The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis {Review}

A contemporary YA novel that examines rape culture through alternating perspectives.

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it.

Three years ago, when her older sister, Anna, was murdered and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best—the language of violence. While her own crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people. Not with Jack, the star athlete who wants to really know her but still feels guilty over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered. And not with Peekay, the preacher’s kid with a defiant streak who befriends Alex while they volunteer at an animal shelter. Not anyone.

As their senior year unfolds, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting these three teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

 

Book Title: The Female of the Species

Author: Mindy McGinnis

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Realistic Fiction
Publication Date: September 20th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

          

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Thoughts:

THIS REVIEW HAS MILD SPOILERS ABOUT THE ENDING.

I loved the book. But weirdly enough, I also didn't like it.

Let me explain.

I don't like convenient happy endings. But I do like happy endings. I am bipolar like that.

I know the way the book ended was the most realistic, logical and practical one. When Alex and Jack were doing all that planning for Hancock, my heart wanted it to be true. GAH I WANTED IT TO BE ALRIGHT LIKE THAT SO BAD SO BAD IT HURTS THINKING ABOUT IT. BUT. 

I also knew something was going to happen. Something bad. Something neither of them could have predicted. Something that would shatter my fangirl heart into a million pieces. Something that I wouldn't like.

I finished the book at 4 in the morning and I went to sleep with the saddest of hearts any sleep-lover could ever have when going to get their most-coveted early-morning sleep.

But I digress. Well. I realize even talking about the book makes me sad.

The Ooh Moments:

Alex is an amazing character. I truly feel like the book lives up to its title because of her character sketch. She is not snappy or sarcastic or show-offish, but she is amazing nonetheless.

And like almost every other amazing female character, she doesn't really get a happy ending. Because, shit happens, right? *hangs head low*

Jack (Effing :p) Fisher is one of the most real male leads I have read about in YA lit in a long long time. I am thoroughly impressed by how well-thought and well-drawn his character sketch is. The chapters are told from multiple povs of the significant characters and we get a good deal of storytelling from Jack's pov. In the acknowledgement section Mindy thanks her male friends for helping her understand the perspective better. I would thank those friends, as well as Mindy, for giving such an excellent and real peek into Jack's thoughts. Because of how well he is written, I could see him more as Jack, rather than the-popular-guy-who-likes-the-invisible-Alex, and for someone who is always looking for well-built characters, it was GREAT. It was just, something else man.

Also, Claire might be one of the very (very, very) few non-protagonists in YA lit that shines as much as, if not more, than the protagonists. There is absolutely no freaking way you can not look forward to her povs throughout the whole book. 

The Ehh Moments:

The last few chapters were the best but they were also quite disturbing, and I've taken half a star off because I'm not in that frame of mind to handle that kind of ending. I liked it but it still bothered me a lot, does that make sense?

If you like hard-hitting books, this one is worth a try.

- Lady Inck