Girls On Fire by Robin Wasserman

About Girls on Fire

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harper (May 17, 2016)

Three girls went into the woods; two came out. It sounds like a joke, or a riddle. But it was only, would ever after be, the rest of our life. Shortly after Halloween, 1991, the local high-school basketball star is found in the woods near Battle Creek, Pennsylvania, with a bullet in his head and a gun in his hand—a discovery that sends tremors through this conservative community, already unnerved by growing rumors of satanic worship in the region. In the wake of this incident, bright but lonely Hannah Dexter is befriended by Lacey Champlain, a dark-eyed, Cobain-worshipping bad influence. Lacey forges a fast, intimate bond with the impressionable Dex, making her over in her own image—and unleashing a fierce defiance with unexpected and harrowing consequences. By turns a shocking story of love and violence and an addictive portrait of the intoxication of female friendship, Girls on Fire is an incendiary and unforgettable snapshot of girlhood: girls lost and found, girls weak and strong, girls who burn bright and brighter—and girls who flicker away.

My Thoughts…

Girls on Fire is unique.   I truly picked up the book with no idea what to expect.    I read the synopsis’ but I do not read other reviews until I finish writing my own so I can make my own opinions.     This is a story about a good girl being lead by a bad girl.   This is also a story about how lives can change when friends come into your life and the influences that friend can have for you.   

I wanted to be invested in the story.   I tried.  Yet, through the book I kept thinking where are the adults?  The teachers, parents, police officers, or anyone else.    These girls are running the town, staying out all night, causing trouble, and looking for trouble yet no adults seem to notice.   I understood what was happening with Lacey.   Her mom just didn’t care.   But what about Hannah’s parents?      Maybe I could not get past this because I have a teenager and a college student and I would notice if they were acting out as Hannah and Lacey were.  

This may sound like I don’t like the book.  I did.   Girls on Fire is not a quick and easy read.   It is slow and dark.     I enjoyed the story, needed to keep reading, and had to finish.     I am sure many will love this book, some will like it, and some will not like it.    This is certainly not a book for everyone.     I would recommend you pick up and form your own opinions.    I certainly did. 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Robin Wasserman

Robin Wasserman is a graduate of Harvard University and the author of several successful novels for young adults. A recent recipient of a MacDowell fellowship, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. Girls on Fire is her first novel for adults. Find out more about Robin at her website and connect with her on Twitter.