"The Girl Before" is a psychological thriller novel by JP Delaney, published in 2016[3]. The story is told from the perspectives of two women, Emma and Jane, who both rented the same apartment at One Folgate Street, an austere London flat built by the charming Edward Monkford, a leading innovative architect[3][5]. As the narrative goes back and forth from the past to the present, mystery builds around the circumstances of Emma’s death, until Jane discovers the truth of who Emma’s murderer is[3].
### Plot Summary
Emma is the previous tenant and Jane the current tenant of One Folgate Street. Emma is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, and Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, unwittingly following the same patterns, making the same choices, crossing paths with the same people, and experiencing the same terror as the girl before[3]. Jane is reeling from a traumatic break-in and needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street, she is instantly drawn to the space and to its aloof but seductive creator, Edward Monkford[3][5].
### Themes
The novel explores themes of grief, trauma, control, and obsession. It raises questions about the nature of identity, the impact of past experiences on present behavior, and the ethics of control and manipulation[1][5].
### Reception
"The Girl Before" received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its suspenseful plot and others criticizing its lack of depth and character development[5][6]. The novel was a bestseller and has been adapted into a miniseries for HBO Max[10][13].
Overall, "The Girl Before" is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing until the very end.
## Major Themes in "The Girl Before" by JP Delaney
"The Girl Before" is a psychological thriller novel that explores several themes, including:
### Control and Obsession
The novel delves into the themes of control and obsession, as the story follows the experiences of two women who fall under the spell of the same man, Edward Monkford, a minimalist architect who designed the austere London flat they both rented. The novel raises questions about the ethics of control and manipulation[1][5][9][15].
### Trauma and Grief
The novel also explores the themes of trauma and grief, as both women have experienced personal traumas and are trying to move on with their lives. The story shows how past experiences can impact present behavior and raises questions about the nature of identity[1][2][5][8][14][16].
### Minimalism
Minimalism is another theme explored in the novel. The austere London flat designed by Edward Monkford is a character in itself, and the novel raises questions about the impact of minimalism on mental health and well-being[3][5][9][15].
### Repetition and Mirroring
The shifting structure of the narrative in "The Girl Before" causes a repetition of plot points and imagery. The mirroring experience is heightened by references to repeated actions, behaviors, and objects. The novel intentionally builds using repetitive imagery and behaviors to reach a larger emotional conclusion[11].
Overall, "The Girl Before" is a gripping psychological thriller that explores several themes, including control, obsession, trauma, grief, minimalism, and repetition.
Citations:
[1] https://www.ft.com/content/0432f7c8-48c4-414f-b7ac-f494a0f19fa4
[2] https://time.com/6221457/colleen-hoover-trauma-it-starts-with-us/
[3] https://www.seanpcarlin.com/the-girl-before/
[4] https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/the-girl-before
[5] https://www.princetonbookreview.com/book_pages/discussion/girl-before.php
[6] https://thecinemaholic.com/is-the-girl-before-based-on-a-true-story/
[7] https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/27833860
[8] https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/guides-and-publications/recognizing-the-effects-of-abuse-related-trauma
[9] https://www.dezeen.com/2017/08/25/minimalism-expression-of-obsession-says-the-girl-before-author-jp-delaney-interview/
[10] https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-7-stages-of-grieving/characters/the-woman
[11] https://www.supersummary.com/the-girl-before/themes/
[12] https://singlewhitefemalewriter.wordpress.com/2021/02/24/book-review-the-girl-before-by-jp-delaney/
[13] https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/28016509
[14] https://www.samhsa.gov/trauma-violence
[15] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/10/arts/television/the-girl-before.html
[16] https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-7-stages-of-grieving/themes/feeling-vs-numbness
[17] https://www.supersummary.com/the-girl-before/summary/
[18] https://featzreviews.com/the-girl-before-book-review/
[19] https://imdb.com/title/tt5232622/reviews
[20] https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/bn999c867
[21] https://www.shelf-awareness.com/maxshelf/2016-11-02/jp_delaney:_the_perfect_obsession.html
[22] https://whatsyourgrief.com/inside-out-offers-important-lessons-for-grieving-children-and-adults/
[23] https://www.creativeeditingservices.com/blog/the-importance-of-place-in-your-story-an-analysis-of-setting-in-jp-delaneys-the-girl-before
[24] https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Theme-Of-Dominance-In-The-Great-Gatsby-FC3PGPSQZDT
[25] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4768593/
[26] https://www.bohemianess.com/2016/09/book-review-girl-before.html
[27] https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/n/the-1990s-newbery-medal-winners/out-of-the-dust/major-themes
[28] http://allreaders.com/book-summary-analysis/The-Girl-Before/themes
[29] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10052415/
[30] https://custom-writing.org/blog/theme-of-death-in-literature
[31] https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-girl-before-tv-review-2022
[32] https://thriveworks.com/blog/relationship-ptsd-effects-of-an-emotionally-abusive-relationship/
[33] http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2016/8/19/book-review-the-girl-before-by-rena-olsen
[34] https://www.lukeharkness.com/book-reviews/the-girl-before-by-j-p-delaney-book-review/
[35] https://www.michigandaily.com/tv/the-girl-before-is-a-thrilling-story-with-an-earnest-message/
Citations:
[1] https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/540310/the-girl-before-by-jp-delaney/
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Before-Novel-JP-Delaney/dp/0425285049
[3] https://www.supersummary.com/the-girl-before/summary/
[4] https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Before-Novel-JP-Delaney/dp/0425285065
[5] https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/11907/the-girl-before
[6] https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jp-delaney/the-girl-before-delaney/
[7] https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/28016509
[8] https://www.lukeharkness.com/book-reviews/the-girl-before-by-j-p-delaney-book-review/
[9] https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/jp-delaney-the-girl-before/
[10] https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-girl-before-tv-review-2022
[11] https://forever-winter.com/2018/10/31/the-girl-before-by-anthony-capella-book-summary/
[12] http://allreaders.com/book-summary-analysis/The-Girl-Before
[13] https://www.vulture.com/article/the-girl-before-ending-explained-spoilers.html