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THE GIRLS (AUDIO)
by Emma Cline, read by Cady McClain
Penguin Random House Audio, June 2016
Unabridged pages
$40.00
ISBN: 0147523990


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

In this crisply written first novel by Emma Cline, bored high school student Evie Boyd finds herself facing a long, dull summer with her one friend, Connie, in their well-to-do Northern California suburb. She feels as if she is in a kind of suspended animation, for she is waiting for her mother to ship her off to boarding school so that she will be out of the way of her new step-father.

Then, across a playground, she spots Suzanne, a young woman in flowing clothing, who has a certain beauty and an air of assurance. Evie is instantly smitten, and she soon finds pretexts to talk to Suzanne. Finally, she is invited into their old bus to visit their "ranch." Suzanne lives in a commune with several other women, men, and children, plus sleepover guests. All of them are under the spell of Russell, their charismatic leader, who fancies himself both a musician and a philosopher of new age wisdom. Evie begins a relationship with Suzanne, whom she has a worshipful crush on, but she also complies with Russell's sexual demands. She desperately wants to fit in with the group, so she eagerly does chores on the ranch, participates in their generally petty shoplifting sprees, and helps entice male visitors to the compound--those men deemed by Russell to have money and/or connections. As Russell's ego grows, so does his notion that everyone must give him his due; he is increasingly angry and disappointed when outsiders fail to recognize his greatness, talent, and charm.

The story follows the somewhat predictable storyline of a Manson-like cult. In THE GIRLS, Emma Cline does focus on the young women, with Russell remaining often in the background. This is one of the flaws of the narrative because the leader never emerges as someone charismatic enough to attract any sort of following, unless the reader shrugs and concludes that there is no accounting for taste.

Another weakness is a split narrative, with an older Evie interacting in an isolated house with the son of an old friend, who, along with his girlfriend, unexpectedly interrupts her stay there. These episodes help to flesh out Evie's character in later life, but they are so much less compelling than the story of the teenaged Evie that it becomes more of a distraction than an addition.

Sparkling writing will keep many listening to the audio despite the pedestrian plot. Cline has an ear for fresh metaphors and for describing Evie's world. The audio, too, is extremely well-executed. THE GIRLS is a wonderful debut opportunity for two-time Emmy award winner Cady McClain. She captures the nuances of the sixteen-year-old narrator as well as those of Evie's more mature self. She does an excellent job of making Suzanne sound older, yet not at all wiser. The large cast of characters in the past and present is handled with ease, and good pacing keeps the audio moving along. THE GIRLS is an excellent audio for those who are looking for a character-driven story about the end of innocence.

§ An avid audiophile, Karla Jay is a retired professor of English and Women's & Gender Studies. She is a frequent contributor to this site.

Reviewed by Karla Jay, July 2016

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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