Sunday, April 30, 2023

4.30.2023 - Before We Were Innocent

Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Ella Berman - 4 stars!

In 2008, three friends - Bess, Joni, and Evangeline - went to Greece for the summer after high school .  Tragedy happened and Evangeline died.  Bess and Joni were eventually cleared in her death, but the ensuing press was brutal.  Joni ended up writing a book about the situation and became a famous motivational speaker.  In contrast, Bess basically lived off the grid by herself.  Ten years later, Joni shows up at Bess's house asking Bess to help her after Joni's girlfriend goes missing.

This story unfolds slowly, going between both timeframes.  It's less a mystery than a coming-of-age, toxic friendship story.  It's well written and the plot unfolds nicely, showing just how trauma affects people differently and how long lasting it can be.  To me, it's also another social media cautionary tale and reminded me of the Amanda Knox story.

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