Review: Wilder Girls

Wilder Girls by Rory Power is a YA horror/thriller and debut novel. The horror is in the ecological/natural world and survival story vein. It features a f/f romance featuring a bisexual and a queer girl. It was entertaining, but I feel it needed to be better fleshed out.

Publisher’s Blurb: 

It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.

It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.

But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

My Thoughts:

Wilder Girls suffers from interesting concept but weak execution which was really frustrating for me as a reader. I had been recommended it because I like Jeff Vandermeer’s works, nature/biology themed horror, and gay stories. The book is told through two povs, Hatty’s and Byatt’s. I feel it would have been better to have only Hatty’s pov since Byatt’s pov cancelled out the suspense that was building in Hatty’s as she searches for her best friend. We are seeing what is happening to Byatt and it just weakens Hatty’s narrative.

The part of the book that held real promise for me that I think could have been vastly expanded and improved upon if Byatt’s pov was not included was the romance between Hatty and her friend Reese. The dynamic between the two felt very real until they finally confessed their romantic feelings. And then, things started to taper off and get weaker. I think not knowing what was going on with Byatt would have strengthened the conflict between Hatty and Reese with their emotions and feelings for each other.

However, I did like the way that Byatt’s narrative was written since Power captured the confusion very well in her prose. The prose with Byatt was some of the best parts of the book since it was written very stream of consciousness because of the first person voice. The descriptions in the rest of the book were good, but this section stood out to me since it felt more real than the rest of the book in terms of the voice of the characters and her reaction to her situation.

I read a lot of work that is dark and grim, but Wilder Girls is just one horrible thing after another happening to teenage girls without reason besides, “Oh no there’s a sickness!” The reason/source of the tox is so vague and is mentioned as being climate change. But why Raxter? Why not the entire US? The island doesn’t seem to be a microclimate compared to the mainland, so it could spread to the mainland without human vectors. Most of the other work I have read and liked there is at least something good that happens at one point or hope. Or if it’s all bad things happening, there is a solid explanation and reason besides melting ice. In Wilder Girls, there is no hope. Instead, the characters are essentially waiting to die. Even the romance between Hetty and Reese is tainted by this. The ending is neutral, but I just didn’t find it satisfying. I am not saying that the ending has to be happy in order to be satisfying, but the ending just left so many strings loose. All this bad stuff happened and then that’s the end. No resolution.

A lot of my frustrations with Wilder Girls also stems from the way the tox was written. I have worked in quarantine facilities and in ecology. I am a biologist by profession. The rest of the review will be in ROT13 as I discuss parts of the book which may include spoilers.

Gur gbk vgfrys jnfa’g ernyyl pyrne nf ubj vg jbexrq juvpu jnf cneg bs gur nhgube’f cyna, ohg nyfb rnpu erirny jvgu gur gbk whfg znqr vg znxr yrff frafr gb zr nf n ovbybtvfg. V unir jbexrq jvgu ovbybtvpny pbageby ol cnenfvgbvqf. Hfhnyyl cnenfvgrf ner fcrpvsvp gb n fcrpvsvp gnkbabzvp tebhc naq qba’g rkcnaq bhgfvqr bs gung v.r. n fcrpvsvp tebhc bs cnenfvgrf bayl cnenfvgr znzznyf ohg abg cynagf rgp. Gung jnf gur svefg guvat jvgu gur gbk gung oebxr zl fhfcrafr bs qvforyvrs fvapr vg vasrpgrq rirelguvat naq gur gjvfg erirnyrq gb or jbez yvxr — yvxryl fbzr fbeg bs vairegroengr vafgrnq bs zvpebor. Vairegroengr cnenfvgrf graq gb or fcrpvnyvmrq rira zber guna gubfr gung ner zvpeborf. Gur punenpgref fnl vg vf va gur fbvy naq jngre naq gung vf jul gurl qevax obggyrq jngre naq rng sbbq qryvirerq. Naq gur urnqzvfgerff xarj fbzrguvat jnf jebat sbe lrnef orsber gur gbk whzcrq gb uhznaf. Gur nzbhag bs erfrnepu gung gur PQP jnf qbvat jvgu gur gbk ba gur vfynaq fubhyq unir erirnyrq zber nobhg vg guna jung gurl frrzrq gb xabj, rfcrpvnyyl vs gur gbk cnenfvgr yrnirf gur ubfg nsgre gur ubfg vf qrnq be nggrzcgf gb. Naq vg frrzf gung gurl pna gryy gung gur cnenfvgr vfa’g nveobear juvpu yvxr qbrfa’g znxr gurve ernpgvba gb Grqql’f vasrpgvba frafvpny gb zr. Vs vg vf genafzvggrq guebhtu rngvat be qevaxvat pbagnzvangrq fhofgnaprf naq obqvyl syhvqf, gura jul jbhyq abg gel gb nyfb gerng Grqql yvxr gurl qvq jvgu Olngg? Gung jnf bar bs gur ZBFG sehfgengvat cnegf. Gurer ner cebgbpbyf sbe guvf fbeg bs fvghngvba gung n PQP qbpgbe be fpvragvfg jbhyq xabj.

Gur cneg nobhg gur Enkgre penof univat obgu tvyyf naq yhatf znqr zr snprcnyz nf fbzrbar jub fghqvrf neguebcbqf. N ovbybtl grnpure jbhyq naq fubhyq xabj gung neguebcbqf qba’g unir “yhatf” yvxr znzznyf qb. V terj hc nebhaq ynaq penof naq unir n crg ynaq urezvg peno. Va greerfgevny penof, gur tvyyf ner zbqvsvrq naq unir rkcnaqrq oenpunr naq npg nf “yhatf”. Gur peno jbhyq abg unir obgu. Ribyhgvbanevyl, zhgngvbaf pnaabg pbzr sebz abguvat. Lbh unir gb unir n cerrkvfgvat fgehpgher gb zbqvsl urapr ab frcnengr tvyy naq yhat fgehpgherf. Whfg bar zbqvsvrq fgehpgher. V pna fhfcraq zl qvforyvrs sbe bayl fb ybat orsber gur ovbybtvfg va zr fpernzf. V guvax vs gur obbx jnfa’g gelvat gb qb gur obql ubeebe/rpbybtvpny ubeebe orag, V jbhyqa’g or fb cvpxl nobhg gurfr guvatf. Wrss Inaqrezrre qvq gur rpbybtvpny ubeebe zbfgyl jryy va Naavuvyngvba (rkprcg gung ur xrcg zvkvat hc cbvfbabhf naq irabzbhf). Vg’f pyrne sebz gur qrfpevcgvbaf bs gur vfynaq gung vg vf n cynpr gung gur nhgube vf snzvyvne jvgu naq ybirf, ohg sbe zr sbe angher/rpbybtvpny ubeebe gb gehyl jbex gurer unf gb or zber guna whfg orvat noyr gb qrfpevor n cynpr, gurer arrqf gb or n flfgrz gung vf gur sbhaqngvba sbe gur angheny frggvat. Naq va Jvyqre Tveyf, V whfg qvqa’g frr n fbyvq sbhaqngvba sbe gur rpbybtl bs angheny uvfgbel bs Enkgre Vfynaq.

Gur jnl gung gur dhnenagvar jnf cerfragrq va gur fgbel jnf pbzcyrgryl abafrafvpny gb zr. Gur tveyf ner ba na vfbyngrq vfynaq gung gurl pnaabg yrnir naq gur ragver vfynaq vf pbagnzvangrq ol gur gbk. Fb gur jnl gung dhnenagvar vf oebxra ol Unggl naq Errfr ol yrnivat gur fpubby tebhaqf qbrfa’g znxr frafr. Lbh pna fgvyy trg pbagnzvangrq vs lbh yrnir gur tebhaqf. Gur PQP crbcyr pna trg pbagnzvangrq ol tbvat bhgfvqr ba gur vfynaq. Shegurezber, gur jnl gung Olngg oebxr dhnenagvar qbrfa’g znxr frafr gb zr. Svefg bs nyy, vs lbh unir n qrnqyl naq pbagntvbhf qvfrnfr, lbh jbhyq abg yrg lbhe cngvrag tb bhgfvqr nybar jvgu varkcrevraprq rzcyblrrf jub ner abg zrqvpny cebsrffvbanyf. V jnf whfg yvxr frevbhfyl? Jung qvq gur qbpgbef rkcrpg gb unccra? Gur jubyr fvghngvba jvgu Grqql ernyyl qvqa’g znxr frafr gb zr fvapr V whfg pbhyqa’g svther bhg jul gur uryy Olngg jnf fb vagb uvz evtug njnl vs fur jnf va n zrqvpny snpvyvgl jurer fur jnf orvat rkcrevzragrq ba. V’q or jnl gbb fpnerq be natel gb rira guvax nobhg zrffvat nebhaq jvgu nabgure crefba. V jbexrq va dhnenagvar jvgu vainfvir vafrpgf juvpu vf qvssrerag sebz qvfrnfr dhnenagvar ohg nyfb guvf vf pbzzba frafr.

Overall, I wanted to like Wilder Girls but I found it unsatisfying. However, I think that Power has a good premise and the bones for what could have been a really good story. Likely, Power’s second novel will be much better than her debut. I have noticed that there is a big change in quality of writing from first novels to second novels since the author has learned and grown just from the process of writing the first novel. I feel that Rory Power has the potential to have some great books, but that her debut just fell flat for me personally.

Content Warnings: Body Horror, Child Death,  Medical Abuse, Suicide, Assault, and Gore.

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Things I read in the fires of my thesis

I defended my thesis and passed! I am now officially a master of science. I didn’t have much time to read fun things while working on my thesis, but I did read some books over the past couple months. 

The Traitor Baru Cormorant – Seth Dickinson

I had been avoiding reading this book since it came out because I heard it was very sad and brutal. However, my friend who has good taste in books read it and loved it so I finally gave in and read it. I was not impacted emotionally at all by The Traitor Baru Cormorant even though is a very tough book that deals with hard topics.  I cried when reading Unkindness of Ghosts so I thought Traitor would get me. The parts of Traitor I enjoyed the most was the political and economic maneuvering that Baru does when she is first assigned to her position. The power struggle between Baru and Xate Yawa and the Governor was the most interesting to me since they revealed more about the characters than the battles did in my opinion. But I don’t really enjoy reading battle planning and fighting since it can be pretty transparent as to what is going to happen. I knew how the battle would go before the twists came which made me kinda bummed. I really tried to like the middle of the Traitor, but I almost dnf’d the book even though I liked the first part. I read the last couple chapters and then decided to go on reading it. I would recommend this book with lots of content warnings. 

Content Warnings: homophobia, transphobia, racism, eugenics, depiction and discussion of genital mutilation, conversion therapy, and lgbt character death

The Monster Baru Cormorant – Seth Dickinson

Boy, this was a really 180 from Traitor. Baru goes from being hella repressed to hella horny. I liked Monster way more than Traitor since it focused more on the characters and their interactions. The world that Baru lives in gets heavily expanded by the addition of Tau-Indi who is from the main opposing nation to Falcrest. I really love Tau-Indi, partly since they are a nonbinary character and I go wild for representation but also because they are tragic in a completely different way than Baru. Baru and Tau-Indi in many ways are foils of each other since they are self-destructive people. The one plot twist I completely did not pick up until someone in one of the book servers I am in wrote a very long post about Monster. Either I was consumed by thesis or it just wasn’t super clear? I had to go back to read the part and then saw it. 

There were also so many good lines of prose that I kept sticky noting for reference later. I felt that Dickinson’s prose improved in Monster. The first few chapters are full of beautiful descriptions of a horrible event. Dickinson also wrote Baru’s trauma and depression so well. The plot twist came out of left field and I am still screaming about it because it just was very bizarre compared to the rest of the novel and Traitor. I really am interested in the direction that the direction The Tyrant Baru Cormorant will take. I know that Dickinson had to split the draft of Monster into two since it was so long. There were so many threads that got introduced with the worldbuilding that makes me want to ask so many questions. 

The thing that bothered me the most was the way cancer was handled in the book. It was really hard for me to suspend my disbelief because cancer doesn’t work that way. I understand what Dickinson was doing but it also drove me crazy. The one thing that I am so glad that Dickinson did in the author notes was mention Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells. That is a thing that many biologist students don’t learn about until genetics or advanced cell biology classes and often it is mentioned in passing. If you would like to know more about this, I highly recommend The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. However, Dickinson called the HeLa cell line a superorganism, which the cell line is not. 

Even with these things, I still super enjoyed The Monster Baru Cormorant and cannot wait to read The Tyrant Baru Cormorant. 

Content Warnings: homophobia,transphobia, racism, eugenics, genocide, torture, discussion of genital mutilation, depiction of suicidal ideation, body gore

Gideon the Ninth – Tasmyn Muir

I straight up loved this book. It was very fun and I loved the writing style. The writing style is very much influenced by Homestuck and memes. My friend had a hard time with it since they are not used to books being written like a memelord’s tumblr posts. Furthermore, I loved that the front cover has a blurb that includes “lesbians”. Gideon the Ninth did live up to the hype that was running through Twitter via Tor’s marketing campaign. It also is a good gateway book to queer SFF for people are unfamiliar with queer SFF. I have met several people over the discord server for this book’s fandom who have never read an openly queer SFF book before and wanted to find more. 

Gideon the Ninth had so much of the tropes that I find completely satisfying including “I hate you, but I don’t really hate you”, “lesbians in pools”, and dad jokes. I really liked Gideon as a pov character because she is such an unreliable narrator since she is constantly getting distracted by pretty girls, swords, and fighting with her frenemy. She may not be the brightest bulb in the bunch but boy is her narration entertaining. Despite the plot shift from magic contest to murder mystery party, the tone remains essentially memelord. I feel that Muir really managed to capture how young adults can be so smart and yet so stupid (I was in an honors program in university so I know that all too well). The setting was really cool too, mashing catholicism aesthetic, gothic architecture, victorian elements with science fiction elements of advanced technology but also post apocalyptic vibes. I also like how the magic functions in the universe as well. It has that math magic element that I liked in Machineries of the Empire mashed with skeletons. What is there not to love?

CW: gore, lgbt character death, child death, and infanticide

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