Have you ever read a book that makes you feel so deep that its difficult to sit still? This book was it for me. 

The righteous anger of the second half ran so fast through my veins that I had to read it on the treadmill and run whenever it made me so angry that I wanted to be violent.

Angry, that the world is so unnecessarily cruel to girls. Angry, that no matter where we go, men are everywhere. Angry that whenever women go through anything, the common narrative is that she earned it, deserved it. No decent girl would have to go through this. 

What is a decent girl? One who complies with whatever you say? Who don’t you have to see outside? Who tolerates all tortures that come at her, without a sigh?

Well, news flash, our narrator is not a decent girl. She is headstrong, confident and smart. And we are proud of her. 

If you’ve ever felt boxed in by society’s idea of a ‘good girl,’ this one’s for you.

The story tells us about the unnamed narrator and her struggles. The series of events that push her onto the unwanted path and the events that reignite the fire in her. The unnamed narrator is a girl who can be any of us, anyone among us. Her click and reels, her fixations, her grief and guilt help us feel for so many girls who are wronged each day and many children who have no one to care about them. 

The story follows a non-linear format, with each chapter and section being a piece of a puzzle about what happened to her and what is happening to her. This format is my personal preference for how well it engages your mind and keeps you hooked to the tiny mysteries in the story about what happened next. In “Girls Who Stray” too, the moments when the puzzle pieces clicked together were special to me, and left me breathless when I finally realised what had happened. 

Most of the characters are relatable and raw. They are the angels, the vultures and the humans that you see all around you and are maybe even friends with. 

The narration is very similar to a stream of consciousness narrative and compels your own thoughts to move towards the same cause. The writing is brutally honest — sometimes lyrical, sometimes jagged — just like trauma itself. You don’t read it as much as you feel it.

The author doesn’t just tell a story — she lights a fire. You can feel her fury, her heartbreak, and her refusal to be silent. And in doing so, she gives voice to every girl who has ever been silenced.

It is definitely a must-read book for all women and girls. Not only to feel provoked and aware but also to feel seen and heard. Read this if you’ve ever been angry, ever felt small, or ever wished someone would just get it. This book gets it. And it doesn’t let you go.

Trigger warning: The book contains themes of abuse, grief, and violence that may be difficult for some readers.