Liz Currently Loves….The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Darn I didnt want this book to end. I would happily have read on into eternity and an eternal tale is exactly what you will get if you have the good sense to pick up a copy of this book. A huge thanks to the lovely lasses at Harper Collins for the early copy – it means I have had the honour of being amongst the first to read it, and when the rest of the world gets in on the act very shortly, trust me its going to be huge. The back of the book tells me “A Killer who shouldnt exist, A girl who shouldnt have lived, A Thriller that breaks all the boundaries”. Well, yes. But don’t let the “Thriller” tag give you preconceptions – it is thrilling, but trying to put this novel in a genre box is like trying to explain to people why you love your children. The words will come out of your mouth but you are never going to get the sentiment across. ANY reader worth his or her salt will love this book – it transcends genre and just sits happily where it is. A classic in the making.
Harper Curtis is a very bad man. And through a twist of fate he is able to carry out his nefarious acts across history – he is compelled to seek them out, his “Shining Girls”, the ones who must die, the ones he feels in his soul. And die they do. Until Kirby. She lives. And so begins a chase across the decades, a search for the truth that may undo both of them.
The timeslips are brilliantly done. Each chapter in its own space, each period of History cleverly described and researched, you follow Kirby and Harper, The Shining Girls and interconnected characters, over many years and many encounters…until the final resolution, which does not disappoint. Despite the decade hopping you are never lost – often the author will let you know whats coming, sometimes what has come before. You will always know where you are but be aware peripherally that everything can change in an instant. The characters you find within the pages will touch your heart – and if you don’t start looking over your shoulder in case Harper should appear, suddenly made flesh by your reading of him, I’d be very surprised. Or perhaps thats just me! Still, I loved this book. If your passion for reading matches mine, you will too. **this review from competition copy***