Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Viking (2021), 352 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER �??Pitch-perfect... Dean tells this story with such nuance and humanity, you�??re desperate to step into its pages." �??The New York Times �??Heart-stopping psychological drama�?� A modern-day classic." �??Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author �??A gripping story about family dynamics and the nature of human psychology.�?� �??Good Housekeeping She thought she had escaped her past. But there are some things you can�??t outrun. Lex Gracie doesn't want to think about her family. She doesn't want to think about growing up in her parents' House of Horrors. And she doesn't want to think about her identity as Girl A: the girl who escaped, the eldest sister who freed her older brother and four younger siblings. It's been easy enough to avoid her parents�??her father never made it out of the House of Horrors he created, and her mother spent the rest of her life behind bars. But when her mother dies in prison and leaves Lex and her siblings the family home, she can't run from her past any longer. Together with her sister, Evie, Lex intends to turn the home into a force for good. But first she must come to terms with her siblings�??and with the childhood they shared. What begins as a propulsive tale of escape and survival becomes a gripping psychological family story about the shifting alliances and betrayals of sibling relationships�??about the secrets our siblings keep, from themselves and each other. Who have each of these siblings become? How do their memories defy or galvanize Lex's own? As Lex pins each sibling down to agree to her family's final act, she discovers how potent the spell of their shared family mythology is, and who among them remains in its thrall and who has truly broken free. For readers of Room and Sharp Objects, an absorbing and psychologically immersive novel about a young girl who escapes captivity�??but not the… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member ChelleBearss
This blindsided me. Dean had me all focused on one thing and then BAM! Pretty decent for a debut novel!
LibraryThing member linda.a.
A compelling, disturbing and unforgettable story which explores the long-term effects of childhood abuse. In this outstanding debut novel the author successfully treads a fine line between exposing the horrors experienced by the children whilst avoiding being gratuitously explicit. Full review will
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follow. Show Less
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
After escaping her family's house of horrors, Lex is known by the media as Girl A. The oldest sister who escaped and freed her siblings. Years after escaping, her mother dies in prison, leaving Lex and her siblings the house and a substantial sum of money. Deciding that the best use would be a
Although the premise of the story was interesting, the book itself was a bit lacking. It rambled all over the place and spent considerable time in the past, without giving any details of the past. Overall, not a book I would reread or recommend.
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community center, Lex begins convincing her siblings to accept the plan.Although the premise of the story was interesting, the book itself was a bit lacking. It rambled all over the place and spent considerable time in the past, without giving any details of the past. Overall, not a book I would reread or recommend.
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LibraryThing member charlie68
A main story that could be ripped from the headlines unfortunately. Told from Lex's perspective but including many other characters it's a chilling portrayal of a descent into darkness. The ending left me going over previous chapters to see what I had missed. The reader also did a great job of
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giving depth to the narrative. Each character had its own gravitas that complimented the others. Show Less
LibraryThing member davidroche
There’s been a lot of hoopla around the publication of Girl A (HarperCollins), the debut novel by Abigail Dean, which appears to be winning the newcomers chase that traditionally runs in January. Sold by auction in both the UK and US, it’s also sold in 29 other countries and the screen rights
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have been sold to Sony. There’s even a big yellow dot on the jacket with a quote from none other than man of the moment Richard Osman, who seems to be vying for Stephen Fry’s national treasure (in waiting) slot, but in a sort of Catherine Tate challenging Julie Walters’ kind of way. Girl A is a tabloid ‘House of Horror’ tale of a family of young children holed up by parents who become capable of depths that seem impossible, and in particular Lex Gracie – ‘Girl A’ – the one who escaped. Rather than putting us through the grim details of what exactly took place in relentless fashion, the story interestingly focuses on how Lex and her siblings cope post the event and how their lives unfold in the aftermath. It’s a very good debut but for me it doesn’t deserve quite the noise it’s receiving and it probably should win a publicity award somewhere down the line. Show Less
LibraryThing member Vanessa_Menezes
Lex Gracie doesn’t want to think about her family. She doesn’t want to think about growing up in her parents’ House of Horrors. And she doesn’t want to think about her identity as Girl A: the girl who escaped.
When her mother dies in prison and leaves Lex and her siblings the family home,
Wow! What an intense read! This is a powerful and heart wrenching story of the childhood abuse and trauma experienced by Lex and her siblings.
The entire book is so well written. As we read on, we are introduced to each of the siblings and presented with how the past horrors and events have shaped their present, each of these instances are described so realistically. The choice of Lex as the main narrator is amazing as it makes the entire journey even more emotional and powerful.
Even though it is a dark and disturbing read, I was engaged right till the end and I loved it. Highly Recommended!
Thank You NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this ARC!
When her mother dies in prison and leaves Lex and her siblings the family home,
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she can’t run from her past any longer. Together with her sister, Evie, Lex intends to turn the House of Horrors into a force for good. But first she must come to terms with her six siblings – and with the childhood they shared.Wow! What an intense read! This is a powerful and heart wrenching story of the childhood abuse and trauma experienced by Lex and her siblings.
The entire book is so well written. As we read on, we are introduced to each of the siblings and presented with how the past horrors and events have shaped their present, each of these instances are described so realistically. The choice of Lex as the main narrator is amazing as it makes the entire journey even more emotional and powerful.
Even though it is a dark and disturbing read, I was engaged right till the end and I loved it. Highly Recommended!
Thank You NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this ARC!
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LibraryThing member alizarin
She is waving goodbye.
LibraryThing member jnmegan
Abigail Dean provides an unflinching glimpse of the enduring wreckage caused by child abuse in her novel, Girl A. The title refers to Alex, one of seven siblings rescued from a “House of Horrors,” where they suffered years of horrific abuse and neglect. Girl A is the name assigned to Alex, the
Thanks to the author, Viking, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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oldest girl and the one who escaped her bindings, exposed their circumstances, and enabled their rescue. As the novel opens, Alex is now a successful lawyer with a new family and strong friendships. She has been informed that her birth mother has died in prison and she has been named executrix of her will. She needs to obtain signatures from her far-flung and estranged siblings to be convert the ramshackle house into a community center. She hopes that such a gesture would overwrite the story and serve as a type of repentance. The community is not exactly welcoming of a renewed association with their family name, and Alex has not spoken with some siblings since those days of captivity. As Alex deals with the estate, the novel jumps back and forth in time, slowly revealing the sordid story of the family’s descent into madness. Alex recalls new details the closer she gets to the house, and she comes to grips with some difficult memories that she had been repressing. Dean uses Alex’s investigations to explore the viewpoints of the surviving children-both during those years and following their emancipation. The medical and psychological scars, bad blood, shame and blame all work against Alex’s efforts but provide evidence of trauma’s lasting effects. Girl A might be a bit too graphic for more sensitive readers, but the author does an admirable job exploring themes of loyalty, created families, re-invention and self-deceit. Thanks to the author, Viking, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member dianeham
Girl A by Abigail Dean was excellent. I was so afraid it was going to detail the child abuse that took place but it was subtle. The effects were well stated. The book is narrated by the oldest girl and covers 3 time periods. Her adult life, the time when she escaped and saved her siblings and her
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childhood. The ending is ambiguous which I shouldn't mind because I usually think endings should be. But I was so attached to the narrator that I needed closure. I gave this 4 stars but may change to 4 1/2. Show Less
LibraryThing member write-review
Cults Never Leave You
Those familiar with cults or have been in cults understand that while you can escape them physically, psychologically they can maintain their hold on you for years afterwards, even for life. That’s if you find yourself seduced into joining one as a young or full adult. If you
Abigail Dean’s debut novel, billed as a thriller but more correctly a fictional psychological case study, follows Lex (Alexandra) Gracie as she returns home upon the death of her mother in prison. By all appearances, she had made a success of herself as a lawyer working for a digital company in New York, though her personal relationships haven’t been as fruitful. Back home in England, she relives her childhood, seen in interstitial flashbacks, well handled by Dean, that work to create a whole and extremely troubled individual.
Through this knitting of present and past, readers learn of her tortured family life, led by a father who fails at everything he tries, who focuses on religion, billing himself as a sort of Quiverfull Pentecostal cult preacher who exerts ever more demonic control over a large family of seven children, who range in age from young teens to an infant; a mother who cedes up all agency to him; and a teen brother who participates in the atrocities he visits upon his children, either for self-protection or in satisfaction of an innate cruelty. Dean provides just enough description so readers grasp the depth of suffering inflicted on the children, leaving readers to fill the details with their own imaginations. Her concern is with the psychological damage done primarily to Lex.
Suffice it to say that readers will become suspicious of Lex’s narrative of her contacts with her brothers and sisters, especially the younger sister closest to her, and recognize the tension between her and her older brother, who seems to have emerged well off but untrustworthy and conniving. Dean reveals the truth of what happened in the house on Moor Woods Road, Hollowfield, about two-thirds into the novel, confirming readers’ suspicions of Lex’s shattered psyche. But then that is the whole point of the novel, the everlasting, often crippling, effects of traumatic upbringings, and in dramatizing this the novel is quite successful.
Those familiar with cults or have been in cults understand that while you can escape them physically, psychologically they can maintain their hold on you for years afterwards, even for life. That’s if you find yourself seduced into joining one as a young or full adult. If you
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are a child raised in one by parents committed to the cult, the damage to your psyche can be permanent and land you in therapy for life. If you doubt this, just peruse survivor literature.Abigail Dean’s debut novel, billed as a thriller but more correctly a fictional psychological case study, follows Lex (Alexandra) Gracie as she returns home upon the death of her mother in prison. By all appearances, she had made a success of herself as a lawyer working for a digital company in New York, though her personal relationships haven’t been as fruitful. Back home in England, she relives her childhood, seen in interstitial flashbacks, well handled by Dean, that work to create a whole and extremely troubled individual.
Through this knitting of present and past, readers learn of her tortured family life, led by a father who fails at everything he tries, who focuses on religion, billing himself as a sort of Quiverfull Pentecostal cult preacher who exerts ever more demonic control over a large family of seven children, who range in age from young teens to an infant; a mother who cedes up all agency to him; and a teen brother who participates in the atrocities he visits upon his children, either for self-protection or in satisfaction of an innate cruelty. Dean provides just enough description so readers grasp the depth of suffering inflicted on the children, leaving readers to fill the details with their own imaginations. Her concern is with the psychological damage done primarily to Lex.
Suffice it to say that readers will become suspicious of Lex’s narrative of her contacts with her brothers and sisters, especially the younger sister closest to her, and recognize the tension between her and her older brother, who seems to have emerged well off but untrustworthy and conniving. Dean reveals the truth of what happened in the house on Moor Woods Road, Hollowfield, about two-thirds into the novel, confirming readers’ suspicions of Lex’s shattered psyche. But then that is the whole point of the novel, the everlasting, often crippling, effects of traumatic upbringings, and in dramatizing this the novel is quite successful.
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LibraryThing member rmarcin
Girl A is about the survivor of a “House of Horrors”. The story is told by Lex Gracie aka ‘Girl A’ in alternating timelines. The story begins when Lex’s mother dies in prison and Lex is named executor and heir to the mother’s estate. Lex, along with her little sister, Evie, decide that
As Lex meets with her various siblings, she relieves the horror of their youth, when her domineering “Christian” father abuses the children, keeping them in chains and starving them and punishing them. Lex escapes and frees her siblings and spends years in therapy, trying to make sense of what happened and how to move on. She has a special relationship with Evie and shares dreams of escape and secretly reads to her. The other siblings are Daniel, Noah, Ethan, Gabriel, and Delilah - and all have different stories.
The abuse and its aftermath and the effect it had on the children was difficult to read. The ending was a bit of a surprise.
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they should turn the family home, the “House of Horrors” into a place for good. Lex needs to get approval from her other siblings to do this.As Lex meets with her various siblings, she relieves the horror of their youth, when her domineering “Christian” father abuses the children, keeping them in chains and starving them and punishing them. Lex escapes and frees her siblings and spends years in therapy, trying to make sense of what happened and how to move on. She has a special relationship with Evie and shares dreams of escape and secretly reads to her. The other siblings are Daniel, Noah, Ethan, Gabriel, and Delilah - and all have different stories.
The abuse and its aftermath and the effect it had on the children was difficult to read. The ending was a bit of a surprise.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
Inspired by the real life case of the Turpin family, this novel tells the story of Lex, a successful lawyer who is called back to England when her mother dies, leaving a house and a small inheritance to divide among the surviving children. Her younger sister conceives of the idea of turning the
This novel was a lot stronger than I had expected, given that this is Dean's debut novel. It's well-paced and with nuanced characterizations of all the various family members, even the parents, who are guilty of egregious abuse. And Lex at first appears like a woman who has it all together, which turns out later to be true. This is a family where the surviving siblings are not okay and there are good reasons for that. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author does next.
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house into a community center, but they need the rest of the siblings to sign off on the project, so Lex visits each in turn, which awakens her memories of what happened in that terrible house. This novel was a lot stronger than I had expected, given that this is Dean's debut novel. It's well-paced and with nuanced characterizations of all the various family members, even the parents, who are guilty of egregious abuse. And Lex at first appears like a woman who has it all together, which turns out later to be true. This is a family where the surviving siblings are not okay and there are good reasons for that. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author does next.
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LibraryThing member Iira
A gripping read. Pretty grim at times, but that was to be expected.
LibraryThing member zmagic69
What book did all the reviewers read who gave this book high praise and 5 star reviews?
I expected a messed up psychological thriller about 7 Kids who escape their psychopath parents. Instead this book is boring, really boring.
It has the amazingly annoying writing style of telling the story in the
I seriously doubt the author has any brothers and sisters because the siblings I. This book are all wooden and expressionless, you have the overly religious sister, the one trying to be in charge Girl A
A couple of train wrecks and I really lost track because I didn’t care.
Everything about this book was sterile.
Which when looking up the author you can see why.
She is a lawyer for google.
Read this book at your own risk.
I expected a messed up psychological thriller about 7 Kids who escape their psychopath parents. Instead this book is boring, really boring.
It has the amazingly annoying writing style of telling the story in the
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past and in the present, but instead of doing it per chapter the story bounces back and forth within each chapter.I seriously doubt the author has any brothers and sisters because the siblings I. This book are all wooden and expressionless, you have the overly religious sister, the one trying to be in charge Girl A
A couple of train wrecks and I really lost track because I didn’t care.
Everything about this book was sterile.
Which when looking up the author you can see why.
She is a lawyer for google.
Read this book at your own risk.
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LibraryThing member SRQlover
Very smooth read.......amazed at how quickly time went by while sitting reading this book.
LibraryThing member DebTat2
This is definitely one book that you won’t be able to forget!
Since it’s release I have both read the book and listened to the audiobook and the story line is still just as powerful the second time as it was the first.
The first reading of this amazing book literally took my breath away and it
I didn’t see the plot twists coming and one caused a lump in my throat it was so unexpected and heartbreaking.
If like me this book has been in your ‘to be read’ pile then I highly recommend you bringing it to the top of your list!
I had heard a lot of good things about this book and it was all correct, I just wish I’d read it sooner.
An outstanding book with an author to watch.
Since it’s release I have both read the book and listened to the audiobook and the story line is still just as powerful the second time as it was the first.
The first reading of this amazing book literally took my breath away and it
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was impossible to not being invested in Girl A as well as her brothers and sisters.I didn’t see the plot twists coming and one caused a lump in my throat it was so unexpected and heartbreaking.
If like me this book has been in your ‘to be read’ pile then I highly recommend you bringing it to the top of your list!
I had heard a lot of good things about this book and it was all correct, I just wish I’d read it sooner.
An outstanding book with an author to watch.
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LibraryThing member DebTat2
This is the second time I’ve read this book and it is just as good the second time, however it was an audiobook this time!
It’s certainly a book that you can’t forget so the plot twists and the hard hitting scenes you are more prepared for.
If you haven’t read this book then I would highly
Brilliant book to rediscover as well as to first discover!
It’s certainly a book that you can’t forget so the plot twists and the hard hitting scenes you are more prepared for.
If you haven’t read this book then I would highly
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recommend it to any book lovers because of how well written it is and how powerful the storyline is.Brilliant book to rediscover as well as to first discover!
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LibraryThing member arubabookwoman
This book is described as a psychological thriller, but I think it's more a psychological exploration of the effects of child abuse. In any event, like Magpie Lane it is a book involving neglected/abused children and an unreliable narrator.
Girl A is Lex, now a successful 30-something lawyer. When
When the novel opens, their mother has just died (in prison), and Lex must collect the children's "inheritance," which includes the house where they were imprisoned. She and her closest sister want to donate the house to the city for use as a community center. Lex must contact each of the siblings to get their permission to do this. Sounds very straight forward, but there are a few twists and turns along the way.
I didn't like this one as much as Magpie Lane, but it is competently written, and a brief diversion.
3 stars
Girl A is Lex, now a successful 30-something lawyer. When
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she was 15, she excaped from her parents' house of horrors where she and her numerous younger siblings were chained to their beds 24/7, and given little to eat (some died of starvation). After their rescue, adoptive parents were found for all of the children, and over the course of the novel, we learn how each has fared over the years.When the novel opens, their mother has just died (in prison), and Lex must collect the children's "inheritance," which includes the house where they were imprisoned. She and her closest sister want to donate the house to the city for use as a community center. Lex must contact each of the siblings to get their permission to do this. Sounds very straight forward, but there are a few twists and turns along the way.
I didn't like this one as much as Magpie Lane, but it is competently written, and a brief diversion.
3 stars
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LibraryThing member brangwinn
I don’t know that I want to say much about this book except that this was a book I read in one sitting. The debut novel about a girl who escaped and then freed her younger brothers and sisters from the horror that their parents inflicted upon the kids. As the story unfolds its more about the
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relationships of the siblings as adults. If you liked Room, you’ll like this psychological thriller. Show Less
LibraryThing member AnneMarieMcD
Insanely intense and both horrifying and hopeful.
Awards
Macavity Award (Nominee — 2022)
Barry Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2022)
British Book Award (Shortlist — 2022)
Crimefest Awards (Winner — 2022)
International Thriller Writers Award (Nominee — First Novel — 2022)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2021-02-02
Physical description
9.27 inches
ISBN
0593295846 / 9780593295847