Book Review: The Roanoke Girls By Amy Engel

The Roanoke Girls
By Amy Engel

(Finished reading: 22/4/18)

5/5 stars

Dark, twisted, mesmerising.

“’Roanoke girls never last long around here.’… ‘In the end we either run or we die.’”

When Lane was fifteen her mother commit suicide. Lane was then left to be taken in by the mysterious and wealthy grandparents her mother ran away from all those years ago. But after a long summer at Roanoke, her grandparents’ rural Kansas estate, Lane discovers what caused her mother and the other Roanoke girls to run. And then Lane runs too. Until ten years later, when Lane receives news that her cousin Allegra has gone missing. Lane has no choice but to return, but she fears her second escape might not be so successful.

This book was so addictive to read. I never thought a book could ever pull off being both a twisted thriller and a summery teen drama simultaneously, but somehow this one did, and it did it so well! Once I started reading I really couldn’t stop myself, I clung on to every page as it swept the breath from between my lips multiple times. Like the Roanoke house, this story felt “equal parts horrifying and mesmerising”. It was so dark and disturbing at times and yet it was also so light and easy going to read. The contrast between past and present crafted the suspense beautifully. I loved how the story was revealed piece by piece, never giving too much away, just enough to keep you gasping for more.

I think the characters were what made this book for me. I loved how every character, even the minor ones, had a flaw. And yet, you have no choice but to sympathise with every one of them. I guess like the Roanoke girls, each character is both broken and beautiful. You can’t hate them, but you can’t love them either. To me this felt very real and genuine, they all had a story, and this created so many dimensions. I found Lane and Allegra particularly interesting as characters, I loved the relationship between them and how they bounced off one another. They weren’t normal or conventional in any sense, they were raw and interesting. I felt deeply attached to them both as the story came to close as I finally felt like I was beginning to understand them and was sad to let go.

I thought the atmosphere of the novel was perfectly crafted. From the very beginning of the novel we feel dread for where the story will go. Roanoke house felt eerie as soon as we are aware of its history. It’s walls almost feel cursed, like they guide the Roanoke girls to their fate. Everything about its descriptions felt uncomfortable even before we are given a reason why. The tone of the writing was perfectly maintained throughout.

But despite the darker aspects, this book still felt easy going and not overly intense. I recommend if you’re new to reading thrillers or you feel put off hardcore crime thrillers. I felt the story left us with a ray of optimism even amongst the darkness. We all have flaws and we all have a past, but we all have a second chance at our own destiny.