The Lost Girl (edition 2012)

Rating: 3.5 of 5

I'm a sucker for stories about human clones, what makes us human, and the nature of the soul, so The Lost Girl seemed a shoe in. Part one was the best: the introduction to Echoes and Eva's life, the Loom and its Weavers, and the budding romance between Eva and Sean. Mandanna's characterization was spot-on. At the end of part one I almost cried, almost. (If I had stopped reading at page 100, I would have rated 4 stars.)

Part two was a huge letdown. Its repetitive conversations between Eva and Ray, and Eva having the same thoughts over and over, annoyed me most. There were even instances of stating the obvious, which irks me to no end. On multiple occasions I had to remind myself this was written for teens and, thus, for a different mentality. (If I'd read only pages 101 to 294, I'd have rated it 2 stars.) Mandanna did successfully provoke my outrage over the treatment of Echoes and my desire for Eva to not only survive but be happy too.

Part three, where the majority of the action and revelations take place, was way too short. And the ending - what the frick?! Everything felt rushed: Eva and Sean, Eva and the Loom - it all seemed to "resolve" itself in the blink of an eye. There were definitely missed opportunities to explore theme and Eva's fate. I feel like maybe Mandanna's editor dropped the ball a bit. Parts two and three needed more work. For a novel over 400 pages, there should not have been a hurried feeling anywhere except the chase scenes.

Side note: Matthew was obviously a huge part of Eva's existence, but he's given little face time. The same could be said for the other Weavers and the Loom itself. I wonder if that's because the author hopes to write a sequel (or prequel) to The Lost Girl? Or was there simply too much time (aka pages) spent in part two and so she trimmed these characters and plot points?

Mandanna's writing was solid, the idea strong, the protagonist likable, and the world-building adequate. I'm definitely interested to see what she writes next. ( )

The Lost Girl has been sweeping in praise, and I can see why. Sangu Mandanna's debut is a mature, beautiful story with philosophical resonances. She touches on what it means to be human and on the nature of creation. This is a book that makes you think about the world, and what it would be like if it were just a little bit different. Though The Lost Girl didn't quite cross the border into being a story that I absolutely love, I can confidently recommend it to anyone who appreciates a thoughtful, introspective story with a bit of action.

The world herein depicted differs very little from the modern world in which we live. The only real difference is the existence of the Weavers and their Loom. Modern-day Frankensteins, not of name but of occupation work there, building humans from dust and bones. These Weavers create Echoes, copies of real human beings, insurance policies of a sort. Purchase an Echo of your beloved child and you will not have to worry about her death, because you've got a spare raised in secrecy by Guardians to know the intimate details of her life.

The process is not explained in detail, and I do admit some skepticism about how the Weavers are able to create physically identical human with the ingredients Mandanna relates, but this really doesn't detract from the story. The idea of the Echoes is less of a scientific venture than a philosophical one. What does it mean to be an Echo, to be intended to be someone else? Are they human? Do they have souls? Are they individuals? Should they have rights?

The heroine, who names herself Eva, is the Echo of Amarra, the eldest daughter of a wealthy family in Bangalore. There's no doubt that Eva is her own person. She enjoys pursuits that Amarra does not, like art, and loves a boy that Amarra does not. Amarra and Eva both resent the intrusion of the other. Eva's presence cheapens Amarra's life because she feels expendable, and like she has to share everything with Eva; Eva exists only to be an imitation of Amarra, and has to squash her individuality, her desires, her ambitions. Their relationship and the way that only one of them can truly, openly exist at once has echoes of What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang.

I rooted for Eva to get a chance at life. She has so much spirit and such a strong will to live, but she has no right to life if she doesn't follow a strict set of rules, and, even if she does, she could be killed for any number of reasons. Somehow, though, I never really connected with her or the other characters, except perhaps for Amarra's charming little brother Nikhil. I'm not really sure what was missing for me there, but that disconnect I felt kept me from completely loving the book.

My only other concern is the very end. The very last chapter made things a bit more cut-and-dried than I would have liked. I thought Mandanna was going for an unclear ending, and she does in a way, but she tied up one arc with a neat little bow that did not fit with the mood of the rest of the book. For the kind of book that The Lost Girl is, the vaguely happy ending sounded a false note for me, though I imagine most readers will thrill to it, particularly if invested in the characters.

Sangu Mandanna is an author to watch. Her debut is powerful, beautifully-written, and full of moving philosophical questions on what it means to be human. The Lost Girl is a great read-a-like for Kat Zhang's What's Left of Me. ( )

I felt the writing was actually quite good--smooth and compulsively readable--but the story lacked in worldbuilding and characterization. While Eva's world--and our knowledge of her world--remained confined to her small cottage in England, I was okay with it. I felt compelled to read and learn more about this fascinating, head-strong girl whose life is not her own.

Unfortunately, when the story began to attempt to add in "outside" elements to Eva's life--the new Bangalore setting, that creepy evil dude who's her "maker" or whatever--my credulity crumpled. I didn't like that the so-called villain was so stereotypically villainous that I pictured him dressed in all black, with unwashed hair, long tapered fingers, and an inability to control his maniacal chuckles. I didn't like that Eva's new life as Amarra in Bangalore was over in the span of approximately 20 pages, as she tries--and fails--to do even a half-assed job at the assignment she's been preparing for her whole life. I lost all respect for Eva (as a character, not as a person; as a person I still feel bad for her) at this point, for she never seemed to comprehend how dire her situation was, how much hinged on her ability to "pass" as the real Amarra.

As I put the book down to give myself a break from the train wreck it was becoming, I never felt compelled to pick it up again, and the more I thought about it, the less I enjoyed what I had read so far. ( )

Unique story about a girl whose clone dies and she goes to take over her life, kept me guessing ( )

The heros and heroines of YA novels often start out feeling misplaced, confused, or angry, with a general feeling that the control of their lives is slipping out of their fingers. For Eva, the feisty, headstrong heroine of The Lost Girl, she was never in control to being with. She was manufactured by the weavers, in an effort to ensure that if her first, Amarra, ever dies unnaturally, Eva will be there to take her place. Eva must memorize every aspect of Amarra's life, including following a rigid schedule of what to read, eat and wear each day. But Eva has always been different, nonconforming. She is unable to follow the weavers' strict rules, and it may just cost her her life. Or, it could save her.

As I was reading, the story reminded me of Beta by Rachel Cohn. If you read my review of that novel, you will know that I was not a fan at all. I thought it was a really great idea, but poorly executed. Mandanna did it right. Eva is essentially a clone of Amarra, but she has her own thoughts and feelings. She is struggling between duty to her first's family and doing what she wants. However, it is not as simple as a decision between the two. If she choses the first, she is relinquishing all control of her life - she must continue to do what Amarra would have done. But if she choses for herself, she is breaking all of the most sacred rules of the loom and that means an almost certain death. But are not both choices one form of death? This is what Eva is struggling with. And is she even human enough to deserve her own choice?

The plot was definitely slow at times, but I was continuously intrigued by supporting characters. I loved learning about all the different sides of Eva's guardians; you can never really guess what they are going to do. As the story progresses there is a bit of predictability in terms of Eva's decisions, but the supporting characters keep things interesting. Overall, the story is an intriguing exploration into one of the most basic questions: what makes us human? ( )