Whenever I’m reading a book about sisters my brain goes “is this little women?”
And I hate it when that happens because we all know what happens in little women - one sister has a male best friend who falls in love with her, then marries her younger sister, and another sister dies.
So as soon as I predict Little Women, I know the plot of the book.
This book gave me messy Little Women vibes and while none of the reviews refer to it I’ve seen so far, there are a lot of little-women-esque plot points. While I really enjoyed the book I can’t see how this wasn't a homage and it made it feel derivative especially as it wasn’t necessary.
There are also three or four sisters depending on how you look at it. I did not like the use of Edi as a character.
I liked this a lot though I struggled to differentiate the sisters at times. I also didn’t like the Gwendolyn sections though I understand why they were there.
I still love family stories, still love sisters and still love messy women stories so this ticked a lot of boxes for me despite my criticisms.
4 stars

Bergstrom has a really engaging way of writing and it felt like falling into a soft haze with these differing timelines and perspectives. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters and the fractured nature of their family bonds but was left wanting more.

Selfish Girls explores the fractured relationships between siblings, as their lives take different paths in adulthood, causing friction within the family. It confronts a range of themes such as fertility, love and grief, showing how family relationships can become complicated no matter how close you are.

This was such an interesting one and I loved how it dealt with the complexity of emotions, particularly when romantic relationships come up against sisterly bonds. Thank you to Hodder Books for the NetGalley arc!

This book is moody, messy, and sharp in all the right places. Their sisterhood is laced with secrets, trauma, and a past that refuses to stay buried.

Loved this story of 3 sisters Ines who moves back to Wales with her boyfriend in tow who loves her. Then their is Dylan who is licking her wounds from being rejected. Emma who has a perfect marriage but is struggling to cope. Trying to keep the peace is Gwen the mother.
I did find it hard at times to follow the different stories but overall a good story.
Thanks to NetGalley for a ARC.

Smart and assures this is a feat of writing thag deserves critical acclaim. I adored this desperate and painful outing.

some people can write people. and Abigail is one of them. to have such a connection to your characters and that insight into the real selves of them is such a clever talent. and this book takes us right deep into this family, the sisters, and how the circle or fit around each other(or dont!).
family dynamics are weird creatures arent they. differing from family to family and im sure things we do in our own would be bizarre to others. and things we go through behind closed doors most or some others families would never imagine. so when we get to see a snippet wrote so well as this one it can offer up something really immersive. you dont have to have been in their exact shoes to relate. especially amongst siblings and parents.
we also get to see the girls past and present to see what might have bought them here or shaped them and their bond. you are truly taken into their lives and world for a while, their stories connecting to the reader from the pages.

At first, I found the writing style a little confusing and I struggled to follow the story thread. However, after getting used to the time switches I got into it and followed the girls' lives with interest. I did have a problem with the name Dylan and pictured a male at first. The narrative was resolved satisfactorily. Bergstrom identifies as she/her so I was confused by the reviews which refer to they, their.

Abigail Bergstrom's second novel is the story of three sisters in Wales. Ines, Dylan and Gwen navigate life, it's complexities, and their childhood bond stretches into adulthood. Bergstrom's novel shifts through times and perspectives, and the brevity of some of its chapters often gives little time to fully orientate oneself. However, when Selfish Girls pulls itself into a cohesive whole, there is real beauty and honesty here. Bergstrom is a very fine writer, and draws the characters on the page well. The story is engaging and a pleasure to read - it also helps I'm a sucker for novels with a Welsh theme to them (I love to see Cymraeg on the page.).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I decided to give this author another go after failing to enjoy their first novel, 'What a Shame'. But, unfortunately, I think their work is just not my cup of tea. I don't get on with the writing style and similarly to the previous book, I failed to find the characters interesting or the story engaging. The story is difficult to follow as well due to the narration being all over the place and very confusing. Just not for me, sorry!

I enjoyed Abigail Bergstrom's first novel but unfortunately I didn't think this was very good! It's a story of sisters in Wales and their messy and complicated dynamic, drawing heavily on Little Women, and while that sounds great, the actual book wasn't. I was drawn in at various points, but overall I thought the writing was just okay and the characters and their stories not very interesting.

My, oh my, what a book! I was first attracted to this story by the cover. It's a painting by the stunningly talented artist, Valeria Duca. It does not disappoint, people. Being a sister of three myself, I was instantly besotted by the compelling family drama (and past trauma) that connects these three, and enjoyed reading about this family as though it was a real family, the characters of the sisters jumping off the page as though alive. Full of action and angst, this is a book not to be missed. All in all, it was clever, complicated and compelling. A family drama involving sisters at its messiest. As an aside, it was weirdly confusing due to reading it at the same time as Coco Mellors' Blue Sisters which is our May Book Club read. There are lots of similarities, and lots of sisters! Both books are fabulous.

Thank you to Abigail Bergstrom, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Bergstrom is obviously a talented writer, but not one, I think, for me. The premise was promising and I love novels that include sisterhood / family dynamics. Unfortunately, it was hard to distinguish between the characters and the narrative changes were baffling at times, making it hard to follow the story.

I think if you enjoyed What A Shame, you might also enjoy this one.

This felt like a book of two halves. Some parts were so beautifully written, with incredible characterisation and heartbreaking moments. Whereas others felt thrown in for no reason and overwritten. It took me a long time to distinguish the sisters, their mother and the different timelines, which had me rereading certain chapters to see if I missed something. The writing was searing and the message of the book was poignant, I just wish it was a little neater in parts.

Selfish Girls by Abigail Bergstrom explores family relationships and the complicated dynamics between loved ones that cause dysfunction and pain.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hooder & Stoughton for the ARC!

2.5 stars!

I really liked how this started and the premise. I was so ready for this and really wanted to get deep into the sisters relationships, the relationship with their mum, and their own lives.

The writing is great! But the way it jumps from different past, present, and even Gwen's past, just seem to stop me from really getting deep within the story and connecting with any of the characters sadly.

Definitely worth checking out if you love family dynamics and relationships and realistic fiction, but sadly the execution wasn't a fit for me but maybe for someone else!

Selfish Girls follows three sisters and their mother as they navigate life. Ines moves home with her partner after almost having a breakdown but her mother, Gwen is glad to have her daughter home. Dylan is trying to move on from a rejection she can’t forget and Emma is suffering silently in her marriage. The sisters used to be inseparable, but being back in the Welsh town where they grew up reveals their haunting past.

I think many people will enjoy this novel. Technically the writing is good and it’s easy to emphasise with the characters.