In Before We Were Innocent, Bess is trying to be invisible while Joni is as visible as possible. Ten years ago, in Greece, Bess, Joni, and their friend Evangeline are having the summer of their lives after senior year. That is until it ends in tragedy, and only Bess and Joni return, not quite the same as before. Now, Joni’s fiancée is missing, and she turns to Bess, who tries to pretend nothing ever happened and that she doesn’t actually exist. As time passes and things take a turn for the worse, answers from their past will begin to surface, with both Bess and Joni discovering who they really are.
This was really well written. While I don’t possess the background of these girls, I’ve certainly been a teenage one with friendships that were unhealthy, making it easier to relate to than I would have thought. The author does a great job of showing how “perfectly imperfect” we women can be, especially in how we relate to each other. Ella Berman also did a fantastic job with Bess’s character. I ended up feeling like I was right there with her for all of it. I definitely recommend this.
