Book Review:The Broken Girls
by Mary Beth Newbill, Southern History Department, Central Library
The Broken Girls
Simone St. James
I completely devoured Simone St. James’s latest novel over the course of a weekend. If you’re a fan of spooky, gothic mysteries get this book immediately. It has all the right elements: an abandoned girls’ school that may or may not be haunted, two murders, romance, an escaped Nazi war criminal, a crooked small town police force, and an overall atmosphere of foreboding.
Most of the novel, which is set in a small Vermont town, takes place in and around the ruins of Idlewilde Hall. Idlewilde was once a boarding school for wayward girls. Girls who, according to the standards of the early to mid-20th century, were in need of stern discipline in order to become proper wives and mothers.
The story shifts from present day back to 1950. In the present day, Fiona Sheridan is a journalist obsessed with her sister’s murder. After 20 years, Fiona is still bothered by the details of how and why her sister’s killer entered the abandoned Idlewilde grounds in order to dispose of her body. Fiona feels compelled to re-visit the site where her sister’s body was found. When she learns that Idlewilde is about to undergo a restoration, she proposes a story about the history of the school and is granted access to the buildings, grounds, and the mysterious family who is financing the project.
The 1950 story follows four students at Idlewilde who form a close bond. We hear each girl’s backstory and learn the circumstances that led to her being exiled to a third rate boarding school. The two stories converge when, during the present day, a body is discovered by the construction workers. Critical to both timelines is the ever present fear that is embedded in Idlewilde. Students, teachers, and townspeople all know the legend of Mary Hand and how she haunts the school grounds and surrounding areas. For as long as the school existed and even after it closed, the presence of Mary Hand has been there, striking fear into anyone who ventures too close.
There is a lot going on in this book, but St. James handles the various plots deftly and without confusion. I was instantly reminded of Carol Goodman’s The Lake of Dead Languages which is also set in an isolated girls’ school and has two timelines. I like The Broken Girls much better. The characters are more likeable, their motivations more believable, and the ending is more satisfying. I’ll definitely be seeking out other titles by this author and hope they are just as engrossing.
Simone St. James
I completely devoured Simone St. James’s latest novel over the course of a weekend. If you’re a fan of spooky, gothic mysteries get this book immediately. It has all the right elements: an abandoned girls’ school that may or may not be haunted, two murders, romance, an escaped Nazi war criminal, a crooked small town police force, and an overall atmosphere of foreboding.
Most of the novel, which is set in a small Vermont town, takes place in and around the ruins of Idlewilde Hall. Idlewilde was once a boarding school for wayward girls. Girls who, according to the standards of the early to mid-20th century, were in need of stern discipline in order to become proper wives and mothers.
The story shifts from present day back to 1950. In the present day, Fiona Sheridan is a journalist obsessed with her sister’s murder. After 20 years, Fiona is still bothered by the details of how and why her sister’s killer entered the abandoned Idlewilde grounds in order to dispose of her body. Fiona feels compelled to re-visit the site where her sister’s body was found. When she learns that Idlewilde is about to undergo a restoration, she proposes a story about the history of the school and is granted access to the buildings, grounds, and the mysterious family who is financing the project.
The 1950 story follows four students at Idlewilde who form a close bond. We hear each girl’s backstory and learn the circumstances that led to her being exiled to a third rate boarding school. The two stories converge when, during the present day, a body is discovered by the construction workers. Critical to both timelines is the ever present fear that is embedded in Idlewilde. Students, teachers, and townspeople all know the legend of Mary Hand and how she haunts the school grounds and surrounding areas. For as long as the school existed and even after it closed, the presence of Mary Hand has been there, striking fear into anyone who ventures too close.
There is a lot going on in this book, but St. James handles the various plots deftly and without confusion. I was instantly reminded of Carol Goodman’s The Lake of Dead Languages which is also set in an isolated girls’ school and has two timelines. I like The Broken Girls much better. The characters are more likeable, their motivations more believable, and the ending is more satisfying. I’ll definitely be seeking out other titles by this author and hope they are just as engrossing.
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