What a thriller. The story starts out with four daughters trying to escape from their confining house and tyrannical father, and then shifts entirely when Ana, the oldest daughter, dies and comes back as a ghost. However, this book isn't really about the plot. It's about the daughters—their unique and maybe even strange personalities. And it's about their relationships with each other, which is probably why other reviewers draw the connection to Little Women.
When I learned that this book was inspired by the line "tigers, not daughters" in King Lear (by Shakespeare, and perhaps my most favorite play), my entire perception about this book changed. I agree with Samantha Mabry that these words have such power, and I think this book encapsulates what that phrase means in a modern setting. I felt empowered reading this book because I realized that the characters that aren't just daughters. Similarly, we aren't all confined to one title, one descriptor. We are much more, and can be much more—as much as we want. We can be tigers. It's a powerful message to explore in a book, and Mabry does it very well.
Clearly, this book made me think, and then it made me be all theoretical, and then it made me never forget. It's a haunting read filled with perfect character sketches, underlying meanings that I'm still teasing out, and an uncanny atmosphere. I absolutely loved it.
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4.5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Algonquin Young Readers, for the review copy!
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