On one level, we do get the basic motivation, but it's more complex than it might seem and her feelings about the other players are equally complex.
This was a really quick read for me, as I devoured each chapter as it leads to the finale. The pacing of the writing was really perfect with a slow build and crescendo that follows the storyline perfectly. I was surprised that no one had noted any ethics violations of the professor earlier (for instance, involving subjects in further studies without informed consent- but then again, the secrecy and lies might take care of people not knowing who to turn to). There are some pieces where it becomes clear that the repercussions of normal reactions might be too great to follow these paths (e.g. going to police), but it still may have been worth a try (I would think someone in a situation might try something). That said, I could suspend the disbelief to really enjoy the thriller.
Overall, this was a fast-paced and intense psychological thriller, and I enjoyed the read. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The ethics professor, Dr. Shields, is watching as Jess enters the study. She fits the demographic profile but lied in order to enter the study- one about ethics. Dr. Shields invites her back to make sure she would be the person she was looking for. After she does, Dr. Shields invites her to participate in further, in-person experiments. Unable to pass up the money, Jess decides to give it a try- after all, she can exit the study at any time.
However, as things begin to escalate, Jess is unable to extricate herself from Dr. Shields and her life begins spiraling out of control. Will Jess be able to unravel the past- the previous study subject who died- and outmaneuver Dr. Shields before it is too late?
This book was fast-paced and I felt just as confused as Jess. The book is told in alternating points-of-view between Jess and Dr. Shields. We get pieces from each, but neither is explicit about the information they have nor where it could lead. We must read and unravel the tangled web ourselves. Jess was easy to like, and she is the one we really feel for when reading the story. On the opposite site, Dr. Shields makes an excellent villain, and we are never totally sure of her motives. On one level, we do get the basic motivation, but it's more complex than it might seem and her feelings about the other players are equally complex.
This was a really quick read for me, as I devoured each chapter as it leads to the finale. The pacing of the writing was really perfect with a slow build and crescendo that follows the storyline perfectly. I was surprised that no one had noted any ethics violations of the professor earlier (for instance, involving subjects in further studies without informed consent- but then again, the secrecy and lies might take care of people not knowing who to turn to). There are some pieces where it becomes clear that the repercussions of normal reactions might be too great to follow these paths (e.g. going to police), but it still may have been worth a try (I would think someone in a situation might try something). That said, I could suspend the disbelief to really enjoy the thriller.
Overall, this was a fast-paced and intense psychological thriller, and I enjoyed the read. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.