Because unlike boys, girls turn inward. They hide. They adapt, even if it hurts. Because they are not screaming, people assume they do not suffer.
Rating
Review
TW: Rape and sexual assault
Anyone else love books that make you mad because people suck? Big mood for me right now.
The Nowhere Girls is about three girls who team up and decide to create a group to avenge the rape of a classmate who no one believed. In the process they end up creating a movement that goes through their school and town, attacking the rape culture that lets boys get away with assault and the adults that let it happen.
Reading this was hard because while this book is fiction, this situation is all too real. But besides that, this book is about friendship, and realizing self-worth. It's also really honest, and such a conversation starter. Unfortunately a lot of that part started coming off preachy after a while, like a tv special they used to make you watch during Sex Ed class. There were multiple long chapters that were just all the girls chatting about boys, sex, relationships, and all that and while it was important, it was so so much of it. Also the group's first action to deny sex to all the boys as a punishment? Uhhhh no. But of course the book is already ahead of me and even talked about that extensively too.
My favorite part was the friendship that grew between Gracie, Rosina, and Erin. They are three very different girls from very different backgrounds and experiences but they make such a good group, even though it's messy too. There is so much girls sticking up for girls and just natural girl power, I liked that. There were even romances for all of them which I didn't expect but it was wholesome. Even a f/f in there too.
While nothing in this book is light of course, I've been reading books that are similar but more murdery. I'm not saying it lessened this book for me but I kind of like the revenge to escalate to that instead of just legal justice. It did give this book a more realistic feel instead of a girl going on a rampage though, and I am happy at the outcome in here. But I'm still looking for another book that has the same energy as Sadie and The Female of the Species.
Otherwise this is a fast read that isn't exactly fun but is still important.
