I had a hard time sticking with this book and would set it aside for days at a time. The story seemed so disjointed that I would often go back and reread sections trying to figure out how it all went together. At the end, the book just stopped abruptly with no explanation. The characters, in and of themselves, were interesting and basically well written, but their stories seemed to go nowhere. It was just brief sketches of individuals & grief in a small town. Readers who like character studies might like this, but it just left me wanting way more.

Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski is a poignant exploration of grief and interconnectedness within a small Massachusetts town. The novel begins with the tragic death of Lucy Anderson, a local teenager, at a house party, sending shockwaves through the community of Nashquitten. Structured in ten chapters, the story alternates between "Pre" and "Post" Lucy's death, offering perspectives from various women and children in the town. Each chapter is narrated by a different character, from Lucy's grieving mother and best friend to the town's guidance counselor and the president of the PTA. The novel delves into themes of social class, ambition, family dynamics, friendship, gender identity, sexuality, abuse, guilt, and grief. While Lucy's death is the catalyst, the narrative focuses on how this tragedy impacts the lives of those left behind, revealing their personal struggles, secrets, and the interconnectedness of their small-town lives.

The novel's strength lies in its character-driven approach and the emotional depth with which each perspective is explored. Grabowski's powerful prose captures the essence of a community grappling with loss and the complexities of human relationships. However, the narrative's slow pace and the fragmented structure may not appeal to all readers. Some may find the first half disjointed and the ending abrupt, leaving unanswered questions. Despite these flaws, Women and Children First is an impressive debut that offers a thought-provoking and immersive reading experience. The portrayal of flawed, realistic characters and the atmospheric depiction of a coastal town in mourning make it a compelling read. I look forward to seeing more from Alina Grabowski in the future. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Normally I like books told from multiple viewpoints, but I had mixed feelings about this debut novel from Alina Grabowski. Perhaps there were just too many characters relating their personal connections, some of which didn't seem that relevant. It was hard to distinguish some of them from each other, so I often found myself looking back to figure it out. I also had to re-read conversations trying to determine who was saying what. Everyone's story just felt a bit unfinished to me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to try out a new author.

You probably never heard of Nashquitten, Massachusetts. It's a small coastal town and now that the fishing isn't there, getting smaller every year. It's the kind of place most kids can't wait to get out of. But Lucy Anderson won't get that chance. Bright and talented at art, she went to a drinking party and died there. There are rumors all over town about what happened but only a few know the truth.

We hear about Lucy's death and the rumors about that and the teenagers in general through the words of different girls and women. There is Lucy's best friend, the high school guidance counselor, the woman who was having an affair with Lucy's father. Her mother, the head of the PTA, the principal. There is the girl who stayed and tried to help Lucy and the ones that ran away. Each has another piece of the puzzle.

This is a debut novel although it's difficult to accept that such an accomplished work could be a debut. I loved the structure and the way that each woman's or girl's story had a hook that led easily into the next person's story. The death is the framework around which the story is built but there are lots of other stories as well. It's a story of disappointed lives and alienation both from the teenagers and the women who are adults and whose lives didn't turn out as they wanted. This book is recommended for literary fiction readers,

What a debut! The novel is told from 10 different perspectives, and each one adds a bit to the puzzle of what happened to a teenager that died at a house party. Through the different viewpoints of these 10 women, we get a great feel for the community and the interconnectedness of the characters. The book is split into before and after, and while the author did an excellent job of giving each character their own distinct voice, I found myself confused at times. Though I agree with categorizing it as a literary mystery, it is very character-driven and the mystery is not the prime objective. I really enjoyed Alina Grabowski's writing style and look forward to her next book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-galley of this novel. 4 stars.

The sudden death of a teen at a house party shakes a small MA town. Told through the perspectives of 10 women, I feel as if this makes the story more disjointed than interconnected. A novel that is so much about the characters, but you never get fully immersed in one before it jumps to another. The abrupt ending left me with more questions than answers.

Thank you NetGalley for the free e-galley.

This is the first book I have read from this author. I would look for more from her. I gave this one a four star, because I just wasn't into the book like I felt I should have been. I would still recommend this book.

While I went into this novel. expecting a little more suspense, I still enjoyed it. However, it's less suspense/mystery and more a slow burn where the reader learns details about Lucy's death from the perspective of various females of the town. A literary puzzle, a kaleidoscope of perspectives.

This was an intriguing read, looking at one town around one event through the eyes of ten women, it was such a unique and suspenseful read. We read from each of the 10 in turn (only once per character) and at first it was a bit confusing, I loved how much of the story came through that way. I would have loved to revisit some of the characters I liked best, but I really enjoyed this small town character study, heartbreaking and atmospheric.

“Women and Children First” is a debut mystery novel by Alina Grabowski. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC but didn’t get a chance to read it until now.

Set in a fictional town in Massachusetts, the story unfolds through the perspectives of ten women in the wake of the mysterious death of a local teenage girl, Lucy Anderson. The first half of the book covers events before the incident, while the second half delves into its aftermath. Each woman is somehow connected to Lucy, weaving together a complex narrative that questions whether it was an accident, a medical emergency, suicide, or murder. These women recount Lucy’s short life from their unique viewpoints, with most being teenagers themselves, yet the book is maturely written.

Grabowski masterfully captures the essence of a small-town community, highlighting its gossip, guilt, grief, and the pervasive selfishness of society. The story is deeply moving, portraying how a single tragedy can forever alter a community. It delves into the intricacies of female friendships, showing how women can either enrich or traumatize each other. Themes of womanhood, class, ambition, sexuality and gender are skillfully explored through sharp yet beautiful prose. Grabowski’s insightful portrayal of women in society is compelling, with real and flawed characters that face the demons and consequences in the tragedy’s aftermath.

The novel is intricate, which made it a longer read for me. With so many perspectives to keep track of, I initially struggled to differentiate the characters. However, once I reached the halfway mark, the story truly gripped me, and I couldn’t stop reading. The final chapter, narrated by Lucy’s mother, was particularly poignant, capturing the desperate search for answers. As a mother myself, I was deeply moved by her pain and yearning.

“Women and Children First” is a remarkable debut by Alina Grabowski, showcasing her considerable talent. I will definitely keep an eye out for her future works.

Thank you to @netgalley and @zandoprojects for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a great book! I loved the ten different points of view in this book. Each view had me asking question and thoroughly engaged. Highly recommend

A young woman dies at a party and a town must try to figure out how and why this happened.

In a dying town in Massachusetts, a young girl dies at an illegal party. The story revolves around and is told by the people of the town who were somehow connected to her. Her mother, her teacher, her best friend and others trying to make sense of this tragedy. Each person has a connection but also a story to tell. It takes a little bit of work at first to make sense of the structure of the novel, but when it comes together it is an powerful and moving book that should be read more than once.

If you're a fan of Big Little Lies, this book is for you. The plot is different. It's similar to Big Little Lies in the way of a big plot in a small town. Although all of the characters are different, they know each other in some way or another. It's interesting to find out how everyone knows each other. Yes it's a small town, but it's more than that. From the different perspectives to finding out more information the more you read, you will not want to put it down. Some quotes are not in quotations, but in my opinion it makes it easier to determine whether it's being written as a flashback or in the present. I enjoy the fact that there is a before and an after. I truly enjoyed this book!

Women and Children First by debut author Alina Grabowski is a mystery story which unfolds through the point of view of ten women and girls who all live in a small town in Massachusetts. Each chapter is in the voice of a different narrator so the reader has to piece together the story of the death of a high school girl, Lucy, at a teen party. The narrators are all connected to Lucy and tell the story that leads up to this tragedy and the aftermath. Some of the narrators are closely connected to Lucy and others just knew her from living in a small town. The narrators are connected to one another and often you learn about one narrator in the story told by another. I thought this was an interesting technique although the reader had to do the work of keeping the all of the connections straight. When I finished the book, I went back to reread some earlier parts. While some readers might find this approach to telling the story too difficult to follow, I loved the challenge and the suspense this approach created. The voice and personal story of each narrator had depth and were authentic. I loved the writing and highly recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this booik.

It‘s about the death of a woman, told from different POVs. Unique style, beautifully written.

Thanks so much for the possibility to read this gem.

Women and Children First is an interesting book - you learn more about it as it goes on. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different girl or woman in a small Massachusetts town. They are not completely in order but the stories link together. I left kind of wishing some connections had been made, especially with some of the earlier chapters. or that there was more closure on a couple of issues, but it did feel more like real life this way. It's well written, and I will be thinking about the opening quote for a long time.

(Thanks to @sjplit #gifted.) 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 by debut author Alina Grabowski is exactly my kind of book for two big reasons. To begin, it’s a literary mystery around what exactly happened to a girl, Lucy, who died at a high school house party. That may sound usual, but believe me, it’s not! Grabowski takes you to the house party, so you know much of what happened to Lucy, but it’s everything that comes before and after that will keep you turning the pages.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Rather than make this book a “thriller” Grabowski used a technique I adore. She gathered ten women and girls from the community and dedicated a chapter to each. Some were closely connected to Lucy, and others barely knew her: her best friend, her high school counselor, the PTA president, Lucy’s mom, etc. Each had their own story, with the question of what happened to Lucy always in the background. Their lives overlapped, so you might learn more about an earlier character from one who speaks much later. This detailed layering always draws me in and with each successive chapter, I was more and more invested.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
In this structure, 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 very much reminded me of 𝘕𝘰 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 by @ericabauermeisterauthor and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘰𝘯 by @shannonbowring.writer. Each book is really tightly connected short stories in that each chapter follows a different character. I’ve come to love this way of storytelling and Grabowski did it so very well. I wanted to linger in the lives of these women and I’m still thinking about them today. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was really beautifully written. I don't normally enjoy multiple POV but this was really well done. Gripping and emotional. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC

This read like a lifetime movie. I was expecting more from the storyline: some type of blackmail that led to the death. Even the storylines coming together would have been better for me. I felt like there was so much about the school and teachers but I did not feel there was closure to it.

I liked that there were so many different POVs but it was a bit tough to keep the names/relationships straight. Overall, it kept me going and wanting to read but I didn't feel the storylines connected very well.

I wanted to like this, I really did. I always try to support new publishers, and knowing this was a book being published by SJP's new publishing house made it a priority for me, but it fell flat.

The writing style was not for me. I need to know who is speaking and when. Sometimes there were quotation marks indicating speech, and other times there weren't, so I had to constantly re-read to determine context and if it was something being said out loud in conversation or in the character's mind.

The story deals with grief, coping, sexuality, family and relationships, but I didn't really get to know any of the characters. Each characters story is told in one chapter, giving you a small glimpse into their life. There were so many that we weren't really given the opportunity to get to know them- or the deceased- which felt strange.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.