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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment
The Nine is a story of motherhood, of elite schools and secret societies, of privilege and finding your place in the world, of letting go and learning and loving, and of scandal and sacrifices. It was solidly okay in my opinion, but I think not being a mother and not being of the elite education world at all disconnected me from the story and major themes of this one. There would be so many good book club discussions to come from reading this one with others, for sure! If you’re reading this one, let’s discuss!
I read this with my bestie who attended a boarding school just like the one in this book (minus the misconduct, we hope), which she now works for. Through her, I saw that the author described the demanding environment very well. The book shifts perspectives between Hannah in first person and Sam and others in third person. I found Hannah very unlikeable, so I wonder how I would have felt if Sam had been the only first person perspective or if all accounts were third person. It's interesting how a detail like that can have such a huge effect on the book. Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg does a fantastic job at describing different personalities which are all relatable, recognizable, or both. At the base of this story is a deep seeded corruption: the author demonstrates how it can both swallow up victims and also seduce bystanders. I thought this book would be more of a thriller, it's not. This is more of a domestic drama in an academic setting. Ultimately, this is the story of a mother and son; a cautionary tale, be careful who you trust your children with.
Rating: 3.5 Stars Rounded Up to ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 Stars Rounded Up to ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you ever have the misfortune of discovering a St. Louis connection, you’ll know that the first thing we ask is “Where did you go to high school?” Now when we ask ourselves this, it seems to be wondering who do we know in common. But it’s actually not. It’s a subtle way of asking what your social and economic status is. For example, whether you went to a private, parochial or public school. Which district, which neighborhood, who the family or societal connections were. I’ve never experienced What boarding school is like but I have a feeling it’s just as pretentious as our good ole St. Louis tradition of asking what high school you’re from. At least, that’s what I gather from reading The Nine, a story about a middle class boy Sam, who gets caught up in a secret society at his boarding school. Dunning’s Academy is more than your average school where nerds and the privilege mix. It houses secrets, resentments between those with money and those who have athletic/academic powers and it begins to slowly sever the bond between Sam and his mother, creating a giant hole in the family. When Sam begins under-covering some of the more intense secrets through his work with the brotherhood, it becomes obvious that he was set up to be a fall guy. What follows is a remarkable young man setting things right, even at the cost of his own dreams. I really enjoyed this book, even though Hannah (Sam’s mother) drove me insane with her helicopter parenting. LET THE BOY BREATHE! Still, I couldn’t put the book down, drawn as I was into this world.
Hannah Webber wasn’t sure that she would be able to have children, but she’s finally able to conceive Sam. Hannah put her heart and soul into raising Sam at the cost of both her marriage to Edward and her own self interests. When the time for Sam to go to high school came, Hannah decided that Sam should only go to an elite prep school, so that Sam would have his pick of the top colleges. Hannah was thrilled when Sam was accepted to Dunning Academy, one of the most exclusive and prestigious prep schools in the country. She finally felt that her hard work and sacrifices were paying off.
While at Dunning, Sam experiences freedom from his overbearing mother for the first time and can’t help but rejoice in this new independence. What Sam doesn’t anticipate is the sheer amount of pressure that he would be under to succeed at Dunning. The competition is fierce. Students are taking Adderall just to get through the study load. Sam feels alone and like an outsider at Dunning since his family doesn’t come from the wealth that is he now surrounded by.
As Sam settles into Dunning, he learns of secret brotherhood called The Nine that is the exclusive society that every male dreams of getting into at Dunning. Sam feels that joining The Nine will finally be his chance of being accepted into this foreign community. Everything changes when he begins to uncover evidence of inappropriate behavior taking place at Dunning. Sam must come to terms with who he is most loyal to and the betrayals and deceit that he is faced with.
This story is a compelling and thought-provoking coming of age story for both Hannah and Sam that discusses important topics in contemporary society such as sex, bullying, drugs, and peer-pressure. One thing I really enjoyed about this story was the depth of the mother-son relationship of Hannah and Sam. Hannah could be really infuriating with the lengths that she went to in order to check in on Sam. That being said, your heart breaks for Hannah though because she wants nothing more than to be involved in her son’s life; he’s her entire reason for being. On the flip side, I could also sympathize with Sam’s need for independence and distance while adjusting to the grueling and strict expectations at Dunning.
Overall, this is a powerful story of love, self-discovery, betrayal, and deceit, which I highly recommend to those who love a good thriller/suspense…especially when it involves an elite boarding school that is harboring decades worth of secrets.
Thank you to Suzy from Suzy Approved Book Tours for the tour invitation and the author for providing an ARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
While at Dunning, Sam experiences freedom from his overbearing mother for the first time and can’t help but rejoice in this new independence. What Sam doesn’t anticipate is the sheer amount of pressure that he would be under to succeed at Dunning. The competition is fierce. Students are taking Adderall just to get through the study load. Sam feels alone and like an outsider at Dunning since his family doesn’t come from the wealth that is he now surrounded by.
As Sam settles into Dunning, he learns of secret brotherhood called The Nine that is the exclusive society that every male dreams of getting into at Dunning. Sam feels that joining The Nine will finally be his chance of being accepted into this foreign community. Everything changes when he begins to uncover evidence of inappropriate behavior taking place at Dunning. Sam must come to terms with who he is most loyal to and the betrayals and deceit that he is faced with.
This story is a compelling and thought-provoking coming of age story for both Hannah and Sam that discusses important topics in contemporary society such as sex, bullying, drugs, and peer-pressure. One thing I really enjoyed about this story was the depth of the mother-son relationship of Hannah and Sam. Hannah could be really infuriating with the lengths that she went to in order to check in on Sam. That being said, your heart breaks for Hannah though because she wants nothing more than to be involved in her son’s life; he’s her entire reason for being. On the flip side, I could also sympathize with Sam’s need for independence and distance while adjusting to the grueling and strict expectations at Dunning.
Overall, this is a powerful story of love, self-discovery, betrayal, and deceit, which I highly recommend to those who love a good thriller/suspense…especially when it involves an elite boarding school that is harboring decades worth of secrets.
Thank you to Suzy from Suzy Approved Book Tours for the tour invitation and the author for providing an ARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Compelling, THE NINE by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg, had me hooked from the get-go. A book about smother-mothers, whom you can and can't bequeath the gift of trust, and resiliency, the adversities the protagonist encounters throughout the pages had me cheering loudly from his side of the court. I highly recommend this five-star book!
3.5 stars
The Nine by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg tells the story of prestigious East Coast boarding school Dunning Academy. Hannah Webber is a helicopter mom to the extreme and she frets and worries all four years her only son Sam is enrolled at Dunning. Rightfully so, as Sam ends up involved in all kinds of sinister and shady business at that school. With everything we hear about in the news these days, it makes you think a story like this probably isn’t that much of a stretch.
As I read this book, I had several thoughts running through my mind. Hannah is, at times, very unlikeable, as she desperately tries to maintain not only a relationship with her son but control over every decision he makes. Despite that, I, as a mother, found myself still relating to her. While most of us aren’t obsessed with every move our children make, opting instead to grant them independence as they grow, we all, at the very heart of it, want the very best for our kids. I know I relish that feeling of pride when my children are successful at something. Hannah was constantly in search of that. Sam was no doubt shaped by that pressure, becoming a people pleaser who had a hard time saying no, trying so hard to both fit in and succeed. Makes you think about how your actions are affecting your kids.
The Nine was an entertaining read, one that I was imagining as a movie, the boarding school drama with some twists and turns. It could be a great low key kind of thriller geared maybe toward teens?! It’s not a thriller but I could see that aspect of it played up a bit. How fun would that be to see it on the big screen??
The Nine by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg tells the story of prestigious East Coast boarding school Dunning Academy. Hannah Webber is a helicopter mom to the extreme and she frets and worries all four years her only son Sam is enrolled at Dunning. Rightfully so, as Sam ends up involved in all kinds of sinister and shady business at that school. With everything we hear about in the news these days, it makes you think a story like this probably isn’t that much of a stretch.
As I read this book, I had several thoughts running through my mind. Hannah is, at times, very unlikeable, as she desperately tries to maintain not only a relationship with her son but control over every decision he makes. Despite that, I, as a mother, found myself still relating to her. While most of us aren’t obsessed with every move our children make, opting instead to grant them independence as they grow, we all, at the very heart of it, want the very best for our kids. I know I relish that feeling of pride when my children are successful at something. Hannah was constantly in search of that. Sam was no doubt shaped by that pressure, becoming a people pleaser who had a hard time saying no, trying so hard to both fit in and succeed. Makes you think about how your actions are affecting your kids.
The Nine was an entertaining read, one that I was imagining as a movie, the boarding school drama with some twists and turns. It could be a great low key kind of thriller geared maybe toward teens?! It’s not a thriller but I could see that aspect of it played up a bit. How fun would that be to see it on the big screen??