These Shallow Graves

These Shallow Graves

By Jennifer Donnelly
Published: Delacorte Press, 2015
Pages: 487
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Amazon, Goodreads

"If you're going to bury the past, bury it deep, girl. Shallow graves always give up their dead."

About the novel: In 1890s New York City, Jo Montfort has everything: money, popularity, a good family and an expected engagement to the most sought-after bachelor. There's something inside Jo, though, that yearns for journalism, to write the stories of those facing adversity. Jo's sheltered life comes to a halt when her father dies and she discovers that he was murdered. With the help of reporter Eddie, Jo becomes lost in a world of secrets and must decide who the real villain is and who she wants to become.

I lovedddd Jo Montfort... she's everything I want in a main female character: brave and intelligent while also kind and good-natured. Strong female characters really speak to me - they're what I wish I was in real life. I didn't pay much attention to the book's description so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that Jo was interested in reporting (I work in the newsroom of a newspaper myself). Jo's character is my favorite part of These Shallow Graves. The other characters were just as well-written and gripping as Jo.

I also liked how the book turned a corner in its plot: Donnelly highlighted an unexpected friendship as Jo grows into herself as a person and learns what real friendships are all about. Women, both in real life and in media, are constantly pitted against each other when in reality us ladies need to stick together. The book also shows how our past can never be buried or forgotten; we need to deal with our demons and embrace our past or we will be forever haunted (trust me, that's something I'm currently working on).

These Shallow Graves felt too long sometimes, and I could guess the true bad guy almost halfway into the novel. I liked the book but it wasn't quite as spellbinding as other reviews say it is. I enjoyed it overall (especially the characters), but I felt like the writing fell a bit short.

RATING (out of five puppies):