Gossip of the Starlings

Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This novel reads like 'Gossip Girl' or 'Prep' for grown ups. What makes it beautiful and poignant is Gramont's choice to narrate the first person story as Catherine several years later, looking back on the events of her friendship with Skye. This novel is extremely 'readable', but Gramont lost me in the end -- as she veers from depicting a toxic friendship to describing a predictable tragic outcome. What I did love was that the story was set in the 80s, and how much has changed in terms of 'misbehaviour' among the boarding school. It's interesting to compare this work of fiction to the more current (and sadly non fiction) book "Restless Virgins". 'Gossip of the Starlings' depicts the same issues girls are still facing -- issues that only seem to get worse as time passes.

I never thought that any of Skye's actions were done with malice of forethought, and though the story is told by Catherine, I actually felt that Skye was the better developed of the two characters.


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