The Only Girl in Town was not what I expected. The book is composed of short chapters, is told in dual timelines, and moves quickly. The story follows July Fielding, for whom nothing has been the same since the summer before her senior year. It is difficult to review without major spoilers.
She finds herself alone in her town, all the people and animals gone. The story unfolds intensely, each twist and turn adding a piece to the puzzle. We know something happened that senior year, but it is not until the end that we understand. There are still many questions left for the reader at the end, but I think this may have been intentional. It certainly deserves to be re-read. The pacing is masterful, the writing lyrical and allegorical. The reading experience is utterly immersive. The Only Girl in Town is urgent, emotional, compelling and impossible to put down. Readers need to be aware of trigger warnings.
She finds herself alone in her town, all the people and animals gone. The story unfolds intensely, each twist and turn adding a piece to the puzzle. We know something happened that senior year, but it is not until the end that we understand. There are still many questions left for the reader at the end, but I think this may have been intentional. It certainly deserves to be re-read. The pacing is masterful, the writing lyrical and allegorical. The reading experience is utterly immersive. The Only Girl in Town is urgent, emotional, compelling and impossible to put down. Readers need to be aware of trigger warnings.