“The Girl Before”

By JP Delaney, 2017

   I enjoyed the format of the storyline--short paragraphs--alternating between "then" and "now"/ "Emma (Then)" and "Jane (Now)." It was a clever way to keep the reader focused. I thought the plot was very creative. The Girl Before is a psychological thriller from the Author is JP Delaney, a pseudonym for a writer who has previously written bestselling fiction under other names. A film version is being brought to the screen by Academy Award–winning director Ron Howard and I am sure this will prove to be one of the hits of 2017.

 

The story set in London, this novel is narrated of two perspective women. In the past from the perspective of Emma, a young women looking for something new after a traumatic break-in to her old apartment.

And the present from the perspective of Jane, a similarly aged women who recently had a miscarriage. Both women are looking for a clean start to their current, intolerable lives. While looking for a fresh start, they come across One Folgate Street. Both Emma and Jane if they want to lease that house ‘One Folgate Street’ have to to the application process that starts with the demand "Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.". A questionnaire, an interview, and many stipulations and rules that the hopeful tenant all must live by in order to gain access to this intriguing one-bedroom property. One Folgate Street designed by Edward Monkford.

Both Emma and Jane are approved to stay in the One Folgate Street.

The story begins, When Jane moved one day in One Folgate Street. She notices a man leaving flowers at her door.

“On the day I moved in, they were lying on the doorstep---a huge bouquet of lilies, still wrapped in plastic. No note, nothing to indicate whether this is something he does for all his new tenants or a special gesture just for me. I send him a polite thank you anyway.” (Page:69)

The day by day until Jane discovers that the bouquet is for Emma ( The girl before who stay in One Folgate Street ) that died with tragically.

Emma moved to One Fulgate Street after the flat she shared with her boyfriend, Simon, was broken into.

Jane becomes invested in Emma and her story while becoming intimately involved with Edward Monkford. Once she becomes acutely aware of his control issues she realizes that there might be more to Emma's death than she first believed.

Meanwhile Edward Monkford is described as a very handsome man. May be he is Russian.

”He’s handsome: not eye-catchingly so, but he has an air of confidence and charm, with nice lopsided smile.” (Page 58)

Lots of girls surely fall in love with the landlord of One Folgate Street ‘Edward Monkford’. Such as Emma and Jane too, they are fall in love to Edward.

In the past, Emma also involved relationship with Edward, even though Emma was have a boyfriend, Simon. The love triangle between Emma Simon and Edward. Until Simon knew that Emma had a relationship with Edward, and Simon was angry to her. Because Simon loved Emma so much. Simon very dissapointed to know that, her girlfriend is unfaithful. Therefore Simon killed Emma by strangling her neck.”He gets one arms around my neck, yanking me toward him, pulling me backward out of the bathroom like a lifesaver in the pool......” (Page:381) “I love you Em, he says into my ear. I love you. But he saysit with kind of fury, as if by love he really means hate, and as he simultanously kisses me and pushes me away I know he means this to happen, that he wants me to died” (Page:382). But in my opinion, i dislike how JP Delaney wrote the clue that Simon was killed Emma in the Emma’s perspective. So, it’s make me do not curious anymore for the next page because i was know who killed Emma.

Meanwhile now Jane also involved relationship with Edward. They relationship make Jane become pregnant.  Jane very curious about Emma because it’s also involved Edward in past with Emma. Then she know that the girl before her was in the relationship with Edward too. This is why the title of this book is The Girl Before, because both girl are same through the the same story. But a little bit diffent that Jane not died. She just have a baby’s Edward. While Edward dont want the baby because the baby had downsyndrome. 

In the end of the story also tells that Jane also involved in the relationship with Simon. But Jane actually not loved with Simon. Jane only want to know more information about Emma through Simon. But, Simon fall in love with Jane, and want Jane to be Simon’s girl friend. Then, Jane get the terror by Simon because Jane dont accept Simon as her boyfriend. As the girl before ( Emma ) Simon want to killed Jane. In the dissension with Simon, Jane try to keep her life. With not accidently, Jane killed Simon.

At the End of the story Jane and Edward knew that Simon is insane. He is possesive with the girl whose he loved. Both Emma and Jane also fall in with Edward it’s make Simon thought that love is only in one-side not love each other. “..............Edward has had the grace to admit he should havr realized himself how dangerous Simon was.” (Page:428)

To conclude, this being a psychological thriller, leads the reader to assume the male dominance and control is unable to be broken and eventually leads to death and murder. However, it turns around within the last couple pages to open up and conclude to with the idea that female intelligence can override a male’s control. This speaks much to about how Delaney sees our society today: still caught in the hold of female’s subservience, but now creating a new wave of women empowerment and intellect.

The characteristic in the novel is very complicated. With the 448 pages, JP Delanay could explain the plot of the story by clearly and specific. I think this book is quite recommended to read, especially for women, i could take the message from this novel is dont be love so much to the men, don't let men control our whole life.

by : Maudy Kurnia Wati