Alexa Wú has multiple personality disorder, a condition that she manages by seeing a psychotherapist named Daniel. But when her best friend Ella gets a job at a high-end gentleman’s club, she catches the attention of its shark-like owner and becomes the unwitting keeper of a nightmarish secret. Threatened and vulnerable, Alexa will discover whether her multiple personalities are her greatest asset, or her most dangerous obstacle.
The Eighth Girl an addictive novel that reads like a binge-worthy television show and is well worth the escapism we all desire during these uncertain times. Chung clearly knows her stuff, and it is best to just follow along with the narrative than try to figure out what is real, what is true, and what may be part of some fantasy. I hope to see more from this talented author in the near future.
Debut author Chung is a psychotherapist, and her approach to Alexa’s mental health issues is an interesting one. Though extremely dark and disturbing, this psychological thriller, told in the voice of multiple unreliable narrators, is filled with surprises until the end, and is a fresh take on the suspense genre.
The author, whose credentials as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist bring authenticity to the sessions between Alexa and Daniel, sensitively explores Alexa’s traumatic childhood and vividly renders her multiple personalities. However, despite a clever twist, readers will have to suspend disbelief to accept the overly neat conclusion. That said, fans of psychological thrillers will be curious to see what Mei-Fung Chung comes up with next.
