It was the cover of Shy Girl that initially caught my attention. It was beautiful, it was sweet and nine times out of ten in the horror genre, that means you’re about to be in for a ride.
So, summary. Gia needs money. Gia goes looking on sugar daddy websites because why not? Gia meets a man who seems normal and interested. He offers her the kind of money that no one in need can refuse. In exchange? He wants Gia to be his dog for a certain number of hours a day.
Oh-kay. Weird girl fiction. Did I dare? Oh, come on. I’ve read some really fucked up things. Pet play isn’t really my thing–no shade to whose thing it is–but something in the summary (plus the fact that it was under horror) suggested I’d be in for a lot more if I picked this up.
Having read the book now, I could have licked my monitor when I got the email from Netgalley that the publishers had agreed to let me read it. I said what I said, okay?
Absolutely no complaints when it comes to the writing, editing or formatting. The author has one of those styles that just sucks you in and makes you feel like you’re right there with the MC. You can see and feel and hear everything so clearly. Did I even get up to pee whilst I was reading this book? I couldn’t tell you.
Now, back to the story. Gia learns pretty quickly that the terms she agreed on are not the terms at all. It’s not an eight hour a day gig. She’s not allowed to leave whenever she wants. There’s no safe word here. And when he said dog? He meant that literally. No talking, no standing up, learn to enjoy your canned dog food and sleep in a shitty kennel that is somehow huge but definitely not big enough for you. She learns very quickly what happens when you break any of these rules, from violence to being left to starve for days.
Gia’s transformation throughout the book came as no surprise. What other option was there? I’m glad the author didn’t go the ‘feral girl’ route, but Gia definitely became more and more doglike as the book went on. It became instinct to crawl on all fours, instinct to woof instead of speak. I think the only human trait she really retained was being allowed to use the restroom (thank god) & the ability to read.
Gia is eventually given a room of her own and you see where the pinks and pastel blues of the cover really come in. Because of course he can bend the rules of her being exactly like a dog to have her dress like a little girl. Of course her room is pink and full of stuffed animals and children’s books. Of course. Of course.
For me, the ending of this book breaks down into three sections, none of which I can get into very much because I don’t want this to be a spoiler review, but each one better than the last. You’re left to wonder how much of what is happening is a metaphor and how much of it is reality and I… I don’t know. Either way kind of works, you know? Either way, I was left feeling very satisfied. This book will likely remain in my top five books of the year and it’s only January. I don’t know if I will ever stop sitting with Gia and her story.
Plus, having the epilogue actually be a prologue was pretty cool.
