Review: The Girl Who Never Was

THE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS
Otherworld #1
Skylar Dorset
Paranormal Young Adult
304 pages
Sourcebooks Fire
Available Now
Source: BEA

THE STORY (from Amazon)
"Today is my birthday."

In Selkie's family, you don't celebrate birthdays. You don't talk about birthdays. And you never, ever reveal your birth date."

Until now.

The instant Selkie blurts out the truth to Ben in the middle of Boston Common, her whole world shatters.

Because her life has been nothing but a lie—an elaborate enchantment meant to conceal the truth: Selkie is a half-faerie princess.

And her mother wants her dead.

MY THOUGHTS
The Girl Who Never Was is an unusual read, not so much in terms of characters or plot, but more in the way we feel upon finishing given our reaction and opinion are somewhat difficult to pin down. Those readers who enjoy stories rich with faeries and magic–where the world itself doesn’t make complete sense and searching out answers only results in more questions–will undoubtedly be swept up in the newfound strangeness of Selkie’s (who is in fact not a selkie) previously ordinary world, but those who crave order and explanation, even with regard to all things fantastical, might have a slightly harder time.

Selkie’s story is told in a more simplistic writing style; a matter-of-fact quality to it that takes a little while to adjust to at first, and while it’s not long before we no longer notice it, it does keep this tale on a more superficial level. We don’t get to delve too deeply into Selkie’s thoughts, feelings, or motivations, and when we meet her she’s already hopelessly (and adorably) in love with Ben whom she’s known for years but has only spent brief moments with each day. We don’t get to experience the building of that love even though we bear witness to the moment their relationship irrevocably changes, so it’s an aspect of her journey that we merely accept as part and parcel of who Selkie is without losing a piece of ourselves to their relationship as we might wish to.

Though it might sound thus far as though The Girl Who Never Was is lacking in many ways, truth be told that’s not the case at all, rather it’s a story quite entertaining and easy to lose ourselves in even if the way in which we get lost is not solely on the emotional level. Selkie’s story demands attention and holds it throughout, the cruelty of the Seelie Court and their utter disregard for any life outside their own ensuring we’re rooting for her and Ben to bring them all to their knees, fulfilling one of the many prophecies that have dictated how Selkie’s entire life has been lived.

We’re left with the first real tug on our heartstrings as a parting gift, life for Selkie clearly only going to get harder rather than easier as this series progresses. Overall, The Girl Who Never Was is a one-sit type of read, not the kind to deliver a punch to the gut or render us speechless for days after reading, but it’s a pleasure to read nonetheless, and it leaves us with just the right amount of anticipation as we look forward to book two.

Rating: 3.5-4/5

Find Skylar:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.