Book Review: “The Girls of No Return”

By Erin Saldin
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2012

Reviewed by Katelyn Tobey, 16
New York

At the Marshall School for Girls, girls who have committed misdemeanors learn to become better behaved and find who they want to be and who they really are. Lida is sent to the school by her dad and stepmother because she was cutting herself as an outlet for her emotions.  Lida meets Boone, Gia, and Jules, three girls with strong personalities. Boone is the girl you don’t back talk, you just obey. Jules is the happy-go-lucky girl who seems happy to be at the school, and Gia is the glam girl everyone seems to want to get to know her better. Lida is torn between being Gia’s friend or staying with Jules and trying to get to know Boone better.

Saldin’s novel tells true-to-life experiences of friendship, family, choices, and finding oneself.  The book is surprising and leads to a dramatic heart-wrenching and unpredictable ending. As Lida learns that she needs to accept her thing in order to overcome it, she also has to realize the life she has is the one she has to live.

The Girls of No Return speaks to several life lessons and shows us that the past is in the past and you can move forward. As Lida becomes more confident about who she is, the reader can also experience her personal growth and learn from her mistakes.