Imaginary Girls in YA and Beyond

Mar 03, 2014 Figgy rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, read-re-read-2014, march-14

Let me just get this out of the way from the start; I’m really not sure how I feel about this book.

The evocative, eerie, captivating writing which is somehow, at the same time, simple in its wording, is not dissimilar to the style of Margo Lanagan.

The way this book made me feel queasy and annoyed, while still making it impossible to put the book down, was not dissimilar to Margo’s books.

And I usually find myself feeling a very similar mix of emotions after reading one of Margo’s stories.
S ...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Joy Joy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011, 5-stars

Imaginary Girls=> One of the mysteriously persuasive YA books I had read. I believed the author portrayed the strength of Ruby and Chloe's sisterly bond , their unbreakable possessiveness , and the extreme sacrifice they partook for each other. The writing style was clear, ORIGINAL, trenchantly convincing, and smooth. It made the readers empathize with all the characters. The flow of events was simple but most scenes were eerie they unfolded subtly. The whole time I was reading the book it got m Imaginary Girls=> One of the mysteriously persuasive YA books I had read. I believed the author portrayed the strength of Ruby and Chloe's sisterly bond , their unbreakable possessiveness , and the extreme sacrifice they partook for each other. The writing style was clear, ORIGINAL, trenchantly convincing, and smooth. It made the readers empathize with all the characters. The flow of events was simple but most scenes were eerie they unfolded subtly. The whole time I was reading the book it got more and more mysterious and haunting. And, that was a good thing because it fed and steadied my reading momentum.

As sisters, they were extremely different. Chloe was submissive and dependent. In contrast, Ruby was witty, satire, capricious, and controlling. Chloe's mind was filled with Ruby's facts. Chloe felt like a shadow of her sister, whom she adored. She hungered distinction but felt like nobody without Ruby around. Like her differently colored sunglasses, Ruby was undeniably irresistible. She was convincing and magical and she could control everything and everyone inside the safety of their town.

The book was so descriptive. It was vividly and specifically written that all my five senses worked harmoniously together. The eerie yet beautifully pictured written descriptions appealed to my imagination. Well, they crept me, too! Just picturing the reservoir and its occupants and London was sensually eeeeerrrriiiieeee!

As descriptive as the book unfolded, it was also argumentative. The writing was so persuasive it led me to believe falsity. And, my belief was so lame until I really didn't know what was really going on. Treading on, every pieces of it became clear and ta-da wow! it was extraordinarily crocheted. Way to go Miss Nova Ren Suma!!!

The concluding chapter was a grand finale. A sacrifice was made and an anxious hope blossomed. It left its readers things to ponder. And, it left me points to argue with myself. This was an interestingly and thoroughly woven piece of art. The story of the two famous sisters ended and their town moved on like they never existed, like they were forgotten in a jiffy, like they were really just IMAGINARY GIRLS.

CHEERS! ...more

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Feb 17, 2015 Jennifer rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, magic, library-book

Beautifully written but frustrating. It was a bit too surreal for my taste, and like many other reviewers have commented, I really didn't like any of the characters all that much. The nature of the relationship between Ruby and Chloe disturbed me too much to see anything positive in it. ...more

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