This book explored a very interesting concept into the influence of being brought up by parents and their environment.
At fourteen, Fern's life splits into two narratives: one where she stays in California with her loving but flawed alcoholic father, and another where she moves to London with her controlling, narcissistic mother.
The parallel lives of Fern/ Flick are explored with depth, showing how their different environments shape their personalities and decisions. I really enjoyed this book, routing for the 2 personalities.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Wow. I finished this in a pool of tears.

This is not what I thought it was going to be from the cover but I’m so glad I found it.

The format is a little tricky to begin with but I truly became absorbed in Flick/Fern’s story and loved how the mystery unfolded throughout.

Incredibly written and intensely thought provoking. No doubt at 5 star read that will stay with me for a long, long time.

VERSIONS OF A GIRL

Versions of a Girl by Catherine Gray

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

“Do we become who we are because of our parents, or in spite of them?”

—

Fern’s mother is a social climber living in a London townhouse. Fern’s father lives hand to mouth in Californian motels. She has spent equal time with both until, aged 14, an unexpected event triggers her to make a decision between going to London or staying in California. Two possible lives.

—

This book is definitely a book that requires your full attention as, not only is it told from multiple POVs, but there is also a split timeline, *and* there are time jumps between past, present and future. 😬 it was a little difficult to follow, but Fern having a different name (Flick) in one of the alternate timelines definitely helped

I mostly liked this! I thought it was gripping and I was really hooked on the mystery of the thing that triggered it all, Fern’s uncle’s death. I am fascinated by stories that are about alternate lives and follow different timelines of what could have happened if you made a different choice.

There was something so deeply human about this book. Everyone in this was flawed to some extent, and nobody made perfect choices 100% of the time. Everyone was some shade of grey (and some darker than others), they weren’t neatly slotted into “good person/bad person”. It showcased how much the people around you and your environment impact you.

Ultimately, the confusing way the story is told, despite the authors’ best efforts to make it as easy to follow as possible (including diagrams), trying to stay on track continuously took me out of the story and made it difficult to stay engaged. Alongside that, the book cover gives the impression that this will not be as dark as it was, and I think we should have spent more time with those heavy topics in with less of solving the mystery of Rory’s death.

Saying that, I would consider reading something by this author again, because I was still entertained and loved the concept.

TW: CSA/pedophilia, murder, toxic parent, alcoholism, abandonment, rape

Fern life is split in two when her parents separate and as they are completely different characters, she finds herself becoming two different versions of herself. This is a very perceptive illustration of the pressures on a young girl who is trying to conform to other peoples' expectations. The story of Fern's life is gradually revealed as she searches for the answers to a long standing mystery

Whilst I loved the premise of this book and I could understand what the author was attempting to create by way of an almost tumultuous timeline within the story, I feel it was just a bit too fractured. At times I felt a little lost and had to concentrate much more than I would like to work out what timeframe I was reading.

The plot and the characters were well developed and the story did hold my attention for the most part but I would describe this as a confusing read.

I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t love it either.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an ARC of #VersionsOfAGirl.

Fern makes one decision in her life, that could go one of two ways. In this book the reader gets to see both paths.
This book is literally a journey in itself. Reading all the different incidents that impact Ferns life and make her into who she is by the end is both heartbreaking and soul lifting. I did struggle slightly with how long the book was, but overall I enjoyed it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6659939582

Not a perfect book, but a very good one - and quite different from anything I're read before. I enjoyed the Sliding Doors-style plot, with Fern's/Flick's life somehow magically splitting off into two different paths - one where she moves to America with her sympathetic but alcoholic father, and another where she ends up in London with her not very nice (to put it mildly) mother.

Fern/Flick herself is a beautifully realised character and some of the best parts of the book are when she grapples with her relationships with those around her - and in particular her deeply flawed parents. The weakest part is the murder mystery the book is built around. The 'who pushed Rory' storyline was pretty far fetched and, while I did care about Fern/Flick, I found myself struggling to care about how it would resolve. Some of the minor characters verge on caricature as well.

But overall I enjoyed this original and interesting book - and I would happily read another by this author.

This has a very interesting concept. Fern has a choice to make - should she stay with her mother or return to her father? The story then goes to to show the consequences of both decisions.

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend.

Emotionally devastating with a dash of mystery and hope. A fantastic premise showing different outcomes depending on choice made. Explores the impact of how the experiences in our early childhood can affect us in our adult lives. Nature vs nurture. Thought provoking and powerful. A great debut!

For the first 7yrs of her life, Fern is raised by her mother, then for the next 7yrs she is raised by her father. At the age of 14, her timeline splits into two - one follows her life if she had stayed with her dad and the other follows her life if she had returned to her mother. But both timelines will converge on the same point, when at the age of 34, Fern turns herself in to the Northern Ireland police near her father's family estate.

Sometimes the timelines were a little confusing but for the most part it was easy enough to follow. It was interesting to see the different things Fern would have done, depending on which parent she was with, but some of the issues she faces are the same in both timelines. It seems she can't get away from the drugs and alcohol, no matter which parent she's with. Though in both timelines she gets clean - one timeline by going to rehab and the other by having the support network of adults her love her around her to help her out.

Before she can turn herself in, Fern finds out something huge about her early childhood. It doesn't change anything for her, but it at least helps her make some sense of her life.

This was a really enjoyable story, and I really felt for Fern because all she ever wanted was to be love and have some structure in her life and while one parent provided love and the other provided some structure, neither were able to bring themselves to give her both. It took a long time for Fern to find happiness but she does eventually and both timelines end with her returning to her father's family estate.

Thanks to NetGalley & Headline for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Versions of a Girl is an intriguing, character-driven novel. The narrative starts with Fern living with her chaotic, alcoholic father and soon splits into two ‘what would happen’ narratives - one where Fern stays with her dad in America and one where she leaves to go to live with her selfish mother in London. Her two possible lives become very different as we see the lasting effects of one momentary decision…

The characters in this novel are really interesting. Fern is a complex character and makes some terrible decisions at times but I really felt for her as a small child, dealing with her father, who had a good heart but was so neglectful. He had many personal demons to cope with, as did her mother.

There’s an element of mystery which kept me intrigued and some twists which I enjoyed. The novel also has some dark themes running through it, which add weight to the story.

I always enjoy novels that explore the 'how would one decision change the course of your life' idea, and this novel does it well. It could be a little confusing at times to tell what year we were in, but overall I really enjoyed this novel and learning more about Fern/ Flick’s character as she grew up. A recommended read!

This novel is trying to ask the question of whether we become the person because of our parents. Fern’s father is very intelligent, but is an alcoholic, living in Californian motels with little money.

Fern’s mother married money - a former ballet dancer, she has used her marriage to climb the social ladder and will do anything to maintain this position.

I felt this to be a thought-provoking novel, with my sympathies for Fern trying to find stability, love and acceptance wherever she can.

The dual storyline (almost Sliding Doors) worked, with Fern living two different lives, depending on the choice she has made. This would make a good book clubs read, as there is plenty to discuss.

There are so many difficult subjects covered, but I felt they were done sensitively, but without rose-tinting anything.

This is a good book, I would recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Reminiscent of Sliding Doors, Versions of a Girl has a fun cover that looks like it could be conventional chick-lit, but was unexpectedly heavy, showing us how one decision can shape a whole life. One path sees our protagonist Fern/Flick stay in the US with her father, the other has her move to the UK with her mother (both extremely imperfect people and parents). Along the way, we learn about family, the reality of addiction, and the possibility of second chances.

I found the parallel narrative structure tricky to follow at first and it took me a while to get into, but ended up hooking me - this would be a great book club pick as there's so much to delve into. It really has a bit of everything: murder mystery/thriller and suspense, a coming-of-age story, love and painful relationships. A brilliant debut! Grateful to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC.

Beautiful!

Loved the Sliding Doors style of book read this over a couple of days as I wanted to know what happened!

Catherine Gray is an amazing author and I can't believe I've not read any of her work before, because her style of writing is perfect, very emotive and descriptive.
The two different perspectives were easy to manage with the two different names, for the different timelines. Much like Sliding Doors it really does make you think about how a seemingly small decision could alter your life and I really enjoyed the exploration of that and the fundamental changes it made to Fern/Flick.

A brilliant read.

A multi-dimensional, multi-genre miracle of a life

In the ever-present debate between nature vs nurture, there's no clear winner; in fact, nature and nurture appear to be equally important. In Versions Of A Girl, Gray takes this philosophical duality in hand and looks at both sides of a what-if scenario: what if pubescent Fern stayed with her rocker father in their precarious life? Or what if Fern flew back to her demanding mother in England and the middle class milieu her mother had clawed herself into? Versions gives you both Ferns, or Fern and Flick respectively, and shows you the highlights reel of a life that didn't start in exactly the way that all the adults said it did.

This book has everything: thriller and suspense, a long running mystery that gets cleared up in dribs and drabs; YA/NA adventures on both sides of the pond; middle class snobbery and salt-of-the-earth camaraderie; rocky marriages and same sex longing; high art and academic excellence; joy and tragedy, love and friendship. I can't think anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book. Not populist but just a damn good read.

I devoured this in a couple of days. A really nuanced portrayal of nature versus nurture, motherhood and found family.

The timeline in this novel jumps about a lot and just like in Sliding Doors when one version gets a snazzy haircut, keeping up with the different threads becomes much easier when one adopts an alternative name. Intriguing and well paced.

Whilst I did enjoy this book it was a slightly confusing read. Jumping from two POVs from the same person, whilst known as Fern / Flick. It didn’t live up to the ‘sliding doors’ feel that I was getting from it. It did however cover triggering topics with sensitivity.

Full review to follow on my bookstagram @thewee_bookshelf.

Thanks netgalley for the advanced copy!

At the age of fourteen, Fern has spent the same amount of time with each parent, but it has come to a point where she has to choose which parent she wants to stay with - Her mother in the UK, or her father in California. This is where the story splits and we get to follow each version - Fern who stays in America with her Dad who is loving anough, but struggles to care for Fern properly and Flick (thankful for the name change for making it easier to follow!) who moves to live with her cold, strict mother who only seems to pay Flick any attention when she can gain something from her.

This was not as complex a read as it could have been, the different names for the main character really helped with that! It was so interesting to see the impact that the different upbringing and surroundings had on Fern/Flick and really highlighted how one decision can have a huge effect on your life.

It will be challenging for me to put into words how much I enjoyed this book, but I will do my best.

The premise itself is engaging. Fern had experienced a difficult upbringing already by age 14, but when faced with the choice to either go and live in the UK with her mother or stay in California with her father, the novel splits into two parallel timelines.

At its core, this novel explores the influences our earliest relationships have on us as we grow into adulthood. Both of Fern’s parents are extremely different, though have equally flawed parenting styles. Her father is more kindly, but is an alcoholic and isn’t able to provide stability. Her mother vibes Mrs. Coulter from His Dark Materials, showing off her daughter at prestigious parties and attempting to mould her in her own image, living through Fern and her successes as if they are her own.

The novel also occasionally switches to POVs other than Fern’s, however, this is not frequent and is always done to further the story or provide interesting insights.

The storylines are packed with family secrets, twists and turns. Moments I thought were predictable turned out to be red herrings all along and I found it difficult to put the book down, eager to find out what would happen next.

There are a few trigger warnings as this is a rather heavy story, touching on sensitive issues such as sexual abuse, alcoholism, drug misuse and more. It is clear to see how Fern’s parallel upbringings have influenced her in different ways. There is an exploration of adult survivors of narcissistic abuse and how our attachment styles as adults can be influenced by our childhood experiences.

Despite the intensity of both directions, which definitely prompts to reader to wonder ‘what if’ about their own life, the ending to both directions were satisfying and left me feeling hopeful about my own future.

I received an advance reader copy of this book, which in no way affects my review. This review is voluntary.