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dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“Maybe… wonderful people are always a little bit terrifying.” - The World Cannot Give.
When shy, sensitive Laura Stearns arrives at St. Dunstan’s Academy in Maine, she dreams that life there will echo her favorite novel, All Before Them, the sole surviving piece of writing by Byronic “prep school prophet” (and St. Dunstan’s alum) Sebastian Webster, who died at nineteen, fighting in the Spanish Civil War. She soon finds the intensity she is looking for among the insular, Webster-worshipping members of the school’s chapel choir, which is presided over by the charismatic, neurotic, overachiever Virginia Strauss. Virginia is as fanatical about her newfound Christian faith as she is about the miles she runs every morning before dawn. She expects nothing short of perfection from herself—and from the members of the choir. Virginia inducts the besotted Laura into a world of transcendent music and arcane ritual, illicit cliff-diving and midnight crypt visits: a world that, like Webster’s novels, finally seems to Laura to be full of meaning. But when a new school chaplain challenges Virginia’s hold on the “family” she has created, and Virginia’s efforts to wield her power become increasingly dangerous, Laura must decide how far she will let her devotion to Virginia go.
Ah man, this one just wasn’t for me. I was excited to read this book because it sounded like it was going to have dark academia vibes and be a darker read. While it did have some dark academia themes, I felt that it was just overall lacking. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and felt that the plot was too slow until the final parts of the book. And while the writing was good overall, there were a few things that didn’t resonate with me. I can see other readers enjoying this book though, so if this was on your TBR I would still give it a go. Although, this one wasn’t a favorite for me, I would consider reading from this author again in the future if I am interested in one of their books.
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“Maybe… wonderful people are always a little bit terrifying.” - The World Cannot Give.
When shy, sensitive Laura Stearns arrives at St. Dunstan’s Academy in Maine, she dreams that life there will echo her favorite novel, All Before Them, the sole surviving piece of writing by Byronic “prep school prophet” (and St. Dunstan’s alum) Sebastian Webster, who died at nineteen, fighting in the Spanish Civil War. She soon finds the intensity she is looking for among the insular, Webster-worshipping members of the school’s chapel choir, which is presided over by the charismatic, neurotic, overachiever Virginia Strauss. Virginia is as fanatical about her newfound Christian faith as she is about the miles she runs every morning before dawn. She expects nothing short of perfection from herself—and from the members of the choir. Virginia inducts the besotted Laura into a world of transcendent music and arcane ritual, illicit cliff-diving and midnight crypt visits: a world that, like Webster’s novels, finally seems to Laura to be full of meaning. But when a new school chaplain challenges Virginia’s hold on the “family” she has created, and Virginia’s efforts to wield her power become increasingly dangerous, Laura must decide how far she will let her devotion to Virginia go.
Ah man, this one just wasn’t for me. I was excited to read this book because it sounded like it was going to have dark academia vibes and be a darker read. While it did have some dark academia themes, I felt that it was just overall lacking. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and felt that the plot was too slow until the final parts of the book. And while the writing was good overall, there were a few things that didn’t resonate with me. I can see other readers enjoying this book though, so if this was on your TBR I would still give it a go. Although, this one wasn’t a favorite for me, I would consider reading from this author again in the future if I am interested in one of their books.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another supposed heir to The Secret History's throne... nope. So predictable, and really kind of strange in terms of how the school is set up with much of that seemingly shoehorned into that predictable plot. There's a lot of British public school terminology here, which sort of works because of the school being so steeped in the British system but lands awkwardly in a book set in America. As for the "cult" part, it wasn't all that believable particularly since it was supposed to be based on the one "transcendent" novel by a graduate of the school and yet it seems to take a real back seat to the action.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.