Review: Imaginary Girls

Imaginary Girls, Nova Ren Suma

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal, Young Adult

Publication: 6/14/2012, Speak

(First Pub. 6/14/11 Dutton Juvenile)

# of Pages: 304 (Paperback)

Source: Purchased / Owned

Synopsis from Goodreads: A beautiful and chilling story for fans of Lauren Oliver and Lisa McMann

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be contained or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the 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 deeply hidden away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

My Review: Nova Ren Suma may well be one of the best writers I've ever encountered. She's definitely on my list of favorites. And Imaginary Girls may be one of the most interesting stories I've ever read. It's so quietly powerful. You think you're reading something slow-moving and laidback until you realize you've been holding your breath and maniacally flipping through pages.

Every word Nova Ren Suma writes serves a purpose. It reads like a literary novel, with these strange paranormal elements thrown in. It's so hard to classify because I'm reluctant to call it just one thing. It's many things all at once. It's haunting and compelling and beautiful but never overdone. You can feel the force of the writer's voice, the way she strings everything together, even as Chloe's voice is pulling us along, telling us her tale. I've honestly not read much like it in the YA realm.

Highly recommended. It's like a perfectly executed magic trick--it will intrigue you and surprise you and, ultimately, leave you wondering how the author managed to pull it off. One of my favorite reads of the year. Also, while I loved the first cover--the one with the girl in the water--there is something eerie and provocative about the new paperback cover (above). I'm surprised at myself, but I really like it.

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