Juliane reviewed New Girl by Paige Harbison
Review of 'New Girl' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Deutsche Rezension hier: buechertruhe.blogspot.com/2012/01/rezension-new-girl.html
What is it about?
She is new to Manderly school. She is only called the “New Girl”. For her it is difficult to get into the community. Because a shadow lies above the school: Becca Normandy has disappeared. Becca used to be the “New Girl". Becca was nasty, conniving and spread rumors.
She lives in the room where Becca lived. She falls in love with the boyfriend of Becca. No one from her new school accepts her. Because most are convinced that she is just a copy of Becca. And Becca is coming back. What happens then? Nobody knows.
This is a retelling of the classic novel “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier.
What I think:
I do not know the novel on which this story is based on. Therefore I cannot comment whether it is a "cheap copy" or a wonderful retelling. All I can say …
Deutsche Rezension hier: buechertruhe.blogspot.com/2012/01/rezension-new-girl.html
What is it about?
She is new to Manderly school. She is only called the “New Girl”. For her it is difficult to get into the community. Because a shadow lies above the school: Becca Normandy has disappeared. Becca used to be the “New Girl". Becca was nasty, conniving and spread rumors.
She lives in the room where Becca lived. She falls in love with the boyfriend of Becca. No one from her new school accepts her. Because most are convinced that she is just a copy of Becca. And Becca is coming back. What happens then? Nobody knows.
This is a retelling of the classic novel “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier.
What I think:
I do not know the novel on which this story is based on. Therefore I cannot comment whether it is a "cheap copy" or a wonderful retelling. All I can say is that I liked this story very much.
I liked it because it differs from the standard. Because it is suspenseful. Becca is gone. Nobody knows where she is. Whether she is even still alive. And in case she really is dead - how? Was she murdered? Who did it? Thousands of questions emerge and the reader is constantly fed with new clues and you have constantly new assumptions. My brain has been working without break and I had the wildest ideas.
Most of it actually stayed within my imagination. But that doesn’t matter because this story works so well. Nevertheless, at first I thought this story was totally freaky because of all the people who reacted so weird to the “New Girl”. Piece by piece, the reader is brought closer to the truth and the little scenes add up to a whole story.
For a long time the reader is left in the dark and can only speculate. And I think this is the secret recipe of this novel: suspense and uncertainty. What has happened? Who is Becca? Where is she? The changing narrative perspective (New Girl / Becca) has given the story a dynamic. The supporting characters were not the main pillar of novel - especially the males, which are usually the "heroes" of YA novels were not my type.
I was a little confused by the BIG secret which was made about New Girl. Why do we never learn her name? And why is it then revealed at the end? I got used to the anonymity – I’ve seen it as part of the concept - and then she was called by name..
The novel gets minus for its bad morality. What is this? Becca is cool because she throws forbidden parties, violates all rules and sleeps with a boy on her first night in the new school? Is that necessary? And is New Girl not cool because she just cannot offer all that? Even if it was only to show how “nasty” Becca is - this is the wrong way.
Paige Harbison may not have the best writing style but her story entertains and captivates the reader in his own way. Within a few days - no, hours - I've read the book and in the reading-breakes I even thought about it. And THIS is always a good sign.
One word on the cover: Great! I totally like it! The water! That girl! At first glance it does not fit to the novel but on the second it fits even better ... I will not tell more on this point.
All in all:
A great YA book! The story is exciting and gives room for speculation. Fans of the classic novel "Rebecca" will love this book - all others will too :)