Aria Aber's debut novel follows Nila, a young Afghan-German woman grappling with grief, self-identity, and racism in Berlin, all while navigating an abusive relationship and her own self-destructive behaviors. Though rich in vivid scenes and emotional depth, the novel's sometimes repetitive narrative requires patience, but offers a compelling exploration of cultural conflict and personal reckoning.

Nila was brought up to believe she had to be “a dokhtare khub, a good girl, in order not to turn into a dokhtare kharab, a broken, bad, ruined, girl.” But at 18, starting college while still reeling from her mother’s recent death, Nila questioned everything about herself: her needs, her wants, and above all her cultural heritage. Her Afghan-German family live in Berlin, for Nila that translated into a flat in a run-down Lipschitzallee high-rise, an area routinely associated with deprivation and the socially marginal. Nila’s liberal, activist parents fled Afghanistan before she was born, hoping to live more freely in Germany. But events like the infamous Rostock riots, that took place when Nila was still learning to walk, soon made it clear this new country presented new and menacing challenges.

Aria Aber’s vivid, visceral, semi-autobiographical novel centres on Nila, a decade later, reflecting on her 18-year self and the choices she made. Choices she now recognises as rooted in grief and self-loathing. Nila’s depiction of herself resembles the protagonists found in contemporary “sad girl lit”. But unlike those – almost always - white girls mired in generalised, existential crises, Nila’s confusion is rooted in conflicted feelings about her identity and struggles with an everyday racism so pervasive it’s become internalised. Aber’s narrative zooms in on Nila’s day-to-day: drugs, clubs, and an increasingly-abusive relationship with older, washed-up American writer Marlowe. But, throughout, Aber traces connections between Nila’s personal dilemmas, her self-destructive brand of double consciousness, and Germany’s broader political climate.

Aber’s Germany’s fractured, fragmented, rife with social inequality. A space peopled by clashing subcultures from Nila’s hedonistic friends to the countercultural groups who flock to the Fusion Festival, to the neo-Nazis and terrorists like the National Socialist Underground – whose racist killing sprees were largely unacknowledged as such for years. Aber’s Berlin is a claustrophobic place whose architecture conveys its chequered past – buildings and their layout have a profound impact on Nila’s state of mind.

As you might expect from someone who’s primarily a poet, Aber’s writing is well-crafted, her scenes richly imagined and keenly observed. Nila’s obsession with literature and photography that’s exclusively embedded in white, Western canonical traditions is a particularly interesting means of conveying Nila’s internal conflict, her position as someone who’s always just outside the frame - even when she features in her own and in Marlowe’s “art” she’s more object than subject. It’s a striking piece, filled with arresting images and numerous excellent scenes and passages. But, like so many debut novels, it’s overpacked, sometimes points are hammered home so repetitively they lose their force. It has a languid intensity I frequently found disarming but sometimes it was just too languid even for me – it could easily withstand extensive trimming. But, for readers who can overlook its flaws I think it’s more than worth investing the time.

A speed and techno fused trip through Berlin and diaspora (particularly, the Afghan community) and identity and grief and anger and loss and desire and sex and pain and girlhood fractured, cobbled together, shielded/defended, exposed, unmade, made, like glittering glass shards pieced together with liquid gold, again and again, Kintsugi in human form. While I felt the narrative's pacing in general could have been a pinch tighter, Aber brings her characters to life in vivid strokes (I wanted to throttle Marlowe!), drawing them with striking humanity and making it easy to invest in, and care for, her fictional creations. In that, lies the heart of the book.

Many thanks for the ARC of this novel. This novel sparkles with metaphors, character descriptions and scenes that show the mastery of a skilled storyteller. Aber untangles complex personal and political histories and how they intertwine with patriarchy and the acute pain of displacement deftly. As a bildungsroman Nila's coming of age is not a linear journey and as a reader it can feel uncomfortable to be so close to the interiority of a self-sabotaging young woman but this feeling of being trapped inside the mind of the character also mirrors the claustrophobia Nila feels within her own life. A remarkable debut.

This was quite good actually. At first it just seemed to be a novel about a partying girl going to raves and popping pills all the time, but it is really a story about shame of one’s origins, and a search for identity, belonging, and freedom. Well done and I was really invested in this.
Thank you Bloomsbury and Netgalley UK for the ARC.

This was a mess of a book that prompted a huge life lesson. An immigrant girl finds escapism in a hedonistic, drug and dance filled lifestyle where she gains an unhealthy obsession with an older man who is controlling, manipulative and abusive. More than anything, she finds a measure of solace in this lifestyle as she has difficulty in accepting her background, the weight of expectation of her family and more importantly, herself. You wonder if at times she will waste her intellect and talent, yet out of these disastrous events especially when her community suffers a brutal racist attack she finally gains acceptance and a small sense of peace about herself and embarks on a fresh start. Although she could have realised the 3xyent of her destructive lifestyle earlier, the life lesson she gains is fantastic.

Astounded by the intricities of this novel i reread the synopis after finishing. Sheer perfection in its description, it was eye wateringly compulsive and emotive. I havent read a book like this before but the affinity i felt for the main character was astounding her propulsion for self destruction without the self awareness of age and the way she gets carried along with a crowd defies belief. A novel i will definitely read again. Excellent.

Good Girl by Aria Aber
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 14 January 2025

In the pulsing heart of Berlin's techno scene, 19-year-old Nila seeks refuge from her troubled past. The daughter of Afghan immigrants, she navigates a city still haunted by its violent history, finding solace in the underground club culture that seems worlds away from her refugee-filled housing block.

Nila's journey of self-discovery is overshadowed by the ghosts of her family's past: her late mother, once a fierce feminist activist; her withdrawn father; and the ever-present uncles who seem to watch her every move. In her quest for belonging, she conceals her Afghan heritage, claiming Greek roots instead.

A chance encounter with Marlowe Woods, a fading American literary star, opens doors to a glittering world of artistic possibility. But as Nila is drawn deeper into this new realm, she finds that beneath Berlin's cosmopolitan surface, ugly tensions simmer. Her dreams, identity, and beliefs are all put to the test in this crucible of art and reality.

Aria Aber's "Good Girl" is a stunning debut that pulses with the raw energy of youth and the complexities of identity in a multicultural world. Aber crafts a narrative that is both intimate and expansive, exploring the intricate web of personal history, cultural heritage, and artistic ambition.

The novel's greatest strength lies in its vivid portrayal of Berlin's underground scene, which becomes a character in its own right. Aber's prose is electric, capturing the frenetic energy of techno clubs and the stark realities of immigrant life with equal vividness.

Nila is a compelling protagonist, her struggles with identity and belonging resonating deeply in our current global climate. The author deftly explores themes of cultural assimilation, the weight of family expectations, and the universal desire to find one's place in the world.

The introduction of Marlowe Woods adds an intriguing dimension to the story, serving as both a catalyst for Nila's growth and a mirror reflecting the often harsh realities of the artistic world. Through this relationship, Aber examines power dynamics, cultural appropriation, and the sometimes murky ethics of the literary world.

"Good Girl" is not just a coming-of-age story, but a powerful exploration of what it means to be an artist, an immigrant, and a young woman in today's world. Aber's unflinching look at issues of race, class, and gender adds depth and relevance to the narrative.

While the novel tackles heavy themes, it never loses its sense of vitality. The author's ability to balance moments of ecstatic joy with periods of introspection and darkness showcases her remarkable talent.

In conclusion, "Good Girl" announces Aria Aber as a formidable new voice in contemporary fiction. Her debut is a tour de force that combines lyrical prose, complex characters, and timely themes into a truly unforgettable reading experience. This novel will undoubtedly resonate with readers long after the final page is turned.


Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Bloomsbury Circus, and the author, Aria Aber, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.