Release Date: September 24th
Publisher: Imprint
Pages: 464
Find it On: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I was sent an E-ARC of this via Netgalley from FFBC
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

Simmering in Patagonian myth, The Tenth Girl is a gothic psychological thriller with a haunting twist.

At the very southern tip of South America looms an isolated finishing school. Legend has it that the land will curse those who settle there. But for Mavi—a bold Buenos Aires native fleeing the military regime that took her mother—it offers an escape to a new life as a young teacher to Argentina’s elite girls.

Mavi tries to embrace the strangeness of the imposing house—despite warnings not to roam at night, threats from an enigmatic young man, and rumors of mysterious Others. But one of Mavi’s ten students is missing, and when students and teachers alike begin to behave as if possessed, the forces haunting this unholy cliff will no longer be ignored.

One of these spirits holds a secret that could unravel Mavi’s existence. In order to survive she must solve a cosmic mystery—and then fight for her life.

Review

This is the kind of book that will have completely divide opinions – some are going to absolutely adore it, and others will struggle. I found it a really intense, twisty read with so many shock surprises that I didn’t see coming.

The story follows a young girl called Mavi as she escapes the strictness of her home life to be a teacher at an elite Argentinean boarding school. When she arrives at the school she attempts to cope with the strange goings on, with people going missing, students and teachers acting in strange ways and rumours of the mysterious others. Mavi has to find the secrets hiding in the school and stay alive in the process.

I must admit that the blurb and the gorgeous creepy cover really lured me into this book. It has a fantastic gothic setting that I completely fell in love with as well as some brilliantly complex characters. Mavi was an excellent protagonist and I really liked her.

The best thing about this book is definitely the atmosphere. I’m a big fan of horror novels and this definitely has some really spine tingling moments, and I felt really uneasy reading some of the more intense scenes. It’s a brilliant piece of writing that will absolutely have readers on the edge of their seats. I really enjoyed Sara Faring’s writing style and I’m looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

The story is quite quick paced, with plenty happened to keep you coming back for more. I did feel like some of the twists were in there just to shock you, and didn’t add all that much to the story line. I did really enjoy the Argentinian myths element of the story. It was creepy and fascinating and something that I had never read about before.

If you’re looking for an intense and addictive read that is absolutely perfect for Halloween/Autumn, you should definitely pick this one up. A dark and chilling Gothic thriller, with beautiful writing and an excellent setting.