Told through the eyes of ten local women, Grabowski’s Women and Children First is an amazing portrait of grief and a powerful reminder of life’s resilience, and strength. Touching on womanhood, class, ambition, disappointment, and tragedy, this novel is a beautiful story of love and loss, empathy, and humor.

Alina Grabowski has written a book about an event that rocks a small town. You start off learning about one individual and are given a sneak peak inside her world....only to have you redirected to the next individual....and repeat. As you learn of how these women and girls are connected, you slowly unravel the events of that night. It's written from before the event, during the event, and even years past it all while jumping into the lives of ten different individuals. While I was super excited about this, I feel that it was too short of a dive into these individuals lives, like I barely got to know them only to be taken somewhere else and not really finishing what had happened to them. Interesting take, and I still recommend you read this as the creative aspect alone is worth it's weight in gold. Thanks so much!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski, is an interesting read. It was a different kind of story, multiple views/perspectives and I had a hard time keeping up. Nashquitten , MA is a decaying town. Things are so bleak and even a summer boost of tourism can’t help. The locals all work or have worked at the same jobs. It is a generational town, nothing changes. Until a young girl is killed at a house party. The town is shaken to the core. As a mother grieves, her daughter’s death, we see how the women in the town deal with this loss. Rumors, suspicions and secrets are now unraveling and the town will never be the same. The story is told my 10 local women and their perspectives of how things happened and how they will continue to exist in the future. Like I said this read had an interesting premise and I did keep reading. It just was so sad and depressing. Maybe this one just wasn’t for me. I liked the authors writing, just not the topic. I want to thank Netgalley, the author & Zando for my copy for an honest review. It is always a pleasure to read and review these books.

Alina Grabowski's debut novel, "Women and Children First," is a haunting exploration of grief, loss, and the intricate web of relationships within a small coastal New England town. Told through the perspectives of ten different women, the novel delves into the aftermath of a young woman's tragic death, revealing the hidden complexities and unspoken truths that lie beneath the surface of this seemingly idyllic community.

Grabowski's masterful storytelling weaves together a tapestry of voices, each offering a unique and compelling perspective on the tragedy. The author's keen eye for detail and her ability to capture the nuances of human emotion make the characters feel both familiar and extraordinary. While the novel's focus on female characters is refreshing, it also highlights the challenges and limitations faced by women in a society that often overlooks their experiences and perspectives.

However, some readers may find the fragmented narrative structure to be somewhat disjointed, as the constant shifting of perspectives can occasionally disrupt the flow of the story. Additionally, the novel's somber tone and its exploration of darker themes may not be for everyone.

Despite these minor criticisms, "Women and Children First" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that lingers in the mind long after the final page. Grabowski's talent for capturing the complexities of human relationships and her ability to evoke a strong emotional response make this a must-read for fans of literary fiction.

Women and Children First is a thought-provoking exploration of the dynamics of family and survival set against the backdrop of a maritime disaster. The author skillfully delves into the lives of a diverse cast of characters, each grappling with their own fears and aspirations as they face an impending crisis. The narrative balances moments of tension with poignant reflections on relationships, making it a compelling read that captures the complexities of human nature in the face of adversity.

However, while the themes are strong, the pacing can be uneven at times, causing some sections to drag and leaving certain character arcs feeling underdeveloped. The story’s emotional impact is hampered by a reliance on familiar tropes, which may make it less resonant for some readers. Overall, Women and Children First offers a mix of engaging moments and insightful commentary, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights it aims for, leaving readers with a sense of potential unfulfilled.

"They put women and children first in life boats to test out there strength." The tragic death of a local teenager at a house party sends shockwaves through the small (fictional) town of Nashquitten, Massachusetts. The book goes between POV and timelines. Explores the impact of the shocking death of artistic high school student Lucy through the perspectives of women of various ages and in different roles all throughout the town. Each woman gets her own chapter: we hear from mothers (including Lucy’s), other relatives, the high school guidance counselor, the PTA president, the bartender and former babysitter, friends and classmates of Lucy’s at various levels of closeness to her, etc. All of these women also know and are connected to one another to some degree, so the end result is like one of Lucy’s fantastic thickly layered abstract murals or the enigmatic new secret photography project she was working on when she died, exploring different and private or hidden aspects of her selves from oblique angles. This is very character driven but even so I never fully got the chance to understand/relate to the characters as it felt disjointed due to the many characters and short glimpses of them. Sadly it ended abruptly and left me wanting more. Thank you Netgalley, the author and Zando, SJP

Excellent book. Loved this style of writing. Loved being able to hear how one death impacts so many in so many different ways. Brilliant.

This book was not for me this book followed multiple people all surrounding a girl who died. The stories themselves were ok but I am not a fan of one POV after another and I really didn’t understand why these specific people were picked. I would often start to get into one POV only for it to be switched. If you are a fan of multiple different POV’s from people all in the same community this may be more up your alley. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I didn't love this novel. The central theme is the death of a woman in a coastal town in Massachusetts. I love character-driven novels, and the women of the town told this. On paper, this is the perfect novel for me. The novel dragged with some characters and the characters were just not very interesting. Grabowski writes very well; it just did not work for me.

We follow the women and girls of a small coastal town after the suspicious death of one of their own. Through the narration, we follow how they perceive life and the world around them. Each interaction between them branches off into a new chapter and a new point of view. This book delves into some intense emotions and experiences of coming of age in a small coastal town during modern times and may break your heart a bit.

I read this book as an eARC from Netgalley. I was super intrigued but it just fell flat for me. This book is very character driven which I usually enjoy but I felt like I didn’t truly get to know the characters on a deep level or relate to them at all. This was all of the place and a bit disjointed for my liking.

As I began reading Women and Children First, I was eager to find out what happened to the characters. The story should be compelling, and since it was told by a number of characters, it could have been. Sadly, I was lost and confused through most of it…and I couldn’t connect with any of them.
This one earned three stars for me.

Alina Grabowski’s book Women and Children First is a new concept book that takes a very different approach to a tragedy by examining and looking for answers in those affected by the event and its repercussions. When Lucy, a young teen, is found dead at a house party the small town is shaken to its core. This book looks at 10 women in varying relations to Lucy and how they are affected, and what the consequences are surrounding their reactions following the tragedy.
While this innovative approach is intriguing, I found myself needing more information to make the connections between Lucy and the other characters make sense. Lacking those connections I did not feel the theme was fully developed and explored in a memorable way. I would still recommend this book as a case study in grief and felt many people - as teens, mothers, sisters would relate to many of the dynamics introduced. Thank you to the publisher, I received an ARC of this book and all opinions are my own.

"Women and Children First" by Alina Grabowski is a thought-provoking exploration of a high school student's death through the eyes of ten different women in her community. While the kaleidoscope of perspectives offers a unique and insightful view, the frequent shifts in viewpoint can be jarring, especially with such a large cast of characters. The narrative seems to focus on the impact of her death on the community rather than revealing the cause, leaving room for questions and interpretation.

Despite this, Grabowski skillfully weaves these diverse perspectives into a cohesive narrative that centers on a group of women who connect through Lucy's tragic fate. The novel reminds us of the interconnectedness of our lives and the profound impact we can have on each other, particularly in small communities.

One of the most powerful themes in "Women and Children First" is the vulnerability of young women in society. The novel highlights how societal pressures, expectations, and judgments can negatively affect their lives. Overall, this is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that offers a unique perspective on the complexities of human relationships.

The book revolves around a young teenager's tragic death in a small Massachusetts town and the cataclysmic affect it had on 10 women who live there.
All the women had their own personal history that allowed them to associate their own trauma with this girl's death.
Reading the book was difficult because the narrative was fragmented and keeping the various relationships of the women with the victim and their connection with her was intricate.
In spite of all the relative topics that were addressed, the book did not have an easy flow for the reader. That may have been what the author was trying to achieve.......to make us all uncomfortable with the actual event.

3-3.5 stars
A girl dies under questionable circumstances. The book follows 10 women and girls, whose lives intersect hers, before during, and after her death. It seems like a good idea, but I had trouble keeping up with how they were connected to each other and to the dead girl, and with the jumps in the timeline. It made it a bit confusing and hard to connect to the characters. It might have helped if there weren't quite so many of them.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

The concept and idea were really cool, unfortunately, it felt a little flat for me because the characters felt quite shallow and distanced from me, the reader, like I could never completely grasp what was going on in their mind but never feeling like there was more behind it either. A meh read, quite forgettable.

This is a story told, it felt to me, by revealing only the negative space around one pertinent fact: Lucy Anderson has died.

From there the story rests in the before and after observations of ten women in her community - possessed of a variety of levels of closeness to Lucy. It was difficult for me to hold onto the slippery bits and became a losing battle to weave enough together to get a good idea of Lucy Herself. I was hungry for just a few moments with Lucy and that is what kept me to the end. And still. . .hmm. For me the POVs only didn't make the one quilt for which I was hoping. That left more questions dangling than I'm comfortable with at the end of a read.

*A sincere thank you to Alina Grabowski, Zando, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

"Women and Children First" by Alina Grabowski is a powerful and evocative exploration of resilience, community, and the bonds that hold us together in times of crisis. Grabowski's vivid storytelling and richly drawn characters create an immersive reading experience that lingers long after the final page. This book is a compelling testament to the strength and complexity of the human spirit.

I genuinely wish that I had enjoyed this book the way that I thought I would. It had so much potential, but the rotating door of introducing new characters with no time to truly connect with them fell so flat. It became incredibly confusing after a while and I began to forget characters that were introduced early on and the impact/connection they had to the story. I anticipated there to be an “aha” moment where everything came together, but it never really happened. This book was sad and showcased real life, but was too disjointed for me and I felt more confused at the end than I did the beginning, which did not seem intentional at all with the style of writing in the book.

Alina Grabowski is a beautiful writer, I would certainly try reading another story, this one just didn’t have the connection a story of this magnitude should have