In this powerful psychological suspense debut, when a woman’s life is shattered, she is faced with a devastating question: What if everything she thought was normal and good and true…wasn’t? Clara Lawson is torn from her life in an instant. Without warning, her home is invaded by armed men, and she finds herself separated from her beloved husband and daughters. The last thing her husband yells … her husband yells to her is to say nothing.
In chapters that alternate between past and present, the novel slowly unpeels the layers of Clara’s fractured life. We see her growing up, raised with her sisters by the stern Mama and Papa G, becoming a poised and educated young woman, falling desperately in love with the forbidden son of her adoptive parents. We see her now, sequestered in an institution, questioned by men and women who call her a different name—Diana—and who accuse her husband of unspeakable crimes. As recollections of her past collide with new revelations, Clara must question everything she thought she knew, to come to terms with the truth of her history and to summon the strength to navigate her future.
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In her debut novel The Girl Before, Rena Olsen has created a heroine who is living a life she thinks is absolutely normal and then is abrubtly and coldly confronted with reality. It is a suspenseful but quiet thriller, and the writing style created a mysterious tone as it caused me to wonder about all that I couldn’t see from the heroine: Clara’s POV. The alternating past and present timeframes captured Clara’s functioning beautifully and I found it effortless to find investment in her character.
It does not surprise me in the least that Ms. Olsen is also a mental health therapist. She hit the nail on the head with Clara’s character and with this book’s subject in general. Deathgrip denial and then incredibly slow acceptance was a process that was both palpable and fascinating to watch. Ms. Olsen could have gone crazy graphic with this story’s theme but she wasn’t going for shock value and I admire her for that. In my opinion, The Girl Before is real enough to be a book of substance and one that has the potential to raise awareness, while still feeling fictional enough to be engaging leisure reading material. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. Check it out.
A very good read. Ending needed a little more substance.
True, Clara was a victim, but I can understand the anger felt from the girl in her therapy session. Clara’s character didn’t seem “real”enough to get 5 stars.
I went into this booking based on nothing but the blurb, which to me sounded like a psychological thriller. I was expecting mystery, questions, twists and turns, but that isn’t what I got. This book is something else entirely, completely different from anything I’ve read and so haunting that it’s taken me a full day to think on it before writing this review. I hate spoilers in reviews so I won’t get into many details but the truth is, there isn’t much the author doesn’t lay out for you in the first few chapters so you know what kind of story you’re getting. It was told in alternating flashbacks that were sometimes out of order, but in a way that didn’t take away from the present chapters at all, rather giving background to each situation as it arose.
It’s a deep dive into some dark topics: child abduction, human trafficking, emotional/mental/physical abuse, brainwashing, gaslighting and so much more. The main character felt completely real to me, a woman trapped in the only world she’s ever known, accepting it for what it is because there’s nothing else for her. Ive never been in the characters situation but coming from an abusive relationship I can say there were some triggering parts for me and others that simply made me long to hug her and tell her she wasn’t alone. All in all, it’s a quiet read, not exploitive or preachy as so many books on this topic can be. I couldn’t put it down once I started and I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something a little heavy and dark but realistic and heartbreaking all the same.
This is one of those stories you have to prepare yourself to listen to.
Human trafficking, mental coercion and the young woman who has to face a new reality, with past and present events not necessarily of her making. It’s a powerfully compelling, gripping with shock, grief and emotional turmoil. You will come away from this story drained and thankful.
Narrator did a nice job.
Couldn’t stop reading it even thoughI wanted to. Tragic story but captivating. Sheds some light on the plight of victims of trafficking
Disappointing. Plodding. Could care less about the characters.
Creepy
This was a sad book but it had a happy ending! I really liked it a lot!
Difficult subject matter, but a worthy read. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down.
Dark, immersive, and intriguing, this is a cleverly-told suspense novel about the line between victim and perpetrator. Switching between past and present, the book tackles some very difficult subject matter and does a good job of leaving it up to the reader to decide if Clara is a victim or not.
A very realistic view on human trafficking and sexual abuse. Can be triggerring. Very well written.
I really enjoyed this book, written from a different perspective. I found it hard to put down.
Did not like. Did not finish.
Excellent and informative!
Well written and unpredictable stayed up till three in the morning over two nights to read it….