Helpful Score: 3
I loved this ghost story by Simone St. James. She did an excellent job slipping back and forth in the story from Vermont 2014 to Vermont 1950. Idlewild Hall is a place for the girls whom no one wantsâthe troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. There are rumors that the place is haunted and some girls have disappeared. Journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death at Idlewild Hall. When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored, a shocking discovery links the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past. I can't wait to read more by St. James as this book is quite eery.
Helpful Score: 3
5 star read!
This is my fav Simone St. James book. It was simply fantastic. Chock full of thrilling scenes, historic and paranormal moments. The transition between the past and present was smooth and very nicely done. The book had a great ending. I really enjoyed reading this.
Highly recommend!
This is my fav Simone St. James book. It was simply fantastic. Chock full of thrilling scenes, historic and paranormal moments. The transition between the past and present was smooth and very nicely done. The book had a great ending. I really enjoyed reading this.
Highly recommend!
Helpful Score: 3
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James is a dual time-line novel (2014/1950). In Barrons, Vermont at 3 a.m. Fiona Sheridan is back on Old Barrons Road near Idlewild Hall where her sister's body was found twenty years ago. Everyone tells her it is time to move on, but Fiona has unanswered questions. Tim Christopher, her sister's boyfriend, was convicted of the murder and is in prison serving his sentence. When Fiona finds out that Idlewild Hall has been purchased and is being renovated to turn it back into a girl's boarding school, she decides to write (freelance journalist) an article about it. While touring the school with Anthony Eden, son of the new owner, a body of a teenage girl is discovered in the old well. Who is she and how did she end up there? Fiona dives into the past to discover what happened to this poor girl. If she happens to turn up information in her sister's case, all the better.
In 1950 Idlewild Hall is a girl's boarding school for troubled girls (too independent, rebellious, illegitimate, traumatized, unwanted). CeCe, Sonia, Katie and Roberta room together and, as they get to know each other, become close friends. The lessons are boring, the teachers are rigid, and the luxuries are few. The school is rumored to be haunted by Mary Hand and one room seems to be more sinister than the others. Then one of the girls disappears-never seen again. What is going on at Idlewild Hall? Will Fiona get the answers she seeks?
I had trouble wading through The Broken Girls. I believe the author had too many ideas and, instead of picking, she put them all into this one story (murder, 1800s ghost, modern killer, a girl from a concentration camp and so much more). I found the pace to be very slow which made the book seem twice as long. I found the book disjointed with abrupt transitions. It jumps around faster than a Mexican jumping bean. Fiona Sheridan was not a likeable main character. She came across as obsessed and unsympathetic (I kept hoping the killer would make her the next victim). Much of her sections are devoted to her endless questions and speculation (it was repetitious). I found the story from the 1950s to be more fascinating than the Fiona's. The author could have done a book just on the four girls story (and kept Fiona out of it). There are a couple of interesting moments in the book, but I mostly found the story to be predictable (mystery readers will have no problem predicting how the book will turn out). I wanted to feel the suspense and the scare factor, but I did not. I do want to warn readers that there is foul language in the book. I realize I am in the minority regarding my feelings on The Broken Girls. That is the beauty of books. Every reader has a different perspective. If you want to see if The Broken Girls is for you, download a sample from your favorite retailer.
In 1950 Idlewild Hall is a girl's boarding school for troubled girls (too independent, rebellious, illegitimate, traumatized, unwanted). CeCe, Sonia, Katie and Roberta room together and, as they get to know each other, become close friends. The lessons are boring, the teachers are rigid, and the luxuries are few. The school is rumored to be haunted by Mary Hand and one room seems to be more sinister than the others. Then one of the girls disappears-never seen again. What is going on at Idlewild Hall? Will Fiona get the answers she seeks?
I had trouble wading through The Broken Girls. I believe the author had too many ideas and, instead of picking, she put them all into this one story (murder, 1800s ghost, modern killer, a girl from a concentration camp and so much more). I found the pace to be very slow which made the book seem twice as long. I found the book disjointed with abrupt transitions. It jumps around faster than a Mexican jumping bean. Fiona Sheridan was not a likeable main character. She came across as obsessed and unsympathetic (I kept hoping the killer would make her the next victim). Much of her sections are devoted to her endless questions and speculation (it was repetitious). I found the story from the 1950s to be more fascinating than the Fiona's. The author could have done a book just on the four girls story (and kept Fiona out of it). There are a couple of interesting moments in the book, but I mostly found the story to be predictable (mystery readers will have no problem predicting how the book will turn out). I wanted to feel the suspense and the scare factor, but I did not. I do want to warn readers that there is foul language in the book. I realize I am in the minority regarding my feelings on The Broken Girls. That is the beauty of books. Every reader has a different perspective. If you want to see if The Broken Girls is for you, download a sample from your favorite retailer.
Helpful Score: 1
This is not my favorite story by this author.
This one takes place in Vermont, alternating chapters between 1950 and 2014. Girls who were troublemakers, illegitimate, rebellious, not wanted, etc. were sent to Idlewild Hall Boarding School. Present time, Fiona, a journalist never had closure to her sister's death years earlier and decided to investigate.
I laboriously read through a mystery, a ghost story and the lives of the girls. I had trouble interfacing with all the characters and it seems "I'm the only one not loving this book"!
I did enjoy parts of this story and the ending was predictable but satisfactory.
This one takes place in Vermont, alternating chapters between 1950 and 2014. Girls who were troublemakers, illegitimate, rebellious, not wanted, etc. were sent to Idlewild Hall Boarding School. Present time, Fiona, a journalist never had closure to her sister's death years earlier and decided to investigate.
I laboriously read through a mystery, a ghost story and the lives of the girls. I had trouble interfacing with all the characters and it seems "I'm the only one not loving this book"!
I did enjoy parts of this story and the ending was predictable but satisfactory.
Helpful Score: 1
Received this as a Book of the Month selection, ahead of its publication date.
Story takes place over 2 time periods, with several points of view, with several mystery story lines. I'm happy to say that I didn't solve the mystery before the reveal, which made the whole book much more enjoyable than others I've read recently.
Story takes place over 2 time periods, with several points of view, with several mystery story lines. I'm happy to say that I didn't solve the mystery before the reveal, which made the whole book much more enjoyable than others I've read recently.
