Title: That Green Eyed Girl by Julie Owen-Moylan
Date Published: 12th May 2022
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Genre: Historical Fiction
Description:
Set in mid-century New York, this is an immersive and gripping debut novel of jealousy, loyalty, and the secrets we keep to protect those we love . . .
1955: In an apartment on the Lower East Side, school teachers Dovie and Gillian live as lodgers. Dancing behind closed curtains, mixing cocktails for two, they guard their private lives fiercely. Until someone guesses the truth . . .
1975: Twenty years later in the same apartment, Ava Winters is keeping her own secret. Her mother has become erratic, haunted by something Ava doesn't understand – until one sweltering July morning, she disappears.
Soon after her mother's departure, Ava receives a parcel. Addressed simply to 'Apartment 3B', it contains a photo of a woman with the word 'LIAR' scrawled across her face. Ava does not know what it means or who sent it. But if she can find out then perhaps she'll discover the answers she is seeking – and meet the woman at the heart of it all . . .
Review:
I want to thank Michael Joseph for providing me with a copy of That Green Eyed Girl in exchange for an honest review.
Historical fiction is not something I usually go for but the synopsis with that element of mystery and the absolutely gorgeous cover drew me and I knew I had to give it a read.
That Green Eyed Girl is a dual perspective and dual timeline story. The first perspective is teacher Dovie in 1955, who is in love with Gillian, who both live in fear that their secret will be found out. The second is fifteen-year-old Ava, a troubled teen whose dad has abandoned her and her mum is suffering from a mental breakdown for which she is unprepared for. A box arrives at her apartment, which is the perfect distraction for Ava, who set about to find the mysterious owner of the box.
I was not prepared for how much of an emotional read That Green Eyed Girl turned out to be!
It is a very character driven story. I felt so much for both Dovie and Ava. Both troubled, but for very different reasons. I just wanted to reach into the book and hug them!
The writing set the scene so well. There were vivid descriptions and references which made me feel like I'd travel back in time to 1950s and 1970s New York.
There are a lot of tough subjects covered in the story, particularly when it came to gay rights and mental health issues. The author shows the harsh realities for women in those days which made me both sad and angry. It reminded me we may have moved on a bit from those days, but there's still more that needs to be done.
I felt the ending could have been a bit stronger, but of course that's just my opinion.
That Green Eyed Girl is an emotional and hard-hitting debut with realistic characters and settings to immerse yourself in.
About The Author:
JULIE OWEN MOYLAN was born in Cardiff and has worked in a variety of jobs from trainee hairdresser and chip shop attendant at sixteen to business management consultant and college lecturer in her thirties. She then returned to education to complete her Master's degree in Film before going on to complete a further Master's degree in Creative Writing. Julie is an alumna of the Faber Academy's Writing a Novel course. She lives in Cardiff with her husband and two cats.
Twitter & Instagram: @JulieOwenMoylan
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