Monday, January 8, 2018

Book Review: The Hollow Girl by Hillary Monahan

Series:
Standalone
Genre:
Young Adult, Horror
Publication Date:October 10, 2017
Format:eBook
Published By:  Delacorte Press
Website:Hillary Monahan 

The Hollow Girl on Goodreads
My review copy:
Borrowed from local library

Where to get:

  



For fans of AsylumAnna Dressed in Blood, and The Haunting of Sunshine Girl comes a new feminist horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Mary: The Summoning.

Five boys attacked her.
Now they must repay her with their blood and flesh.

Bethan is the apprentice to a green healer named Drina in a clan of Welsh Romanies. Her life is happy and ordered and modest, as required by Roma custom, except for one thing: Silas, the son of the chieftain, has been secretly harassing her.

One night, Silas and his friends brutally assault Bethan and a half-Roma friend, Martyn. As empty and hopeless as she feels from the attack, she asks Drina to bring Martyn back from death’s door. “There is always a price for this kind of magic,” Drina warns. The way to save him is gruesome. Bethan must collect grisly pieces to fuel the spell: an ear, some hair, an eye, a nose, and fingers.

She gives the boys who assaulted her a chance to come forward and apologize. And when they don’t, she knows exactly where to collect her ingredients to save Martyn.

(Goodreads)



The Hollow Girl was my last read of 2017 and the book that officially doubled my Goodreads goal. It was also an amazing book to end the year on. Graphic and intense, but amazing.

After Silas and his friends brutally assault Bethan and leave Martyn for dead, Bethan and Drina (aka Gran) give the boys a chance to apologize. When they don't, Gran informs Bethan that “their fates are yours. You can harvest them for what you need and banish them as mochadi. You can harvest them and allow them to stay. You can bind them to you to serve. You can kill them all if it pleases you. Whatever you choose, I support you.” That's love, guys.

Bethan goes through the emotions of mutilating these boys, from determination to regret and back again. She reminds herself of what they did to her and Martyn, which allows her to feel little pity regarding their fates.

Bethan grows from a shy and timid girl to a strong and fierce woman - extracting revenge by cutting off body parts will do that to people. There are times when Hillary gets rather graphic, but if you're not phased by gore and blood you'll be fine. If you are someone who isn't a huge fan of gore, deal with it because while this is a story of revenge, it's also about love, family, and not letting the bastards win.


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