Well. I can truthfully say that The Roanoke Girls was not what I expected. I heard so many good reviews about the book that it became a must-read. Maybe that’s why it didn’t live up to my expectations. Somehow, the book felt shallow. Like there wasn’t much depth to the story. What there was of the story was intriguing and kept me interested, but it felt like something was missing.
With that being said, even though Lane and Allegra could be despicable characters, there was quite a bit of truth to them. They weren’t picture-perfect like some authors try to make their characters, and them being despicable fit with their story. With being the favorite, in some ways.
Although in some ways the story was disappointing, I loved the imagery the author created as pertains to moods. Engel has a way of making things that are generally hard to describe easy to understand and even relate-able. On pg. 8, Engel describes Allegra’s mood as such:
“She reminded me of my mother, had the same mercurial spirit. Like she was walking a tightrope between light and dark, joy and sorrow, and all I could do was stand beneath with arms outstretched and hope to make a catch.”
Imagery like the above was what made the story as enjoyable as it was. The Roanoke Girls did tend to be a little predictable, although I will admit I did not guess the “whodunit” at the end.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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