Title: The Girls of Charity
Authors: Latosha Downs
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1450230544
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 558
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
Trust is one of the hardest things for a person to earn in this world. With so much deceit and lies plaguing the world, it is hard for a person hearing lies so often to find the person that will be worthy of their trust. As William Shakespeare once said, “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” In author Latosha Downs’ novel The Girls Of Charity, a group of young women find themselves isolated and searching for the true meaning of friendship and family in a small town.
In this book, six girls from very different backgrounds all are sent to live under one roof, either having lost or been left behind by family members. Struggling with their own internal battles, the girls find solace in the small world of the home they live in until they are forced to the outside world, to attend a school where rumors spread by the wealthy of this small Connecticut town have begun gossiping about the girls’ unworthiness. Haunted by these rumors and gossip, the girls must learn who to trust and discover what family and friendship truly means to them.
This lengthy read is well written and does a great job of exploring a common theme in small towns that expose how wealth divides people and those with wealth often view those without it as unworthy in society. The novel heavily focuses on character growth and dialogue, making the readers feel the connection between the girls and Charity House overall. The novel explores everything from romance, social interactions between the wealthy and non-wealthy kids within a school, rumors and the power they have over the others, and so much more.
This is a book for anyone who enjoys school drama, small town drama and children-to- middle-grade level books which focus on social skills and values. While the novel is detailed and does a great job of building this world out into a fully developed setting with rich characters readers will both love and hate, one of the things readers may also notice are a few grammatical errors spread highly throughout the novel. While they are there, they are few and far between, and don’t take readers out of the narrative whatsoever, allowing for a smooth and engaging read overall.
This is a fantastic story with an emotional core which will keep readers invested throughout the entirety of this book The Girls of Charity by Latosha Downs is a brilliantly conceived story with a large cast of characters that feel real and fully developed into rounded out individuals. The story flows smoothly and the theme of wealth and its impact on the social skills of our youth in society makes this a must-read book, so be sure to grab your copy as soon as possible.
