Focused on the darker side of academia, girls are screaming. What's caused the outbreak? Is it real? Imagined?

Khadijah and Rachel are the two characters that switch off explaining a story as their stories connect. Khadijah, mute after abuse by a family member and Rachel, inundated with messages from her mother about being the best (which doesn't include acting which is what Rachel wants to do). Their stories begin to intertwine as they veer toward the "hysterical" side of women's right to control their bodies and their fates.

It's a stronger story with a message that will resonate with fans of McGinnis and Arnold and set in Malaysia adding a level of cultural interest for an American audience, but some things remain the same which is a sad truth demonstrated by this mystery.

If a book is about a boarding school/academy, I'm in. 100%. The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette (how much do we love that title??) is told from multiple points of view. Khadijah doesn't speak. There is some allusion to an incident in her past, and we do find out about it. She has two very loyal friends who don't seem to mind that she doesn't speak and doesn't like to be touched so much. I like that while Khadijah is grateful for her friends, she doesn't feel like she owes them, or she doesn't deserve them. I often think that in books (and in real life) any kind of kindness shown to women elicits some response of, "I'm so lucky!" But when her sister is a screamer, Khadijah wants to figure out why.

We also have Rachel, who has to be absolutely perfect because her mother demands it. Rachel becomes a screamer as well, and finds that her personality is starting to shift. At first it's thrilling, but soon becomes upsetting, and she also wants to know what's going on.

Overall, the book is good. It's a pretty quick read. I wasn't in love with the ending but that's just me. I see how it lead to that and it was okay.

…Wow. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I think the fact that it was set in Malaysia really added to the book. The slow pace also helped the book (which is not something I ever thought I’d say).

First off, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC. All opinions are my own. Secondly, trigger warning for sexual assault, sexual assault on a minor, sexual assault from a parent’s romantic partner, death, predators. Please, be kind to yourself and proceed with caution.

Ok, review time.

To put it bluntly, I really enjoyed this book. It is set in Malaysia which isn’t something I’ve seen often and would love to see more of. The different language, different culture, please, it was great. I love it when publishers actually publish more than just the typical white, American fare. Especially when it comes to horror.

St. Bernadette’s is a school with a prestigious reputation. It’s an all girl’s school and the girl’s that graduate from there are set up to go to more prestigious schools for university and get good jobs. There are two points of view, two different girls.

One girl does not speak due to her trauma and the other girl has an exacting and demanding mother. One used to be on the debate team, the other has extracurriculars that her mother knows about and demands are done well.

As the story goes on, weird things start happening. See, roughly ten years prior, there was an epidemic of screaming at the school. Girls started screaming and couldn’t stop. It spread from one to the other. The current year of students have no idea about that, until it starts happening. And the screaming just gets chalked up to the girls being hysterical.

One girl is watching television and there’s a white American man who is apparently an expert on female hysteria and claims that’s all it is. And as she’s watching, she wonders what makes him an expert and I couldn’t agree more. What makes a man especially one from another country, an expert on something that happens to girls and women at all? It was just a nice touch because he didn’t speak to any of the girls, he just stated it as fact.

The girl with the exacting mother thinks the same way.

I liked the characters in this, especially the one with the exacting mother. When she starts changing, doing things that she wants, and having to hide them from her, I was so proud lol I was so happy she was giving her wants more attention. Although things did get dark for her.

When it comes to the girl with selective mutism, she broke my heart.

From here on I will speaking about the triggering content, continue carefully. This is also mildly spoiler-y.

She suffered rape at the hands of someone in her household. And she went mute because she was so tired of talking. She had to tell her mother, the cops, the lawyers. She had to tell the story over and over again until she just couldn’t talk any more. She was spent. Now, her rapist did get jail time, which he deserved.

But, her mother keeps trying to get her to talk and at one point late in the book asks her “how long are you going to keep punishing me?” and that struck me oddly. The book handles it how it does but I still can’t stop thinking about that. Because I don’t see it as her punishing her mother. Even if she did which, the book took a bit of that perspective. But that’s just my opinion on it. I don’t see it as punishment. If I had to talk about the most traumatic thing in the world that happened to me over and over again, I think I’d stop talking to because I’d be spent. She does get her voice back though, which was nice to see.

Ok, that’s the end of the main triggering content.

Onto the ending. I liked it but it kept me from giving it a 5 star rating and dropped it down to a 4. There is a victim in this story, or should I say, another. After all, a lot of the girls start screaming and they’re victims too. But I didn’t like how the ending wrapped up because I didn’t feel like the victim got enough justice. When you get there, I think you’ll understand. I just wanted a bit more. Something.

Spoilers for the next paragraph.

She was left in the tunnels, her bones left where her killer left her. Yes, he was killed, but it wasn’t enough. She wasn’t buried, her mother doesn’t know where she is still. It wrapped up very quickly and I just didn’t like that.

End of spoiler.

Overall though, it was a great read, and I feel like the trauma was handled really well. There’s more to be said for how the girl with selective mutism dealt with her friends. Or how they dealt with her mutism. One was down for her no matter what and the other was having a difficult time. But I think it was handled well.

This gets 4 stars from me. I think it’s a good read and if you can handled the content, I think it should be read!

The hysterical girls of st Bernadette’s

An enjoyable young adult, dark academia book. At St. Bernadette’s, high rigor and emphasis on academic excellence is expected and required.

This book follows several young girl’s points of views as how they navigate the school in light of a recent phenomenon impacting students. Continued incidents of young girls who go into screaming fits is plaguing the school. No one is sure what is leading to the events or what to do about them other than exclude the girls from attending the school. What is the cause ? Mass hysteria, a paranormal force, or something else all together?

After the “spells” no one is able to communicate what happened and they don’t remember the event.

One of our narrators hasn’t spoke in 3 months as a result of trauma they experienced. She is obsessed with the mysteries of the scream, especially after it impacts her sister and girls start to go missing.

The other POV is related to a character who aspires to be an actress and work with the arts. The only problem is her overbearing mother won’t entertain that kind of future for her daughter at all. She decides to go with auditioning and finds herself in a spiral with unclear boundaries between who she is and her character.

I felt the premise was very interesting and I was engaged. The ending came a little quick and I feel some things were unresolved, but over all it was an enjoyable reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster’s Children Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this story, several girls have been abused by someone involved in their school. The girls try to tell the adults in charge and their parents, but no one listens. So to get noticed, the girls scream. At first, the reader thinks the screaming is because the girls are possessed, and the adults label them as hysterical–hysterical in the true meaning of the word: affected by uncontrolled extreme emotion. The screaming can last for 30 minutes, at which point the girls are sent home. Eventually these same girls end up missing, and still the adults in charge do nothing. Told in two voices of two affected girls, the readers are allowed to follow their emotions throughout the story. The ending left much to be desired. While all of the girls confront the abuser, there is no resolution to his actions, he just disappears. The other issue of the overbearing, verbally abusive mom was also not resolved. A depressing but quick and worthwhile read.

I wasn’t a fan. I think I was expecting something darker from the description. It just wasn’t for me. Younger readers may enjoy it.

This book had me based on the promise of dark academia set at an all girls private school but I struggled with it. It took me a while to get interested and unfortunately in the end I was underwhelmed.

I’ll begin this review the way I’ve had to begin way too many reviews before it: Please stop labeling books as Dark Academia just because they are set at a school.

This is not Dark Academia, and leaves the book at a disadvantage from the outset because the reader is expecting something different. I enjoy the school setting whether it’s truly DA or not, but I don’t love being misled.

This is mostly about mass hysteria, which I don’t think is an especially compelling subject on its own, and this needed another element along side that to help keep the reader invested. If you just want to read about teenage girls and mass hysteria, Megan Abbott wrote a really good novel called The Fever that fits the bill.

What’s good about this one is the setting, which is really unique for a school novel and pretty well-rendered. And the writing itself is fine, though a lot of the secondary characters are sort of fuzzy archetypes who aren’t especially singular. The girls mothers, for example, pretty much all read as the same person.

This 352 page young adult mystery, thriller could possibly be classified as magical realism, or speculative fiction, I'm not really sure, but I do know, that my expectations were really low, and I was so pleasantly surprised by how the story pulled me in and kept me engaged.  Told primarily by dual points of view, Khadijah and Rachel, the book offers commentary on sexual assault and believing victims.  The book starts with a trigger warning of "ghosts and monsters, some of whom hide beneath human faces. It includes discussions and descriptions of sexual assault, trauma, and PTSD," before diving in to a prestigious Malaysian girls school full of secrets, hysteria, and a past that seems to be repeating itself.  There are no religious identity crisis or issues, the student body is diverse and it is a non-issue, Khadijah recites Ayat ul Kursi, makes time to pray, and wears hijab as she tries to figure out what is making the students at St. Bernadette's scream, what happened to those that have gone missing, and how to overcome the trauma that has made her stop speaking.  The symbolism is solid, the book starts out with the screams, but builds on it by adding backstory to the main characters, mystery with the disappearance, and numerous red herrings to keep the reader guessing.  I told myself to get to the midpoint before calling it quits, but once I was there, I read the second half of the book in one sitting. I appreciated that the book was unique, there was no relationship side stories, the cultural authenticity heightened the reading experience, and that I understood the haunting magical elements. 

SYNOPSIS:

St. Bernadette's is an old prestigious all-girls school, but one day a chain reaction of girls screaming starts and the hysteria doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon.  When Khadijah, who is dealing with her own trauma of being sexually assaulted by her step-father, starts to look into the causes, more questions than answers arise.  In efforts to protect her younger sister, Khadijah discovers not only has this happened as their school before, but it doesn't stop with the screaming, and the shadows, last time a girl went missing.

Rachel's life is controlled by her single mother, who is determined that Rachel is successful and a reflection of how perfect and successful they are, despite, Rachel's father abandoning them.  When in an act of rebellion Rachel signs up for monologue competition, she plans to get into character, not to become the character.  As Rachel starts to lose her self to the girl with pink lipstick and white ribbons in her hair, she starts to notice sights and sounds around the school, but when she falls victim to the screaming hysteria herself, will anyone care enough to save her?

WHY I LIKE IT:

So often with magical realism, I honestly don't get it, so I'm not sure if my excitement of having it all be clear means the book was a bit simplistic, if I'm getting better the more of the genre I read, or if the writing was just good.  If I'm being honest, it is probably a little bit of all of it.  Often with the author's book, the story is really good, until it is not, and I honestly feel like this is her best book yet, with the threads coming through, the ending feeling satisfying, the pacing being consistent, and the plot not getting lost on tangents and over explanation.

I loved the symbolism of screaming and it being largely brushed aside as society's collective apathy to victims of sexual assault.  No one at the school has answers, no one likes questions being asked, everyone just wants to carry on as if nothing is happening, and the juxtaposition of the silence and the hysteria for me was powerful. A few plot holes were the result of telling over showing such as the case of the Khadijah and her sisters relationship, but that Khadijah stayed largely silent throughout the book, did not mean she was unable to communicate or not present, and I thought it was shown in a meaningful way.  

I liked that the overbearing mom, with high expectations, and lacking emotional maturity was not from the Muslim parent, at least in Western literature, that is a common trope.  But it is worth noting that presumably the rapists mentioned in the story are Muslim.  Their faith is not a factor, but I noticed, and so I do feel that should be shared.

FLAGS:

Sexual assault, ptsd, rape, kidnapping, trauma, hysteria, lying, ghosts, monsters, magic, fear

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I think this would be a great high school book club read.  The conversation about sexual assault, both in the story and in real life would be important to have in a safe space.  The triggers would require some evaluation if the book is a good fit, but I think the elements that unfold and the commentary on expectation, honesty, trauma, monsters, etc. would create incredible discussion.

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's is a thought-provoking and timely novel that tackles important issues, such as abuse, mental health, and the silencing of young women. It may not fully satisfy those looking for a fast-paced thriller or traditional horror, but it succeeds in its social commentary and emotional depth. If you’re looking for a story that blends psychological horror with a critical look at societal expectations, this is a book worth picking up—just be prepared for moments of frustration, anger, and reflection.
Not a standard horror read, one that was more the idea of the horror versus genuine scares, this read left me thinking and pondering a lot of themes on adolescent females' lives.

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette's by Hanna Alkaf is a gripping and poignant exploration of the complexities of teenage girlhood, friendship, and mental health. Alkaf skillfully blends humor and heartbreak, creating relatable characters that draw readers into their struggles and triumphs. The narrative’s rich setting and sharp dialogue make it a compelling read that keeps you hooked until the very end. This thoughtful and engaging story shines a light on the pressures faced by young women, making it both timely and impactful.

This book would be one for young adults to keep them reading. I think a young adult would be kept on their toes.

This book is terrifying on two levels. One level is the Malaysian monsters that seem to be haunting the school. Those moments are what give you goosebumps and make you scared to turn off the lights. The second level is more horrifying though because it is the very honest portrayal of sexual assault on teen girls. This book is a raging scream in defiance of staying silent.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing an e-ARC of this book. This, in no way, influenced my review.

*“Because all anyone ever asked me about was my pain. My body for their belief, a complete transaction”*

Coming from Catholic schools for most of my life, the pull that this book had on me when I first saw the announcement was palpable. I just know I need to read it; made even more evident since it’s by Hanna Alkaf! I loved The Girl and the Ghost so I had high expectations jumping in on this one. Honestly? I was not disappointed!

The story and plot were full of intrigue: imagine an all-girls school that has a sudden case of mass hysteria with girls literally screaming one by one. You’d be left wondering and wanting to fly through the pages because you badly need the answers pronto.

Paired with the very imaginative and vivid writing, the horrific scenes play out like a classic Asian horror movie in my head as I was reading it, which I really enjoyed!

While the pacing was pretty slow (for me), it painted a chilling and jarring picture of just how deep and messed up the real issue is at this school. Don’t even get me started with the irony of silencing screaming girls! This alone will rile you up and make you so angry because the adults who were supposed to keep these students safe and heard were the ones setting them aside to save face and uphold the school’s reputation for producing only the brightest students; the parents and guardians who were responsible for creating a safe space failed to protect them. That for the girls to be believed, there has to be something extreme and detrimental that has to happen to them first. That they have to be a victim first. That they have to find out for themselves that the shadows lurking aren’t always the ghosts they fear.

Characters like the school’s counselor, Mr. B, were extra infuriating because they mask their judgment and backhanded comments with fake empathy. Because at least with Rachel’s obsessive and perfectionist mother, you’ll have obvious reasons to hate her.

Also at the heart of this story are friends who’ve always been with the girls to show their support and to the friendships made along the way. It realistically displayed how friends can also disappoint us despite having their hearts in the right places. That sometimes we’ll have to sit with our issues and challenges alone before we can open up and trust again.

I’ll have to say, though, that the ending wasn’t fully satisfying. While I’m glad to see character developments towards the end, I felt that with the level of frustrations that the story built up, it wasn’t able to fully realize the same level of satisfaction in having the real villains accountable. I feel like people would just set aside the girls’ account of the events and brush these off as accusations of hysterical runaway girls.

But I guess that’s also the beauty of the ending, you’d just have to trust the girls’ grit, courage, and booming voices.

If you’re going to pick this up (which you should!), prepare to be scared, engaged, and enraged!

This book touched a certain part of me that wished to be ignored. The part that said to be silent, to not ask, to just follow what others told me to. While I had not experienced it myself, I had been a witness, both as a young girl and an adult. It unnerved me, making me wonder what was in their minds. This story - these girls - made us think of what's going in the screamers' life that pushed them to the brink. Where screaming was the only option left to be heard, seen and worried about. Even if it meant being seen as weak, when that was the furthest of who they really were.

Even without the supernatural part, this story relates to everyone who read it, even for a tiny bit. The characters, not just Khad and Rachel, carry the story on their backs, giving the world glimpses of what young girls often have to endure in their lives. I could not help but be angry for them, and for the girls out there who are experiencing the same thing.

I really, really hope this book, this story receives the recognition it deserves. It touches topics that are often swept under the rug, especially when it comes to girls and the pains that they have to go through. Don't ever say it is not relatable in any form; this story is what a lot of people have to live in every day.

Amazing book love the plot line . and love the
character development. Great job love the character names

There's a mystery happening at an all girls school..... there's a screaming hysteria happening and a dark history lurks in the school walls. At St. Bernadette's, an all girl's school, only the brightest and best are formed there yet when a girl suddenly begins screaming... it infects the rest of the school and by the end of the day seventeen girls were impacted. Khadijah and Rachel are two girls who find themselves drawn together to try and solve the school's mystery and uncover the school's dark secret, yet the closer they get the closer another victim is getting ready to be picked. I honestly couldn't really get behind the pacing of this book and while the individual characters were distinct, the actual set up and build of the story felt oddly paced and I found myself getting bored while reading it. The book just didn't really connect with me and I just couldn't find myself immersing in the mystery. While it wasn't for me, if you want a mystery with a school filled with girls and deals with the topics of abuse, then definitely give this one a go.

Release Date: September 24,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I enjoyed this one. I thought it provided a fantastic commentary on girls who are constantly not being taken seriously in countries where males dominate society. Khadijah and Rachel's journey separately and together was awesome to read about, and the ending of the school finally releasing the girls and defeating the man who was hurting them was so impactful.

I did give this minus a star for the buildup taking up most of the book, and so the eventual defeat didn't feel as impactful as it happened so easily.

This might be my favourite Hana Alkaf book so far. Not just because it appeals to me for ultimately being a dark academia book but for how much I connected and felt the story.

Readers should be warned to read the trigger warnings before getting into this book as it deals with some very heavy topics. But I think this book should be praised for how well these topics are handled.

At its core this book is about women. It’s about how we’re treated by society as a whole. The balance between being the perfect and demure, being told to be seen and not heard, to be independent and self-sufficient, but also being gaslit into believing our pain isn’t real, that our suffering is our own fault, that we’re weak and feeble and need to be protected. The book perfectly shows this with its variety of female characters who all deal with their own different trauma and what we do to protect ourselves from it.

One thing that is often seen within Alkaf’s work is her blend of Malaysian mythology within her writing. While this book touches on mythology it instead uses the concept of screaming hysterics and gives it meaning and ownership. That this isn’t just some case of female hysteria. In a world where women’s voices are never heard - sometimes screaming is the only way.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and engaging and as someone who grew up in an Asian household with Asian ideals, I connected with the characters. While I did feel the story dragged slightly at the start of the third act and the conclusion came without a proper “return to normalcy” - it feels like an important book that needed to be told. In a time when women’s voices are being silenced and their trauma is being ignored - this book reflects the society we are in and shows how detrimental it is to the young women in it.