SYNOPSIS:
Nice girls can do bad things...
When Ambrosia first arrives at prestigious college Wesleyan, she's desperate to fit in. But Amb struggles to navigate the rules of this strange, elite world, filled with privileged 'nice' young women - until she meets the charismatic but troubled Sully, with whom she forms an obsessive friendship.
Intoxicated by Sully's charm and determined to impress her, Amb finds herself drawn deep into her new best friend's dangerous manipulations. But if she wants to play Sully at her own game, Amb has no idea just how devastating the consequences will be...
Deeply unsettling and compulsive, The Girls Are All So Nice Here is a gripping exploration of the brutal lengths girls will go to, to take what they think they are owed.
MY THOUGHTS: It has been 10 years since Ambrosia Wellington left Wesleyan college, she is now married and has put those days behind her. But when she receives numerous emails inviting her to the tenth year reunion Ambrosia's thoughts turn to those upsetting years when her behaviour and action were far from acceptable. With the emails becoming more frequent and an invitation sent in the post Amb finds herself journeying to her old college with her husband in dreaded anticipation of what lies ahead. She is determined that Adrian does not find out the truth of what happened 'that night' and about who she was back then. From the moment she arrives Amb knows that she has been lured there and that something sinister is being planned. Payback? Revenge for what they did? Someone is out to get the answers that she has hidden for all these years.
An addictive read from start to finish. Ambrosia, the main protagonist of the story, is a difficult character to warm to. There are times when you see a glimpse of something 'good' in her and can put the blame of her actions on her wanting to fit in or perhaps being lead astray by Sully but I could never regard her as innocent or blameless, and believe me I so wanted to find something endearing about her. Sully is a much easier character to comprehend she is pure manipulation and definitely a 'mean girl', one that you would hope to avoid at all costs. She would definitely throw you under the bus rather than save you. It is very unique to read a book where you don't gel or particularly like the characters, I confess I didn't like any of them! However, I believe this was a deliberate ploy of the author and for me, it made the book a much more addictive read. I became emotionally involved with the girl's behaviour and was always hopeful that something would happen to change my opinions of them.
The themes running through the book were powerful, emotive and realistic. This book is enough to put you off going to college or university as we would refer to it in the UK. I think everyone has experienced the notion of a group of 'mean girls' during their own education and this novel takes hold of that premise and intensifies it. A chilling, psychological thriller that you know will end in complete disaster but you can't turn away from. Many thanks to HQ Stories for my gifted copy; what a dark, twisted and completely compelling read, I couldn't put it down.