Review: The Girl Before

The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The parallel plot lines make this book a suspenseful masterpiece! I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!

The Girl Before by J. P. Delaney is an absolutely fantastic read. I took a break from my ARC reviews to get back to this one, which I had purchased months ago but not had a chance to read yet. With Delaney having a new book out in the fall, I wanted to get a feel for his (I researched this, and was pleasantly surprised to find that J. P. is a male because the female characters are written so authentically) writing before it came out. I absolutely loved this book! The parallel plots and varying chapter lengths were so well done. I was captivated by both story lines and I couldn’t wait to get back to each one. Neither felt like it was taking precedence over the other, which is quite a feat!

Excerpt

In my art history degree course, we did a module on palimpsests—medieval sheets of parchment so costly that, once the text was no longer needed, the sheets were simply scraped clean and reused, leaving the old writing faintly visible through the new. Later, Renaissance artists used the word pentimenti to describe mistakes or alterations that were covered with new paint, only to be revealed years or even centuries later as the paint thinned with time, leaving both the original and the revision on view.

Sometimes I have a sense that this house—our relationship in it, with it, with each other—is like a palimpsest or a pentimento, that however much we try to over paint [her], she keeps tiptoeing back: a faint image, an enigmatic smile, stealing it way into the corner of the frame.

Plot

One Folgate Place is a beautiful, tranquil, and state-of-the-art masterpiece designed by enigmatic architect Edward Monkford. The house has a tragic past, though. It was originally to be the home for Edward and his wife and partner Elizabeth, and their son, when his wife and son were tragically killed in a car accident. Unable to live there but unwilling to drop the project, Monkford redesigned the house in the wake of his tragedy, and rents it out at a nominal fee to those who are worthy of its unique character. But there are rules that tenants must follow. Absolutely nothing left out ever; dry the limestone after showering; no photographs or books allowed; take the assessment whenever prompted…

Three years ago…

Emma was home alone when her apartment was broken into by burglars. In the aftermath, Emma can’t escape her nightmares. Unable to shake her fear, Emma and her boyfriend Simon desperately seek out a new place to live within their price range. When their agent brings them to One Folgate Place, Emma feels a security and tranquility that she hasn’t felt anywhere else. Desperate to move in, Emma hopefully completes a psychological questionnaire. Though many are turned down, Emma and Simon are approved. They soon move into the house and even Simon is in awe of the state-of-the-art technology. The shower automatically turns on when entered, and adjusts to the exact preferences of the user. The internet is streamlined by “Housekeeper” to reduce the clutter of the outside world. The house monitors their health and weight, and recommends recipes based on what is stocked in their refrigerator. But after moving to such a restrictive environment, things begin to change for Emma.

Now

Jane has tragically suffered a miscarriage, just three days before her due date. Stuck on a year’s maternity leave from work with no baby to care for, Jane quits her high-paying job and goes to work for a low-paying nonprofit dedicated to preventing medial malpractice contributing to stillbirths. Jane needs a more affordable home and a drastic change in her environment to help move on from her grief. Her agent suggests she consider One Folgate Street. Though it is difficult to be approved, Jane applies anyways and soon finds herself living in her dream home. The rules don’t bother Jane. She finds peace in the structure and tranquility of her new home, and she is fascinated by its elusive architect. But then Jane begins to learn more about the previous tenant, the girl before. Is Jane destined to repeat the same story as Emma?

Reflection

One thing I loved about the parallel plot structures was that, although on the surface Emma and Jane seem similar, they are incredibly different but equally captivating characters. Delaney wrote each of them beautifully, and the way they evolve throughout the book was wonderful. Jane is more aloof, and Emma more connective. Both are drawn to similar things, but for very different reasons. Both needed One Folgate Street at a certain time in their lives. The parallel plot lines kept pace with one another perfectly. Sometimes Delaney uses the exact same phrasing to help you understand how similar their experiences are. And yet, they are so different. Though they are in the same environment, same rules, same characters, they react to the stimuli differently. These subtle differences were quite effective in the story, and you saw how even on the same track heading in the same direction, they may not reach the same destination.

I also loved how Delaney made the house at One Folgate Street itself a character. The house was designed to demand a sacrifice from all who live there, but with rewards paying out in excess to those who are worthy. The technology and design of the house made it almost a living, breathing organism, interacting with the residents as much as the other characters do. The beauty and terror of a house such as One Folgate Street was fascinating. How much of it is the architect, and how much is the house itself?

This book leaves you wondering if you can continue to relive the same story over and over, and yet expect a different ending. And speaking of endings, this one really has an excellent, satisfying conclusion.

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