Many lovers of young adult mysteries and thrillers are familiar with the work of Courtney Summers, author of This Is Not a Test, All the Rage, and the bestselling Sadie. Her most recent offering, I'm the Girl, has been described as the spiritual successor to Sadie, which many or her readers must have been excited to hear. When a young girl discovers a dead body, her already fragile world is once again shifted.
The Situation: Sixteen year-old Georgia Avis has dreams for herself. She plans to make more of her life than what it currently is in the town of Ketchum. For Georgia, those plans begin with Aspera, a resort for the rich and elite. It is where only a certain kind of girl gets hired to be an Aspera girl, something Georgia has wanted to achieve for a long time. It is also where Georgia's mother worked before she died, and Katy Avis did not leave her job on the best of terms. But when Georgia discovers the dead body of a 13 year-old Ashley, it throws her directly into the path to her dreams, as well as into the investigation of what really happened that lead to the death of the sheriff's daughter.
The Problem: Georgia has always remembered what her mother told her about not being good enough for Aspera, but she refuses to believe it. She knows she is good enough, and pretty enough, and can barely contain her joy when she finally gets a job at the pristine and glamorous resort. But the road between Ketchum and Aspera is also the road where Ashley's body is found, which brings both of Georgia's worlds uncomfortably close to one another. As she finds out more about Ashley and her final days, with the assistance of Ashley's older sister Nora, she cannot help but feel that she is also in danger. Ashley's killer is still out there, and the more they uncover, the longer the list of guilty parties grows.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult mystery/thriller novel that explores many difficult themes, which is not unusual for a book by Summers. Many trigger warnings have been issued for this book as the plot involves sexual assault, grooming, the murder of a child, and the privilege and influence that exists for the rich and powerful. Similarities have been drawn between the plot and the Jeffrey Epstein case many times, which should help readers decide if this is a story they wish to pick up. Georgia wants little more than to be an Aspera girl at an elite resort, believing it will prove what she has always felt, which is that she is beautiful, and desired, and worthy to be in the same place as the most rich, powerful, and influential people. But the second storyline of her discovery of a dead body makes everything much more complicated, and terrifying.
My Verdict: Summers is a fantastic writer. I decided to lead with that, because in the end, I have the same issue with this book that I had with Sadie, along with a few others. Much like Sadie, the ending of this one did nothing for me. It felt as if nothing was resolved, and no solutions are offered. As for other issues, they mostly lie with the character of Georgia. The combination of self-centered and naive makes for a character that is so blind when she is only looking out for herself, that she is missing every glaring and obvious red flag she is confronted with. Georgia wants so badly to believe she is special, and the mystery she finds herself being caught up in is not solid enough to make the frustration worth it. Much of it is clunky, some of the discoveries seem convenient, and the breakthrough does not feel complete.
Favorite Moment: Honestly, it's all pretty uncomfortable and frustrating. The moments of victory, triumph, and discovery do not feel worth it.
Favorite Character: Nora has her own issues and baggage - after all, her younger sister was discovered dead on the side of the road - but despite everything, she seems to have her feet firmly under her and sees the world for what it is.
Recommended Reading: A book that explores similar issues is My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, and in my opinion, that book handles it much better.
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