Review by Kelgardner -- Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana

[Kelgardner]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Elastic Girl" by Olivia Rana.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I really enjoyed reading Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana and give the book 4 out of 4 stars . Elastic Girl is a compelling story set in present day India that pulls you along as you become invested in finding out what happens to the lead character, Muthu.

Muthu is a young girl and the third daughter in her family. While her two older sisters go to school, Muthu sells her mother’s homemade roti and dreams of being a star. She saves herself from a near fatal accident when she discovers she has an amazing ability to fold herself into small spaces (and earns the name Elastic Girl as a result). When her family loses their home, her father decides to send her to work for a travelling circus. At first, Muthu is glad to go. This is her chance to be a star! But soon reality sets in and Muthu discovers how dangerous the world can be for a young girl who has essentially been sold into slavery.

I feel like this story could be viewed through two lenses. First, there is a series of ‘prisons’ that Muthu (and other girls like her) are trapped in. These are places and situations that young girls end up in when they are forgotten or neglected. But along with this sadness, you see a series of relationships that Muthu develops with other girls. These relationships add a richness to the story by giving us a chance to see what life is like for other girls, besides Muthu, and how they try to survive in the circus. It is these relationships and the development of these other female characters that I liked best about the book.

I enjoyed this story so much that it’s hard for me to find something I didn’t like about it. Without giving anything away, I will say that I felt the book could’ve ended a few chapters before it did. The remaining chapters weren’t bad, they just didn’t feel necessary. I got the impression that the author envisioned seeing the story through to a certain ending, but as a reader the big emotional punch came before that.

I gave this story 4 out of 4 stories because it was a great read! I think it would appeal to a wide audience, but especially women. If you have experienced trauma or abuse, parts of this story may be difficult for you to read.

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Elastic Girl
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