Review: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Living Dead Girl

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publishing Date: September 8th, 2009

Pages: 170 

Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction

Series: Standalone

Source: Book

 

The thing is, you can get used to anything. You think you can't, you want to die, but you don't. You won't. You just are.
This is Alice.
She was taken by Ray five years ago.
She thought she knew how her story would end.
She was wrong.

Little Alice was taken from a aquarium when she was 10 years old. 5 years later and she is still being abused by the same man. This man now wants her to find a replacement little girl for Alice.

What made me pick this book up: 

I originally read it almost 10 years ago. So I can't say what made me pick it up then, but I know I had read a few Elizabeth Scott books prior to that, so maybe that's why.

What did I like about the cover: 

I don't care much for the edition I have, but I love the other cover. The dress on the front symbolizes an innocence lost, so perfectly. It's sad and beautiful.

What made me read this book: 

This time around I decided to read it because it was a quick read, and I might as well re-read it and review it. I also remembered how much I liked it the first time around...

What did I like the most: 

Okay so this is where it gets a little confusing. This section and the next are going to sound a bit.. contradictory. But just stay with me...
I loved the writing. It was done in such a way that you can feel everything that the author put into this book, everything that this book was supposed to make you feel. It just makes you so sick to think about what this little girl, and what many other little girls actually have to go through. I think the world needs more books that show the issues the world has. So for me, my favorite part was the writing.

What didn't I like: 

And now comes the contradictory part. I didn't like this book the second time around. It took me a total of an hour and four minutes to read it. But I just... this time around I almost felt nothing reading it. I remember how immersed I was the first time reading it. Now granted, I was much younger then. 
This time reading it I felt like the characters were flat. I understand that Alice went through something traumatizing, but at the same time, I didn't feel any connection to her. Maybe this was done on purpose? Who knows. 
The ending is just kind of blah too. So disappointing. 
I feel like there was so much more that could have gone with this story, and it needed to be more than a simple 170 page book. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I've read a few books by Elizabeth Scott, and I loved them when I was 16. I feel like I've kind of out grown them at this point.

Overall I feel like I shouldn't have read it again. I was so disappointed. 

A Little Snippet:

“I have been smashed and put back together so many times nothing works right. Nothing is where it should be, heavy thumping in my shoulder where my heart now beats.” ― Elizabeth Scott, Living Dead Girl

Hey there, I'm Elizabeth. I write young adult novels. I live just outside Washington DC with my husband and dog, and am unable to pass a bookstore without stopping and going inside.

All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com