Im sorry to say that this book wasn’t for me. I liked the premise of the story but it wasn’t what I was expecting. The blurb piqued my interest, however I thought it would more of an alternate universe scenario rather than a nature vs nurture / father vs mother. Im a fan of multiple timelines and POVS but I found it a bit difficult to keep up. Ultimately it was the dark topics that were covered that resulted in me DNFing this book. I’m sure other fans of literary fiction who are more comfortable with darker topics will enjoy this.

This wasn't what I expected at all but I really enjoyed it! I was thinking it would be a bit SF/fantasy, or alternate universe, but actually the 'split' is done with a super light touch - more of a butterfly effect concept and then it's done, and you are simply exploring what Fern/Flick's different paths mean for her. (It also took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that what we are comparing is the effect of her mother vs her father)
I found Fern/Flick an engaging, refreshing character, a sensitive depiction of addictive personality and generally nice to have a flawed, rebellious but intelligent heroine. The mysteries slowly unravelling around the death of Rory and Fern/Flick's parentage are paced nicely, keep you turning pages to find the answers, but then concluded in a satisfying way without overdoing it. I liked the exploration of the different relationships and the psychological background / drivers to how Flick/Fern engaged with the people around her, her friends and lovers. Overall, a highly enjoyable, readable novel that felt fresh and different. Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for the opportunity to read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this ARC.

Fern/Flick has a narcissistic mother and an alcoholic drug using father. The novel explores what would happen if at 14 she had to decide to either live with her mother in London or her father in California. Her time with either of them, before and after the split in the timeline, is not happy for various reasons, making her troubled and substance dependent herself.

The gorgeous cover with the bold colours drew me in as did the description of a Sliding Doors story.

What I actually got was a wildly confusing story - I don't think I've ever read a novel that jumps around in time so much.

The author does everything she can to make it less confusing, gives Fern a second name, tells us exactly where and when we are at all times and even draws a diagram that shows the split etc but my head was still all over the shop.

I simply could not get on with the writing style - it felt like a patchwork quilt of scenes, randomly stitched together, where a patch of Fern in 1993 sits next to a patch of Flick in 2014, with random interjections of "ten minutes earlier" or "Fern is six years old" when she was fourteen a minute ago.

I also found the story quite dark, what with the pedophile uncle, the unpleasant mother and the drug abuse. I found the solution to Rory's murder far-fetched but ultimately I didn't care who killed him and I still don't understand why anyone felt the need to confess to it!

Sorry, as interesting as the concept is, this wasn't for me.

Loved the premise of this story. It's just to far removed from my comfort zone.
The itinerant life style and a mum choosing a new partner over a child.
I am obviously not the target audience.

Versions of a Girl follows Fern, a fourteen-year-old girl who faces a life-changing decision that splits her story into two parallel lives. In one, she stays with her mother in London and becomes Flick. In the other, she remains with her father in California.
The storyline is gripping and the characters are well-developed. It's a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction and a great choice for book club reads

I really enjoyed this storyline and watching her life play out as different versions. I definitely had a mixed bag of emotions whilst reading, from laughter to tears. Beautifully written

I was drawn to this book by the cover and then the description so thanks to Netgalley for early access to this story.

I was 100% gripped from the very start of the book and raced through it desperate to follow the different threads of Fern/Flick. It was a really interesting premise and I found both equally enjoyable.

At times I struggled to instantly pick up who I was following and what was happening but that is probably a me issue and possibly because I didn't have a physical book to flick through - didn't take long to reacquaint myself though.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

Sadly couldn’t get into this at all, but I’m sure many readers who enjoy the genre will! Perhaps just wrong place wrong time for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc.

An interesting and enjoyable story which follows two alternative timelines. In one story Fern, the main character, stays with her mother in London and, in the other, she becomes Flick and travels around America with her father. She’s a troubled and difficult young woman, who experiences struggles in both of her alternative lives. As the two stories weave around each other very cleverly, I find myself wondering where the story is going to end for Fern/Flick. A great read!

This has a very interesting concept. Fern has a choice to make - should she stay with her mother or return to her father? Then we follow the consequences of both decisions, and Fern becomes Flick when with her mother. The underlying mystery of what happened to Uncle Rory is solved in both timelines. The character development is excellent and the plot is well- structured.

"Versions of a Girl" by Catherine Gray is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complex dynamics of family, identity, and the choices we make in life. The story revolves around Fern, a fourteen-year-old girl who must navigate between her mother's luxurious London lifestyle and her father's more humble existence in California.

Fern's mother is portrayed as a social climber and former ballet dancer, living a privileged life in a grand London townhouse. On the other hand, her father, with an IQ of 133, leads a hand-to-mouth existence, often residing in Californian motels. The stark contrast between her parents' lives sets the stage for Fern's internal struggle.

When an unexpected visitor enters the picture, Fern is faced with a life-altering dilemma: whether to leave California and join her mother in London or stay with her father. It is at this point that the narrative splits into two versions, presenting the reader with two possible paths Fern's life could take.

Gray skillfully weaves together these parallel narratives, allowing us to witness two different versions of Fern as she grows and faces the challenges presented to her. Both versions of Fern are compelling and beautifully developed, showcasing the author's ability to create multidimensional characters.

As the story progresses, a thrilling and unexpected twist emerges: a murder that threatens to unravel the lives of both Ferns. This adds an additional layer of suspense and intrigue to the narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

One of the strengths of "Versions of a Girl" lies in Gray's exploration of identity and the impact of choices on our lives. Through the divergent paths of Fern's two versions, the novel prompts readers to consider the consequences of the choices we make and how they shape our future selves.

Gray's writing is engaging and evocative, capturing the essence of both London and California through vivid descriptions. The pacing of the story is well-balanced, alternating between moments of introspection and thrilling plot developments.

Overall, "Versions of a Girl" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that skillfully explores themes of family, identity, and the complexity of choices. Catherine Gray's storytelling prowess and the intriguing premise make this book a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.

From The Cover📖

Do we become who we are because of our parents, or in spite of them?

Fern's mother is a social climber and a former ballet dancer who lives a plush life in a London townhouse. 

Fern's father only climbs if there's a bottle at the top, has an IQ of 133 and lives hand-to-mouth in Californian motels.

Aged fourteen, Fern has spent equal time with each of her parents. That is, until an unexpected visitor triggers a life-changing dilemma: whether she should get on a plane to London to be with her mother, or stay in California with her father. Here, Fern's narrative splices in two.

Two possible lives, one person. Each Fern will grow in wildly different, but eerily similar directions. Both must determine who they want to be - and how they deal with a thorny problem which threatens to undo them all: a murder.

REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Told in the third person POV over duel timelines but with a twist we met Fern/Flick as she grows from a child into a young woman reflecting on her past and how it shaped her along with a slight mystery as to what has actually happened in the past. The twist being that about five chapters in there is a split in the “how it is now” timelines there is now two stories of the same girl each one showing what would have happened depending on a life changing decision she makes. This weaved with “how it was” timelines of which in we hear again the third person POV from her parents and other characters. All this makes for interesting reading, the layout really adds to the plot, I feel without this split the plot would have been quite weak. We move between Fern in America and Flick in London living very different lives but both lives lead the same way, it was really interesting to see this it made you think about a lot things and reflect on nature versus nature.

There is a lot going in terms of the plot, the underlaying one being the mystery of what happened to Fern/Flicks uncle this for me was really quite poorly plotted until the end in all honesty readin the more interesting parts I forgot this was a plot thread at times and it never really interested me. I found the human aspect to the plot far more interesting, there was a lot reflective writing all of which was tender and told with a truth,this where the book really levelled up into something quite fantastic.

The book comes to a conclusion that will leave readers feeling uplifted and feeling hopeful.

This a good book that will make you laugh and cry in equal measures. The writer shows real promise in her writing but I it still need a little work to make it great.

This would make a good book club pick.

Solid 3.5 stars

I enjoyed seeing the split life of Fern and how our life's can unravel and change / go down certain paths