This was sufficiently compelling and creepy; a story of corruption and desperation.
Also I have SO much appreciation for the cover design now that I’ve read the book. It fits 10005% amazingly (plus is just altogether one of my favourite covers of 2019; I am always here for the murdery forest aesthetic). I got a lot of Maze Runner x Aurora Rising vibes from this book (throw in a bit of Stranger Things and monsters). It was fascinating and, often, disturbing. The cliffhanger left me feeling “???!?!?!” so least to say I hope there’s a sequel. Otherwise I feel like we only skimmed the surface of this world of Tox.
// welcome to Tox; an island boarding school corrupted by a disease and the girls left there to rot
The aesthetic was just incredible — it weaves together this undefinable sickness that mutates the girls with this island basically got to rot and ruin. It’s supposed to be just a “normal” boarding school. But it’s been 1.5 years since the outbreak and they’re in quarantine. They’re dying. They’re being eaten alive and ripped inside out. Rory has something growing under her eye. Reese has a silver hand. Byatt has a second spine. The forest is wild; the wildlife is feral and rabid. They can’t get off the island. They don’t know what’s killing them and they’re waiting for the government to find a cure.
(cue hysterical laughter from everyone who’s watched a single sci-fi movie because when does the government!!! ever !!! pull through!!!!)
The setting was compelling and chilling and definitely the standout. However I needed more information? Very little backstory and I just felt the whole thing needed to be deeper.
It is violent (not overly graphic) and the girls are desperate, bitterly competitive, and hardened. They’re just trying to stay alive in this school-turned-apocalypse-setting.
// the characters
They’re all fighting tooth and claw to survive and I really ached for Hetty. I didn’t understand Byatt tbh. It was insinuated that “more” was going on with her character (like she was a compulsive liar or…something?) but I’m still confused. Also her chapters were disjointed and confusing — possibly for a purpose but they just left me like thrown from the story. I understood why Reese was angry and cold — but being cruel to people because you hurt wins zero points from me. Especially when she never apologised.
I loved how Hetty and Reese fell together, those quick stolen kisses. Overall the romance is light but powerful.
What I loved about the characters was: how deeply and inexplicably they needed each other. They weren’t just friends, they were so caught up in each other that they needed each other like a heartbeat. Complex and codependant messy relationships driven by love are just 😭💛 Their need was so well written.
// it leaves you with so so many questions
The eerie setting, the parasitic disease, the vines growing out of people and mutations and hunger and trapped aloneness — it was amazing to read. You FEEL this book, you do.
But I don’t understand the Tox and I felt the book needed to be deeper and have everything explored more.
thanks to Pan Macmillan for the ARC! WILDER GIRLS by Rory Power came out July 8th, 2019.
Goodreads | Book Depository | Booktopia | Amazon | Pan Macmillan
The Power meets We Were Liars in Rory Power’s compelling, visceral and completely unputdownable YA debut about survival and the power of female friendships.
Everyone loses something to the Tox; Hetty lost her eye, Reese’s hand has changed, and Byatt just disappeared completely.
It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put in quarantine. The Tox turned the students strange and savage, the teachers died off one by one. Cut off from the mainland, the girls don’t dare wander past the school’s fence where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure as the Tox takes; their bodies becoming sick and foreign, things bursting out of them, bits missing.
But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her best friend, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie in the wilderness past the fence. As she digs deeper, she learns disturbing truths about her school and what else is living on Raxter Island. And that the cure might not be a cure at all . . .
| WHAT DO YOU THINK? |
have you read this one? is it on your tbr? let me know if you like books with creepy sci-fi illnesses or if it freaks you out!
This is on my TBR and you just pushed it to the top! Thanks so much for always sharing your honest opinions, Cait! 🙂
Oh excellent 🤗 I’m glad it sounds like your kind of thing!!
I’ve wanted to read this forever and finally, finally, I might actually request it from the library.
I love your reviews so muchhhhh!
I hope your library gets it in *book flail*
CAIT. I need this book ok.
Also HIIII SORRY I HAVEN’T COMMENTED IN SO LONG. I’ve missed you! But if it helps, I did read all of your posts during my hiatus because ahaha I can’t stay away. Oh well.
Aw Bee you never have to apologise! 💛💛You have so much going on, I totally understand!! I’m glad you’re blogging again.
I’m so excited for this book! Creepy forests are one of my favorite things ever. I’m happy you mostly liked it.
Right?! The aesthetic was absolutely perfect.
Woah this sounds crazy and good and crazy good!
I hope you might get a chance to try it!
I actually love how creepy this books sounds! It’s a little bit too dark for me , but I loved reading your review because I feel like it fits my aesthetic! I love books that have this weird, slightly magical element that’s not quite explained! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading it and I hope there’s a sequel that helps clear things up in the works!
Oh maybe you’d like it a lot then?! I really struggle to gauge how “dark” things are because I read adult lit and it’s a LOT darker than anything YA haha.
Hmmmm, I’m guessing not. I’ve learned the hard way that most things are too dark for me. I only like a level of creepy magic similar to what you’d find in The Raven Cycle or Sorcery of Thorns, if that makes any sense. And it’s funny because sometimes I’ve found that I can handle dark adult lit better than dark YA lit. I have no idea why though!
This sounds absolutely horrifying and so intriguing. I am going to have to look more into this book! Your review has definitely made me very curious, ha ha.
Ooh I hope you like it if you try it 👀
I’ve heard tons about this book and although it scares the crap out of me, I kind of also want to read it? Because it just makes me so curious!
It’s definitely creepy 👀 I find it hard to actually articular HOW creepy though because books rarely properly freak me out. As a movie it’d be pretty chilling though ahah.
argh reading this atm (you always review a book as im reading it…. it’s borderline creepy but cool) and ughhhhh is high key confusing and the whole thing is a mess but a Good Mess
Yes! I agree with that lmao. It does rather feel like a mess but I still enjoyed it!?
it was an okay mess for me, but the cover!!! gorgeous!!!
Um, this sounds amazing. Pretty sure I need to read this. Also, love, love the cover. Great review!
yesss you do need it 🤗 i shall absolutely pile up everyone’s TBRs!!
I’ve seen people around the blogosphere reading this book but hadn’t figured out what it was about yet, haha! It sounds similar to the movie Annihilation, if you’ve seen it. It’s on my TBR, but I feel like it’s going to be one of the reads that I have to be in /a mood/ to read.
P. S. I loved the way you formatted this post!
I haven’t seen that movie eep, but yeah! It’s not the most original thing but I did enjoy it! I just wish it had a sequel 😂
(also aw thank you!! I’ve been experimenting with formatting and I’m glad you liked this!)
THIS MAKES ME EVEN MORE HYPED TO READ THIS. I’m not making grabby hands, I swear. (Just kidding. I am. As always. It’s my brand.)
*shoves it into your grabby hands* YOU DESERVE THIS
I actually saw this at my library and I’m hitting myself for not getting it! The cover also attracted my eye, and I thought that I had already picked out too many books and would wait for the next time. Guess I learned my lesson! 🙂
It’s such a beautiful cover 😍 I’m totally in love with the art!
I’ve had my eye on this book, the cover is so beautiful and I’ve been really curious to see reviews! I’m glad to hear that the friendships were genuine and that the survival aspect was done well. I’m going to have to give in and pick this book up ASAP!
I do hope you get a chance to try it!! It was very very intriguing.