Sanctuary Reviews

The Girl Who Was Afraid by LucyAnnWrites

LucyAnnWrites

The Girl Who Was Afraid

I'll start this off by saying that I absolutely enjoyed this book from chapter one to chapter eleven. The premise, the characters, the setting, etc - it wasn't something I usually sought out but I'm glad to have given this book a chance because I loved it. I will also say that this review is purely based on a matter of opinion and shouldn't deter you one way or another about your ability to write. As no other opinion should influence you whether to write or not. You should write based on if it brings you joy or not, that's what matters.

Without giving too much away, the entire premise of the story is about a young girl who suffers from extreme anxiety (agoraphobia, germaphobe, etc) and has to deal with many tragic things that contribute to her mental conditions. The writer is able to keep this theme throughout effortlessly without forcing the condition unnaturally. As a reader, you will be able to hold much, much sympathy for the MC and just want to swoop in and help her yourself.

The characters are my favorite and they burst to life in the pages. My ultimate favorite has to be Dr. Harper and his eccentric wear throughout the story. He's a blunt man who comes off very much an asshole. However, his character evolves into something needed for the MC. The MC is an unusual character, as far as never reading a character with such a high anxiety level before. Especially the agoraphobia that's presented very quickly in the first chapter. It's so expertly written that it almost makes me wonder if the writer herself experiences it as well.

This is where I was conflicted on - the setting. The setting is in Victorian times, the characters based somewhere in Europe. While I have trouble with liking this setting, it's only because I haven't found too many writers that can display this consistently. I've always found it hard to write in a time era that isn't our own due to keeping all the facts straight with what technologies each time period had at that time. This writer seemed to glide over this era like an expert as well, seemingly to have done her research. This book has definitely made me excited to start reading other stories that are similar in this aspect.

I usually won't ever judge a book by its cover because I'm not a graphic designer myself, all my covers are either done by me (which aren't usually that pretty) or I use a shop on wattpad. I sometimes even pay someone to make me a cover for wattpad. But 'The Girl Who Was Afraid' book cover is absolutely elegant and shows exactly what the book is about - a pretty, young girl set in Victorian times. Which that's all you need to know right off the bat until you read the blurb and begin this wonderful book.

If you like Victorian era books or like books about young children taking the reigns and taking back control over their lives, I can't recommend this book enough. This book will give you a real insight on what some people face everyday, just set in a time way before ours which gives it an interesting twist.

Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to review this story!

Joe. R Chicken