Hurricane Girl: A novel

I am not sure what to say about this one. It is unlike anything I (or anyone who has not read this specific book) have ever read before. My son asked me what I was reading and what it was about. I told him the book's name, and told him that it was about unresolved grief, unsuccessful efforts to flee one's problems, how fundamentally self-serving most people are, and head injuries. He asked if any of those were metaphors. My answer was no, no, no, and yes, but only partially.

I loved the ratatat rhythm of the book. I loved the subtlety of the satire, I appreciated the nakedness of the selfishness in every character except Danny (who was basic but kind), the sadness of everyone's privilege, the sympathetic perpetrator and the obnoxious show more victim. I thought a little something was missing, that too much was left to subtext. This was especially true with regard to how hard it was to tell if Allison was entirely horrible and disconnected (even as compared to her horrible and disconnected friend, mother and brother), or just dealing with the aftereffects of head injury. Because of this feeling of a missing piece, I wavered between a 4 and a 5. I went with a 5, because how often do I read things that completely surprise me in a good way? This book shouldn't work, but boy, does it ever work.

One note though -- this is NOT horror. I cannot figure out why people identify this as horror. show less

quirky, quick-reading 240-page psychological suspense story (TW/CW: abusive relationship, physical assault, loss of home due to hurricane)

this was a wild surprise, though maybe a little too remniscent of "Memento" ?. The reader isn't sure quite what to make of Allison (impulsive, easily distracted, ADHD?, self-absorbed); some of her behavior can be attributed to the brain trauma/physical shock, but likely not all of it. I rooted for her anyway because how could you not back the survivor of a sexual assault situation?

2.5. I feel like I missed something. Allison has finally (from what we hear) gotten her life on track - sold a screenplay, left an abusive boyfriend and bought a small beach house in NC. That gets destroyed by a hurricane after 10 days of ownership. From there her life careens out of control again. After going home with the cameraman who covered the news story of her house’s demise, she is brutally attacked by him and makes it back to NJ to her mother. But the bad choices don’t end there. I could not muster a bit of care for Allison - she (and the author) have such a flat affect - any emotional expression can’t be trusted. The story comes full circle in a couple ways - concentric circles, really. But that feels more like a maze show more than a resolution. Allison is her own walking storm center - and if that’s the point, at least help me like her. show less

Huh. Well, it has a lot of narrative drive. I wondered why I was reading it even as i continued to turn the pages. Other people are calling it a thriller, and suspenseful. I wouldn't call it that. It was just one strange thing after another. I'm sure it must be ironic, or clever. Maybe if i were from the east coast I would like it better. Not a keeper.

Fairly short. Not really stream of consciousness, but sort of an over caffeinated style that flits From one thing to the next. Vibe is more dazed than feverish. The story itself is quirky verging on bizarre, involving catastrophic weather and traumatic brain injury and a

Read more out of curiosity for how the author was going to land the narrative plane rather than affinity for our protagonist, Allison. First time to read this author and no clue what she was going for - dark comedy, suspense, avenging angel, romance. There's a little of everything that results in mostly nothing.

No idea who I'd recommend this book to. A for originality, C for all else. If this book was cast, I see Krysten Ritter as Allison.

I’m not really sure what to say about this book. It was one of the oddest books I’ve ever read. It was like just one long run on sentence with Allison just rambling every bizarre thought and complete nonsense. Yet, I couldn’t put the book down and read it in one sitting!

It’s been a long while since a book hit me this hard! I couldn’t put it down. So absurd but so so so relatable in terms of the main characters social and emotional tendencies.