I loved this book so much and marveled in the authors talent in regards to being able to tie together ten POVs! Very enjoyable read, very distinct voices and I found myself missing some of the characters when their piece was over.
Human beings are so complicated and the characters in this book are both good and bad and it was so interesting to get the POV of what other's thought of them and then right after get into their heads to see what's really going on.
Alina Grabowski deserves the positive feedback she's getting. Women and Children first is a five star read. Please read this book. You won't regret it.

“Women and Children First” investigates contemporary womanhood via several female viewpoints with the death of a teenager as the unifying concept.

While the cover states that this book is a novel, I would say it’s more of a collection of linked stories because each chapter introduces a new character who offers her perceptions of life in a New England community. This is definitely for people who enjoy character-centered books: don’t expect a strong narrative arc or closure. If you accept these parameters, you will be rewarded with beautiful, insightful prose and entertaining perspectives. There were so many times when I thought, “Yes! That’s exactly how it is.”

This is definitely a book that is up Reese's Book Club's alley. The alternating P.O.Vs of different women—each one receives a single chapter—provide insight on what happened to Lucy Anderson that fateful May night. The characters range from the inner circle to the outer while the details surrounding the mystery build. I was skeptical of the continually changing P.O.V. premise, but it really grew on me after I got into the rhythm. This was a great casual read, but if you are affected by media like 13 Reasons Why, this is your trigger warning.

I will say, though the flashbacks and constantly moving timeline kept me on my toes, sometimes it felt a little bit like whiplash with some flashbacks occurring right in the middle of a conversation with no italics or warning sign. Overall, I thought this was a very inventive and fresh writing style. I would also note that there are many expletives smattered throughout. I did feel like the ending lacked closure and resolve, but my working theory is that it was supposed to end on this note to mimic the sleepy town and the fact that many tragedies of this nature lack closure.

This book is great for fans of Kukafka's Notes on an Execution, with less emphasis on the central incident itself and more on what caused it and the events leading up. The writing was beautiful, there were many poignant quotes that I found myself highlighting and each character becomes real as you read. I thought the lengths of each character's story could be only slightly tedious at times, but all of the details helped to patch together a story. It was like a short story collection where it all connects, and it was very pleasurable to read! I absolutely devoured this book.

What an immersive story! From the first lines of Alina Grabowski's WOMEN AND CHILDREN, I fell into the shore town of Nashquitten, Massachusetts. Told through the views of 10 different women of the town following a drowning death at a party, the story is tightly drawn, taut tension, and beautifully told. Every view felt genuine, heartfelt, and deeply convincing -- even as the people in the town pull together, yank apart, or try to deny the tragedy that has forever changed them. While the subjects were so close to my heart, I deeply admire and applaud an exceptional talent telling a tale that tells us who we are through the make-believe, utterly convincing tale of make-believe events. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Great premise; unfortunately so poorly written that you quickly lose the plot and can never really find it again

I liked the premise of this book but I did not like how it was presented. Told in multiple POV's about a young woman dying. Was it suicide or an accident or was it murder. The more you listened to what the different people said the more you could get an understanding of what really happened to Lucy. It was an interesting concept but I think that maybe if the author would have put a timeline on the the different POV"s it would have been easier to understand. There were so many characters I had a hard time figuring out who was who. I will say that Lucy did have an impact on each of the character's life and it was a very compelling read.
Thanks to #netgalley, #SLPlit and @alinagrabowski_ for an ARC of this book

When the sudden death of a young teen girl at a house party affects a small coastal Massachusetts town, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST tells the impact it has on ten different women/girls (that knew her-or-of her) in that community. The story deals with grief, coping, sexuality, family and relationships. Each characters story is told in one chapter, giving you a small glimpse into their life. All overlap in another’s POV.. very typical of small town life. Her death touches everyone in different ways, showing their lives before and after it happens, some not caring at all to others feeling their own connection to what it means to lose someone they cared for. This is very character driven (which I love) 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. 3 stars — Pub. 5/7/24

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Fantastic literary fiction. Lucy, a high schooler has died in the fictional seaside town of Nashquitten Massachusetts. The story unfolds as we hear bits and pieces from ten women from the town. Told in their voices and from their points of view, each story is like a puzzle piece and then the whole picture emerges. This is some intelligent writing and the author has great talent to have woven it all up so expertly. This is not fast paced and you have to keep an eye on the details and the multiple characters to avoid getting confused. And then brace yourself for a wonderful ride navigating a host of contemporary issues confronting teenagers and their parents and teachers .
Thank you Net Galley, Zando Publishing and Alina Grabowski for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was another book that I received very close to the pub date, so I felt a tremendous amount of pressure to read it and review it in a timely manner. I am going to try the audiobook version. I don't think it was bad, I just feel that there was not a whole lot of time in between when i received the book and the pub date unfortunately.
—


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

I wanted to enjoy this book however it was too slow of a start and I found it to drag. I ended up not finishing this title.

How do the women in a small coastal town in Massachusetts cope with a tragedy?

Welcome to Nashquitten, MA, a small town on the coast whose best days are behind it. In it live the women who narrate alternating chapters in this captivating novel, each of whom has her own connection to the tragic death of a high school student in town and who each of whom has a unique perspective on the event. Some of the narrators are friends and classmates of the dead girl, others work at the school she attended, and some know her in the way that everyone in a small town knows one another. As I read each of their stories, I learned about the town, its dynamics, its foibles, and the people who call it home. Who was the young woman who died, and what happened on the night of her death? Who is to blame?
This subtly crafted novel first seemed to be a collection of short stories with a commonality of place, but as the reader continues it is clear that this is one story told by many. There is so much to absorb, from the damage that people do to one another to the way one event affects even those who don’t seem connected to it . There is sadness, grief, anger, jealousy, and love and much more. Its writing is reminiscent of Elizabeth Strout, Kent Haruf and Howard Norman at their best; fans of these authors’ works should absolutely make sure that this book gets prominent placement on their TBR pile, as should any reader who loves a well-crafted novel, beautifully written. Many thanks to NetGalley and Zando/SJP Lit for allowing me early access to this novel, whose characters will stay with me for a long while.

I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters and the narrative structure were very interesting. I would recommend this book to those interested in this genre. I would be interested in reading more from this author.

This was a unique story about 10 women whose lives are intertwined and centered around the death of a high school girl. This book was so well done and I loved the stories from the different perspectives of women. This book doesn't focus on the death of the girl, but rather the difficulties and rawness of each one of the characters that cohabitate in a small town. This was a beautiful story full of realness and I would recommend it to a friend!

I loved the idea of the story but the actual writing style just wasn't for me. I can see why other people loved it though! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

When a young woman's death casts a shadow over a house party, the tight-knit community is left reeling. Grabowski tells the tale through the eyes of ten local women, each with a unique tie to the deceased. From a grieving mother to a distraught teacher and a best friend left shattered, the story immerses you in a whirlwind of emotions, inviting you to share in their pain.

Grabowski delves deep into the lives of her characters, laying bare their vulnerabilities, aspirations, and struggles. Set against the backdrop of a close-knit community, the narrative offers a poignant reflection on societal expectations and the intricate bonds that tie us together.

But it's Grabowski's enchanting prose that truly steals the show. With lyrical precision, she brings the coastal town of Nashquitten to life, infusing every page with the tang of salt air and the roar of crashing waves. The setting becomes a character in its own right, adding depth and richness to the story.

"Women and Children First" is a tender exploration of love and loss, reminding us of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community. Through the intertwining journeys of its characters, the novel leaves a lasting impression, urging readers to cherish the connections that sustain us through life's trials.

With its diverse cast of voices and compelling narrative, this book is a testament to Grabowski's talent as a storyteller. "Women and Children First" is a must-read for anyone seeking a poignant and beautifully crafted tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

Even after finishing this book and thinking about it, I can’t make sense of what it was about and why no story really developed. It is narrated by ten different characters living in a beach town. As in any small town, there is an undercurrent of issues that interconnect them lurking beneath the surface. They all are connected in different ways to a teenager who died at a house party. Some close (her mother); some knew her well, others had tangential relationships.

The first five women and girls tell their stories before the pivotal event. Then, five others follow.

All of the characters are troubled in one way or another and we get a glimpse of their situational unhappiness, anger, sadness, and regret. The stories don’t lead anywhere. Some reappear in subsequent narratives; others are dropped.

It is promoted as having a hint of mystery surrounding the death of a town teenager. Lucy, probably the most interesting of all the characters, falls to her death at a house party. Whether or not she fell or was pushed, is never seriously explored. Maybe it doesn't matter. I thought it unfortunate that she didn't get her own chapter. We learn about her from others.

Also misleading is the title, Women and Children First. That historic expression connotes that women and children are to be saved first when disaster occurs. While the lives of all these characters are pretty disastrous, I fail to see how this connects to the narrative we are given. There was no attempt at rescue from the damage that informed their lives.

The publisher's promotional material calls it a literary puzzle. That is something I agree with!

I was going to rate this with three stars. A story following any of the characters would have been interesting but since I felt it disjointed and confusing, I will downgrade it to two stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and SJP Lit for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two things stood out to me about this book in a really positive way -- first, the writing was exceptionally beautiful. The descriptions and analogies were poetic, but not over the top. The author really created the atmosphere of this Massachusetts shore town which was moody and a little downtrodden. There were so many passages in this book that make for lovely quotes you want to read aloud or pass along. The second thing that stood out was the interesting way in which it was written. The novel has ten chapters, each from a different girl or woman's point of view. All of the stories are interconnected, and all tie into the time before and after the death of a young girl in the town. Each one reads almost like a short story, but then as you get further along you start to see the relationship between all the characters. A really innovative way to write a book, but somehow it just worked. The one downside I would note -- and this may be unique to the digital version -- it was hard for me to keep track of which person's story I was reading when I put the book down and came back -- there were no headers on the page and I had to remind myself each time. If you like female-forward character-driven books, this is one you will probably love.

Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski was a fantastic story.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was very intriguing and such a wonderfully written story.
The different POVs made for an even more exciting read and pumped the tension up.
I thoroughly enjoyed and was hooked for the entirety of this story and can only commend the author on writing a very intriguing book.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Alina Grabowski's debut novel has at it's center a small town in Maine that is dying. As it gets smaller every year, the population becomes condensed to the point where everyone is connected to everyone else in a small way. A young woman has died, a teenager in a town where the number of young people is small and growing smaller. The story is told through the voice of ten women and/or girls who describe their connection to Lucy, the victim, and how her death affects each of them. It's not a eulogy, more of a snapshot of how one death can split the lives of those around her into a before/after viewpoint. Their personal chapters are filled with the pain and indifference each sees and responds to.
This is not light reading. Grabowski's characters are deeply affected by Lucy's death. Readers will see the cracks and craters that were already in their lives come into focus as they struggle. There are uneven spaces in the story, but there are often uneven spaces in life too.