The Tenth Girl
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Dense, eerie, violent horror story with surprising twist.
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What's the Story?
Mavi is intrigued and concerned about THE TENTH GIRL as soon as she starts her job teaching English at a remote, exclusive boarding school on the frigid southern tip of Argentina. When Mavi asks why only nine girls are present when she was told there would be 10, her boss assures her that the 10th girl will be joining them soon. But weeks and then months go by, and still no 10th girl. But strange and dangerous events quickly start unfolding: Strange noises, shadowy figures, mysterious illnesses, and more make it clear to Mavi that more is going on than meets the eye at the school, long since cursed by the area's indigenous people. To say nothing of the often-repeated warning never to wander the house at night. The more Mavi tries to learn the truth, the more the house and its inhabitants seem to succumb to the ancient curse. If she ever hopes to escape, she'll have to learn the ultimate truth, but when she does it will completely shatter everything she knows about herself and the world she inhabits.
Is It Any Good?
This creepy, gothic spook-fest is best for mature fans of the genre. At first, author Sara Faring's debut novel seems a worthy successor to some of the great gothic horror novels of all time. But a weak, too-long middle and a twist that will jar some readers right out of everything she built over 400 pages of The Tenth Girl make it something else entirely. It's hard to define or put in a box what exactly that something else is, and speculating about it here would only spoil it. Be prepared to think about the nature of reality, existence, human relationships, and more from a completely unexpected, new angle.
Faring excels at creating mystery and eerie atmosphere around every corner, using everything from the weather to the architecture, and of course every character at her disposal. The middle does drag on for too long without advancing the story or heightening emotions. But keep going and the ending will blow your mind. You'll either love it or hate it. But it will definitely give you a lot to think about, whichever side you land on.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Tenth Girl. Is it too much or appropriate to the horror genre and this story? How is reading violence on the page different from seeing it in videos, movies, or even real life?
Stories that scare us or creep us out have been around probably for as long as people have been telling stories. Who are some of your favorite horror authors, or what are your favorite books? How does this one compare?
Did a twist surprise you, or did you see it coming? Did it change it change what the book is really about? Did it change any of your opinions about the story or its characters?
Book Details
- Author: Sara Faring
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Friendship , Great Girl Role Models , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Imprint
- Publication date: September 24, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 15 - 17
- Number of pages: 464
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: December 13, 2019
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