In 'The Girls' by Emma Cline, a haunting coming-of-age tale unfolds as a 14-year-old girl becomes entranced by a group of free-spirited young women in 1970s California. Their intoxicating allure leads her into a shadowy world dominated by a charismatic but dangerous cult leader. As she grapples with the complexities of desire, friendship, and identity, the lines between innocence and experience blur. Cline masterfully explores the vulnerabilities of youth, the influence of rebellion, and the consequences of choices. This gripping narrative leaves readers pondering the dark undercurrents that lie beneath the surface of youthful dreams.
By Emma Cline
Published: 2017
"The summer was a time of shifting allegiances, where innocence blurred with desire and the search for belonging took a dangerous turn."
THE INSTANT BESTSELLER • An indelible portrait of girls, the women they become, and that moment in life when everything can go horribly wrong ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, The Guardian, Entertainment Weekly, San Francisco Chronicle, Financial Times, Esquire, Newsweek, Vogue, Glamour, People, The Huffington Post, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Time Out, BookPage, Publishers Weekly, Slate Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence. Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize • Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award • Shortlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize • The New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice • Emma Cline—One of Granta’s Best of Young American Novelists Praise for The Girls “Spellbinding . . . a seductive and arresting coming-of-age story.”—The New York Times Book Review “Extraordinary . . . Debut novels like this are rare, indeed.”—The Washington Post “Hypnotic.”—The Wall Street Journal “Gorgeous.”—Los Angeles Times “Savage.”—The Guardian “Astonishing.”—The Boston Globe “Superbly written.”—James Wood, The New Yorker “Intensely consuming.”—Richard Ford “A spectacular achievement.”—Lucy Atkins, The Times “Thrilling.”—Jennifer Egan “Compelling and startling.”—The Economist
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“The summer was a time of shifting allegiances, where innocence blurred with desire and the search for belonging took a dangerous turn.”
The Girls
By Emma Cline
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Emma Cline is an acclaimed American author best known for her debut novel, "The Girls," published in 2016, which explores the complexities of youth and female identity, set against the backdrop of a Manson-like cult. Cline's writing is characterized by its lyrical prose and psychological depth, often delving into the lives of young women and the nuances of their experiences. Her collection of short stories, "Daddy," released in 2020, further showcases her keen observational skills and ability to capture the subtleties of human relationships. Cline's work has received numerous accolades and has been featured in prominent literary journals, solidifying her position as a distinctive voice in contemporary literature.
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