Review: The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 432

Received: Received a copy from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: August 28, 2012
Buy From Amazon.ca / Buy From Chapters.ca

Goodreads Synopsis:

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself.

My Review:

I have been eagerly expecting the release of this book, everything about it sounds amazing and really draws you in. There is a strong message embedded in this story that really makes the reader think about things. I love that a lot of THE LOST GIRL comes from the story of Frankenstein, it gives the story a great start and a bit of creepiness.

I have really gotten into the books lately that give this idea of eternal life in a certain way and this is one of those that once you are finished reading you still think about the ideas that are brought up, long after you are finished reading it. Though this is not an action packed novel (there is a bit of action though), it is very moving and definitely thought-provoking. This is one novel that is hard to put down, you just want to read more about Eva's story of having to abruptly change lives.

The characters were a large part of what made this book what it is. Eva was such a strong character yet fragile at the same time, and she grows a lot throughout the novel. Though she understands what she was made to be, she still has her own personality which makes her life a lot harder and it is interesting to see how she deals with being in the position of having to take over another person's life.

I do have to say the most interesting character for me was Matthew, who is Eva's "weaver". We don't get to see a lot of him in this novel but I can tell there will be more of him in the future. He is a character that is really hard to get your head around the way he acts. There is something about Matthew that really makes you care for him even though a large part of you doesn't want to.

This is a book that is worth picking up ASAP, Mandanna has a beautiful writing style, especially for being a debut author and this novel really hits the spot ;)

For more information on Sangu Mandanna and THE LOST GIRL visit the Harper Collins Canada webpage.