Name: The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
Item: The Shining Girls
Author: Trenzle Review

The Shining Girls DEALS

Amazon
$8.99 VIEW

Since I enjoy a little bit of time travel in my fiction and the idea of a time-traveling serial killer intrigued me, I decided to read The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes when it was recently included on the Crime Writers Association’s shortlist for the 2013 Goldsboro Gold Dagger along with another book I really liked, Dead Lions by Mick Herron.

I should start by saying that this book is not for anybody with weak stomachs. The killings that are mentioned in this book are indeed quite nasty. As contrast to the typical “mercy killer” figure, Harper Curtis is the kind of serial murderer who kills to sate his cravings. In keeping with this Beukes’ descriptions of the killer’s actions are extremely graphic and emotive.

I did like how Beukes used the idea of the girls that shone—strong, independent women who were making a difference in society. Her killer’s (and The House’s) desire to dim their light is comparable to forces in society that seek to discredit people who pose a threat in order to make themselves and the narrow-minded and uninformed members of society, and consequently those in positions of power, feel more secure.

When his fever reaches its pinnacle, something inside of him shouts with rage, scorn, and fire. He notices the glowing girls’ faces and realises they must perish. His internal voice was shouting. Murder her. halt her. Although the idea of time travel was highly intriguing, some of the ways it was used felt forced and unnecessary. While I would strictly agree that all fiction involving time travel is fabricated, I do believe that there are some fictional frameworks that can be supported to some extent.

The Shining Girls, in my opinion, needed a more substantial back narrative or foundation to justify the time travel. The author leaves so many unresolved questions in my inquisitive mind. However, I can understand how the author hoped to underline the regrettable fact that throughout history, some social forces have often acted to snuff out or squash individualism and marginalise individuals who speak out against the establishment through the use of the time-traveling gadget.

The chapter headings in this book clearly identified the many narrative points of view and historical eras, and the fast switching back and forth between persons and dates throughout history maintained the story’s flow and the reader’s interest. Every time I picked up the book, checking the table of contents to gain a sense of the timeline was quite helpful.

Even though each victim’s story was horrifying, I felt that the sheer quantity of them (unless I missed anything remarkable about the number?) ultimately diminished their memorability. Additionally, if there was any unique symbolism associated with the House other than its purpose, I was completely ignorant of it.

The Shining Girls was ultimately not much more than a fun escape for me, despite the detective aspects of the plot and how much I liked the main characters working to catch the murderer. The placement of the clues in this thriller was a little too convenient (cute).

About The Book

The murderer Harper Curtis emerged from the past. The girl who was never intended to have a future is Kirby Mazrachi. One of the talented young ladies whose lives Harper is destined to end after discovering a house in Chicago during the Great Depression that opens on to different eras, Kirby is the final sparkling girl and one of the bright young women whose lives are ablaze with possibility.

Harper enters the lives of the attractive females at the House’s request and waits for the right opportunity to act. The ultimate hunter, he disappears into another time after every murder and cannot be found until one of his victims lives.

Kirby joins the Chicago Sun-Times in an effort to collaborate with former homicide writer Dan Velasquez on bringing her would-be assassin to justice. Kirby soon realises that she is getting closer to the impossibly true reality. A brilliant retelling of the serial murderer story, The Shining Girls is a violent quantum leap with a memorable and endearing heroine on the trail of a deadly offender.

The Review