Book Review: Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Brief summary: Pretty Girls follow Claire and Lydia, two sisters who are still trying to heal after their older sister disappeared 20 years earlier. When Claire’s husband is killed, the two estranged sisters are brought back together as the world unravels around them and disastrous secrets come to light. 

This book is disturbing. Truly. And for reference, I am someone who doesn’t flinch when watching Criminal Minds or Bones. I’m used to this kind of material, and I don’t mind reading/watching disturbing media. However, I think this book could have been done better.

When I read a book meant to be disturbing, a psychological thriller, or a crime mystery, I want to be thrilled; I want to be on the edge of my seat. While I did read the entire book because I wanted to know what happened, this book just didn’t make my heart pound or my skin crawl. I was disgusted at times, because, again, it was disturbing, but there was not enough character depth to add another layer to that disturbing element. There is more psychological insight in a 45-minute episode of Criminal Minds.

The plot was well structured, I’ll give it that, but that might be the only praise I have. There were just too many flaws. Too many instances where the author should have elaborated on something, but described something else that made me lose interest. Too many places where she rushed over an explanation, but droned on about something else that was obvious or repetitive. 

Most damningly, there was way too little character development or depth. It made the novel rather two-dimensional; disturbing for the sake of disturbing. The perspective I enjoyed the most was the father’s, and if I remember correctly, he only had three chapters. I somehow got more out of those three chapters than I did out of the entire book. 

If you just want disturbing without depth, or if you want the bare bones of a heartbreaking story, this book isn’t by any means horrible, so go for it. I should probably add that if you’re triggered by sexual violence, you should really avoid this novel. Overall, I give it a 2.5 out of 5: I wasn’t bored, but I wanted it to hurry up, stop dragging, and finish.