Emily is a complex character with a lot of baggage and self-doubt but she is resilient. Her internal struggles make her a character that I could relate to. I have a small issue with Emily's age - not many twelve-year-old's that I know would be able to function totally and suddenly alone. The circumstances surrounding her situation and how the author explains it does make Emily's character more believable. Emily herself definitely reminds me of an "old soul", wise beyond her years (her father's influence) and a scrappy girl. That isn't to say that she doesn't act her age at least some of the time but usually only when she is with Lucas.
Race does play a factor in several instances within the book - mostly Lucas explaining the nuances to Emily because it's something that doesn't occur to her naturally. Without Lucas's backstory the dynamic between Lucas and Emily not to mention the agreement they come to would seem far less plausible. Emily and Lucas become a relationship of big brother/little sister and what they offer each other freely is what makes their relationship unique. Kiona's character wasn't fleshed out as much as Lucas and obviously Emily but it was more of a consequence of her relationship with Emily rather than lack of character building. In fact, Kiona echoed my thoughts in several instances, it made me like her even though her character was the hardest to like for me.
At it's very core this is a book about justice versus revenge and that mainly hinges upon how you would personally see it. More often than not the lines blur and it comes down to your views on handling problems like Emily's yourself or letting the law take care of it. Emily struggles with morality and religion but I believe that what happened to her family caused her to become what she is - Lucas only provided a safe place and educational springboard to the deep end. Even though we don't see much of them Peggy and Darla provide mother figures to Emily, their bond is wholesome and fits Emily's psychological needs in a way she didn't know she needed.
One interesting facet of The Hiding Girl was that it featured a little known condition called trichotillomania which is a disorder that causes people to have an irresistible urge to pull out their hair. The only reason I'm aware of it is because of two people in my life. Another condition we see with Emily is DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) also known to many as split-personality and this is the second book this year I've read that has a character "suffering" from it's clutches - although it's much less prevalent here.
This story is fairly violent for the main character being a girl of twelve. Violence of all kinds, the physical kind is usually described in detail while the more sensitive stuff (mainly sexual assault) is more vague which I appreciated. Even though the story is told from a twelve-year-old's perspective I wouldn't suggest it for younger audiences. I enjoyed this book and it captured my attention enough that I didn't want to put it down even though the Emily/Lucas plausibility still gets me a little bit. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers, suspense and books that feature mental health and morality. Thank you to Dorian Box, BookishFirst and Friction Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of The Hiding Girl - I look forward to seeing where Emily ends up in the second installment.
*Content warning: physical violence, sexual assault, drug use, mental health, self harm, race and religion.*
Race does play a factor in several instances within the book - mostly Lucas explaining the nuances to Emily because it's something that doesn't occur to her naturally. Without Lucas's backstory the dynamic between Lucas and Emily not to mention the agreement they come to would seem far less plausible. Emily and Lucas become a relationship of big brother/little sister and what they offer each other freely is what makes their relationship unique. Kiona's character wasn't fleshed out as much as Lucas and obviously Emily but it was more of a consequence of her relationship with Emily rather than lack of character building. In fact, Kiona echoed my thoughts in several instances, it made me like her even though her character was the hardest to like for me.
At it's very core this is a book about justice versus revenge and that mainly hinges upon how you would personally see it. More often than not the lines blur and it comes down to your views on handling problems like Emily's yourself or letting the law take care of it. Emily struggles with morality and religion but I believe that what happened to her family caused her to become what she is - Lucas only provided a safe place and educational springboard to the deep end. Even though we don't see much of them Peggy and Darla provide mother figures to Emily, their bond is wholesome and fits Emily's psychological needs in a way she didn't know she needed.
One interesting facet of The Hiding Girl was that it featured a little known condition called trichotillomania which is a disorder that causes people to have an irresistible urge to pull out their hair. The only reason I'm aware of it is because of two people in my life. Another condition we see with Emily is DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) also known to many as split-personality and this is the second book this year I've read that has a character "suffering" from it's clutches - although it's much less prevalent here.
This story is fairly violent for the main character being a girl of twelve. Violence of all kinds, the physical kind is usually described in detail while the more sensitive stuff (mainly sexual assault) is more vague which I appreciated. Even though the story is told from a twelve-year-old's perspective I wouldn't suggest it for younger audiences. I enjoyed this book and it captured my attention enough that I didn't want to put it down even though the Emily/Lucas plausibility still gets me a little bit. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers, suspense and books that feature mental health and morality. Thank you to Dorian Box, BookishFirst and Friction Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of The Hiding Girl - I look forward to seeing where Emily ends up in the second installment.
*Content warning: physical violence, sexual assault, drug use, mental health, self harm, race and religion.*