Isla and Renata Soler, outcasts in high society, attempt to polish their reputations at finishing school, but the cost of perfection might be too much.Seventeen-year-old Isla and 20-year-old Renata were raised by their abuela to be fierce and independent. In their era, which evokes the early 20th century, girls wearing trousers are frowned upon and being from new money brings sneers. Abuela believes that world-renowned Alarie House will give her brown-skinned granddaughters the social clout they need. Their first night at the finishing school, Isla sees something deeply unsettling and, wounded by Renata's skeptical response, flees for home. When Renata returns from Alarie, she's eerily changed, like "a girl written for the stage instead of real life," alarmingly vacant but with terrifying glimpses of rage beneath the artificial veneer. Then Renata vanishes, and Isla embarks on a quest to discover what happened to her sister. This novel, which has a strongly gothic mood, gets off to a strong start. Soon after Isla returns to Alarie in search of answers, the novel makes an abrupt shift in tone into surrealism, with worldbuilding that sophisticated readers will understand offers overarching metaphors for femininity. The book also has excellent representation of an intersex character, an element that further interrogates "what it means to be a girl, much less the right kind of girl."A chaotic fever dream that will evoke strong responses from readers. (author's note) (Horror. 14-adult)

Gr 9 Up— McLemore delivers an evocative but not-quite-flawless YA novel. Isla and Renata Soler are brazen, carefree sisters being raised by their strong-willed grandmother. She hopes to introduce her granddaughters to society, hoping they can make long-lasting connections despite their brown skin and nouveau riche status. The young women are sent to Alarie House, a prestigious finishing school that has produced princesses and first ladies. However, Isla runs away the first night after a disturbing experience, and Renata comes back changed—a shadow of her former self and filled with rage. When Renata disappears, Isla returns to the menacing house to uncover the horrible secrets that led to her older sister's eerie transformation. The novel's setting is never clear but the text hints at a late 19th- or early 20th-century time period. A Gothic feel permeates the narrative, and McLemore's entrancing writing is on full display here. However, some readers may get lost in the lyrical language and extended metaphors. This tale is a mix of horror and magical realism and doesn't always find its footing. But its discussion of beauty, gender, class, and race will draw in readers. Plus, the depiction of an intersex protagonist is complex and nuanced. Patient readers will be rewarded with a profound and unresolved conclusion that offers a fascinating look at the definition of girlhood. The sisters are Latinx. VERDICT Give this to fans of books by McLemore and Nova Ren Suma.— Shelley M. Diaz