4.5/5 stars

"Dead Girls" was an intense and suspenseful novel from an unique point of view. Getting to read about a murder investigation from an 11-year-old's point of view was really interesting because it showed the actual murder victim as more of a person and character than these kinds of novels usually do. The children aren't innocent angels but active protagonists in their own story. I liked how Tarttelin managed to create a protagonist who was interesting and engaging, while retaining a child-like way of thinking and interacting. The juvenile way of thinking was sometimes annoying but really added to the story by showing Thera's way of thinking and processing the events around her.

The adults in the novel were infuriating at times because they insisted on treating the children as unable to deal with more mature matters. I think this showed quite well how parents' decisions to protect their children from everything can get their children in actual trouble and keep them from seeking the help they need. Thera's actions are essentially caused by the adults' refusal to engage with her in a mature way and their insistence on treating her as helpless. This novel not only offers a unique narrative perspective but also questions the way we interact and value children, and, I think, that these are important questions to pose and reflect on.

The message of the novel, driven home again in the acknowledgements, is an important one and I love how the novel didn't go for the easy answers but instead offered a complex and though-provoking narrative. I would definitely recommend this novel and hope to read more from the author.

Holy sh*t. Like... HOLY SH*T. I did NOT see that coming.

Dead Girls is a thriller with a side of paranormal (or not, depending on how you feel about Thera's sanity). Billie, Thera's best friend, has been raped and killed. It's not really a spoiler, but it's a huge TW so I'd rather say it right now: this book features pedophilia, rape and some very disturbing scenes. Be warned.

Anyway, Thera is an 11-year-old girl whose parents won't talk to about this kind of stuff, and since the adults won't tell her anything about what happened to Billie, she decides to investigate her murder on her own. I think making such a young girl the main character was a bold choice but a very thought-provoking one as well. It makes you think about how adults see and treat kids. It's an important discussion to have and this book will definitely fuel some very passionate debates in book clubs. I'm looking forward to discussing this book with my friends when they read it. Another side effect of having such a young main character is that Thera's naive ignorance of the world gives us an interesting vision of this kind of tragedies, especially when it comes to victim blaming. Again, it's a discussion that we need to have, that we STILL need to have.

The writing really pulls you in and lulls you into forgetting the world around you. If you're looking for some action-packed thriller, you're in the wrong place. Dead Girls is very atmospheric, which makes total sense since a kid can't investigate the way a cop does.

All the characters are complex. There is villain, of course, but every character has a dark side and this is something I love in books. I can't get into too much details because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone but the characters are a real strength of this book. I loved the chapters from a different POV.

Finally, that ending? JESUS. That was awesome. It surprised me even though I was thinking I couldn't be surprised anymore. WOW.

Basically? Read it, but more important: discuss it. Don't hesitate to use the questions at the end of the book to put your thinking cap on.