Ever since I heard about the concept for Dangerous Girls by Lisa M. Sylvan, I knew I had to pick it up and was lucky enough to win a very early proof at YALC last year. Today I am delighted to be sharing my review for this fantastic book from an exciting new voice.
This review originally appeared on The Nerd Daily.
Imogen Brine is undeniably strange. Some would even say dangerous. She can make poisonous flowers grow from her fingertips and her “gift” is becoming harder to control. When she is invited to a secret island to be with other girls – girls with dangerous gifts of their own – it feels like the chance to finally be herself. Somewhere she will fit in.
However, not long after her arrival, a deer is found dead with poisonous flowers growing from its corpse. And all eyes are on Imogen. Imogen knows she’s been set up. Something on the island feels wrong – and it isn’t just the friction with the other girls or the growing tension between her and the son of the island’s head of security, Jack.
As strange occurrences continue to rock the island, some more dangerous than others, Imogen realizes she will have to work quickly to learn what’s causing them. Because things are about to turn deadly. And not all dangerous girls want to be friends.
Publication Date: 11th September
CW: death, murder, blood, torture
My Thoughts:
Dangerous Girls is the type of book that allows you to completely lose yourself in the story. Sylvan has concocted a wonderfully atmospheric and tightly plotted story that will utterly captivate you.
The magic system was fascinating with a good variety of powers on display that aligned with the personalities of each character. I enjoyed the slower burn of revealing each of their powers in these dramatic moments that heighten the spectacle of it all, but also show just how destructive they could be. However, there is a slight chicken and egg argument of whether they’ve been forced to act this way because of their power or if their power is a continuation of themselves. This is a question that Imogen is particularly grappling with. Her power is all-consuming and has had dark consequences, leading to her isolation and complete eradication of her self-worth. She sees this as a potential for redemption and reintegration into the world. It is a desperate attempt and one that instantly endears you to her. So when this new environment also becomes hostile for her, she will do anything to clear her name and discover the truth at the heart of Marshwood House. Sylvan clearly sets out these stakes that have such a personal focus but also further reaching consequences. The world-building around Marshwood indicates how it is seen as a last-ditch attempt for these powered individuals and otherwise society may look to destroy them completely. Imogen is engaging with a great voice that speaks to the deep rooted nature of her insecurities but also that familiar feeling of just wanting to be loved and belong. Her arc throughout the book will resonate with a lot of readers and Sylvan obviously put a lot of love and care into crafting it.
All of this feeds into the central mystery which is so well-constructed. The pacing is spot on, building like any good campfire tale to a conclusion that will be difficult to pull yourself away from. It feels like you are slowly being encircled and questioning everything and everyone around. Sylvan mimics the growing paranoia of the girls with the readers, pulling you between different suspects and leading you down rabbit holes. It is a tricksy story that delights in misleading you at times. I also particularly enjoyed the psychological and wider horror aspects that feed into the narrative. It is perfect reading for those nights where darkness seems to draw ever closer. Sylvan captures that mounting suspicion that is amplified by the girls’ ostracisation and also the isolation of their setting. They are in an undisclosed location and cut off from much of the world, meaning they are reliant on one another to help them survive. However when you cannot trust those around you, even the powerful becomes powerless.
I am also a lover of these isolated Gothic settings that becomes their own character in the narrative and definitely fits the bill. It has that wonderful contrast of the wild beauty and freedom of nature and the strict discipline of the school. These girls have to harness their powers like humans have harnessed aspects of nature and yet you are reminded that this control has its limits. Not everything can or should be tamed. The isolation of the setting also heightens the mystery as a classic closed-circle set-up. You can feel the tensions rise and relationships fracture as events continue to escalate. It is a spiralling descent into chaos.
Dangerous Girls was a fantastically atmospheric and charged YA thriller with an inventive magic system and a Dark Academia thread that fascinated me. It is beautifully written and entrancing.
A Short Book Lover 
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