Five years ago, Summer Marks was murdered in the woods. Her best friends, Mia and Brynn, are the prime suspects; the three were nearly inseparable, united by their love for a book called The Way Into Lovelorn. The haunting, twisted fantasies make their way into the real world, costing Summer her life. But Mia and Brynn didn’t do it. So who did? For the first time in five years, a new development plunges Mia and Brynn back into the past and confront their demons to finally be free.
We received an ARC of this at work, and I picked it up because the cover is absolutely beautiful, plus Lauren Oliver writes some great mysteries (the cover is honestly #hairgoals). October is the perfect time for this book to be released; it’s set in the Northeast, the text is interwoven with a creepy fantasy novel, and the mystery draws you in almost immediately.
Broken Things switches between Brynn and Mia, with excerpts from their favorite novel sandwiched in between. This alternating narration style really helps in building the mystery; it also helps in fleshing out the friendship between the three girls. Through Brynn, Mia, and Summer, Oliver examines how friendships can become toxic, reminding me a lot of Little Monsters by Kara Thomas or One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus.
Where a lot of thrillers are lacking diversity, Oliver isn’t afraid of including a colorful cast of characters that a lot of teens can relate to. She also gets props for including a bisexual character who isn’t afraid to be herself, something that I haven’t seen a lot of in young adult books. We also get a portrayal of hoarding, through Mia’s mom, and I believe the way that Oliver discusses therapy at the end of the book is beneficial for all teens; she presents it in a positive way rather than something that should be avoided.
Though aspects of the plot were a bit predictable, I pretty much read the entire book in one day. There’s something about the atmosphere that Oliver has created that makes you want to keep reading, and figure out if you’re correct in your guess of who did it.
4/5 stars