Google was my friend for this prompt! And while there obviously a few suitable writers woth the initials E. C., I found a copy of The Girls by Emma Cline in a local charity shop that fitted the prompt perfectly.

What it’s about?

From Goodreads:

Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon.

Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted.

As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.

What I think:

I found this utterly compelling.

The book explores how people are drawn into following charismatic men and into cults.

For Evie, lonely and bored, she is initially drawn to Suzanne. Suzanne is beautiful and free, her wildness appeals to Evie as a contrast to her dull suburban life. Her desperate need for attention draws her closer to Suzanne and her friends.

Seen through Evie’s eyes, the poverty and squalor that the group is living in is rebellious and free. Evie ignores some of the warning signs and becomes increasingly involved with the group.

This is one of those books where you know the outcome from the beginning. We know that the group is involved in gruesome and violent murder. The focus is how they get there. What is Evie’s involvement?

This is a tense and uncomfortable read. There is a building sense of dread, and some of the scenes make for uncomfortable reading.

Overall, this is a dark and uncomfortable read. Enjoyable isn’t the right word for this book, but I found it really enthralling. Some of the writing is beautiful, and Evie’s voice rings clear and true throughout the book.