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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
I read this while I was waiting downtown for a dinner thing, and let me just say: what a perfect book to read in Soho, with all the posh accents around.
I had a lot of fun with this one! It's a little like Gossip Girl mixed with Heathers mixed with the Riot Club mixed with the Hunger Games. An engaging mystery slash action piece. Greer was a fun protagonist, and even though she made some of the stupidest decisions ever, she at least admitted that they were beyond dumb. Chanel was by-far my favourite though, and I do feel like, given the small page count, she and the Medievals (other than Henry) could have been fleshed out slightly better.
My biggest gripes of the book were the weird social media stances and lessons that the book tried to impart, and I really don't think the whole technology vs. history thing fit well into a story that was much more based on class. It was distracting, and ultimately felt irrelevant and at-times preachy. The only character of colour in the book is also HIGHLY exoticized when he isn't being derided for his race, and the constant references comparing him to Aladdin and referring to India only in context to... tigers and empire? It was weird.
Also, just like the social media element, I thought the cult element was WAY too much for the last 15-20% of the book. If this is going to be a series, I get why it needed to be introduced, but it was just super rushed and honestly made little sense if we're meant to buy it semi-realistically. Also also also, while I loved Greer and her love of movies, the constant talk about the last Sherlock Holmes movie (Game of Shadows) in the last 20% was just... a bit much and distracted from any tension. It's never good to have two characters standing on a waterfall and have one literally say out loud "WOW THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE THIS OTHER BOOK/MOVIE WHERE TWO CHARACTERS ALSO STAND ON A WATERFALL."
Still! This was a fun, quick read, and I'd totally check out a sequel.
I had a lot of fun with this one! It's a little like Gossip Girl mixed with Heathers mixed with the Riot Club mixed with the Hunger Games. An engaging mystery slash action piece. Greer was a fun protagonist, and even though she made some of the stupidest decisions ever, she at least admitted that they were beyond dumb. Chanel was by-far my favourite though, and I do feel like, given the small page count, she and the Medievals (other than Henry) could have been fleshed out slightly better.
My biggest gripes of the book were the weird social media stances and lessons that the book tried to impart, and I really don't think the whole technology vs. history thing fit well into a story that was much more based on class. It was distracting, and ultimately felt irrelevant and at-times preachy. The only character of colour in the book is also HIGHLY exoticized when he isn't being derided for his race, and the constant references comparing him to Aladdin and referring to India only in context to... tigers and empire? It was weird.
Also, just like the social media element, I thought the cult element was WAY too much for the last 15-20% of the book. If this is going to be a series, I get why it needed to be introduced, but it was just super rushed and honestly made little sense if we're meant to buy it semi-realistically. Also also also, while I loved Greer and her love of movies, the constant talk about the last Sherlock Holmes movie (Game of Shadows) in the last 20% was just... a bit much and distracted from any tension. It's never good to have two characters standing on a waterfall and have one literally say out loud "WOW THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE THIS OTHER BOOK/MOVIE WHERE TWO CHARACTERS ALSO STAND ON A WATERFALL."
Still! This was a fun, quick read, and I'd totally check out a sequel.
Summary:
This book is about a girl called Greer who goes to a very rich prestigious type of school in England named STAGS. Coming from a working class background she never thought her scholarship at the school was always going to be easy, soon enough she realises she hadn't anticipated to what extent. The school is in-formally run by a group of six students called the medieval's, a team that everyone wants to be apart of. The main premise of the book is when Greer is invited to an action packed weekend of blood sports at the leaders house - Henry de Warlerncourt. Firstly, this confuses Greer because she has never really spoken to him, secondly because she is one of only nine invited. She quickly realises that the medieval's have much more than tradition to upkeep.
Review:
One of the things I liked about this book was how well the writer described the atmosphere throughout the book. It really felt like I was living through the book. Secondly, I liked the overall concept of the book, I loved the whole old-money and traditions story line and how the author challenged the idea that this may be a good thing to have. However this book also had a lot of down sides. Mainly because the outcome of the book was so predictable and there was no red herrings or information that didn't quite fit into place until the last minute. It was all too easy. Additionally the actual conclusion that the book came to had so many loop holes that it felt completely unrealistic and simple. Therefore I gave this book three stars.
This book is about a girl called Greer who goes to a very rich prestigious type of school in England named STAGS. Coming from a working class background she never thought her scholarship at the school was always going to be easy, soon enough she realises she hadn't anticipated to what extent. The school is in-formally run by a group of six students called the medieval's, a team that everyone wants to be apart of. The main premise of the book is when Greer is invited to an action packed weekend of blood sports at the leaders house - Henry de Warlerncourt. Firstly, this confuses Greer because she has never really spoken to him, secondly because she is one of only nine invited. She quickly realises that the medieval's have much more than tradition to upkeep.
Review:
One of the things I liked about this book was how well the writer described the atmosphere throughout the book. It really felt like I was living through the book. Secondly, I liked the overall concept of the book, I loved the whole old-money and traditions story line and how the author challenged the idea that this may be a good thing to have. However this book also had a lot of down sides. Mainly because the outcome of the book was so predictable and there was no red herrings or information that didn't quite fit into place until the last minute. It was all too easy. Additionally the actual conclusion that the book came to had so many loop holes that it felt completely unrealistic and simple. Therefore I gave this book three stars.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
S.T.A.G.S. was a thoroughly fine book. I'm not sure its description as a thriller is entirely accurate; it seems better to describe this as a mystery.
Greer feels out of place at her new posh boarding school -- St. Aidan the Great School otherwise known as S.T.A.G.S. -- until she's invited to spend fall break at the house of the coolest kid in school. Henry de Warlencourt lives in a massive manor house, is descended from a Crusader, and leads the Medievals (who are the main clique at S.T.A.G.S.). The opportunity to go to Henry's house for fall break is Greer's chance to earn a spot in the Medievals but things aren't quite what they seem at the manor.
The book consistently promised me tension and action -- Greer is describing past events for the reader and is constantly dropping hints at what's to come -- but doesn't deliver on either of these fronts until well after the halfway-mark. A lot of time is spent discussing who is cool and why and where their money came from. The characterization of everyone in S.T.A.G.S. is mainly done through telling, not showing.
I liked the concept of the book and it had some elements that I really enjoyed, like the incorporation of film elements into the story. Despite my complaints, S.T.A.G.S. kept me entertained. If it had been pitched as a mystery rather than a thriller, I think I would've liked it a lot more as it doesn't have the fast pacing I expect from thrillers. (Also, no book should ever be compared to The Secret History but that's a matter for another day.)
Greer feels out of place at her new posh boarding school -- St. Aidan the Great School otherwise known as S.T.A.G.S. -- until she's invited to spend fall break at the house of the coolest kid in school. Henry de Warlencourt lives in a massive manor house, is descended from a Crusader, and leads the Medievals (who are the main clique at S.T.A.G.S.). The opportunity to go to Henry's house for fall break is Greer's chance to earn a spot in the Medievals but things aren't quite what they seem at the manor.
The book consistently promised me tension and action -- Greer is describing past events for the reader and is constantly dropping hints at what's to come -- but doesn't deliver on either of these fronts until well after the halfway-mark. A lot of time is spent discussing who is cool and why and where their money came from. The characterization of everyone in S.T.A.G.S. is mainly done through telling, not showing.
I liked the concept of the book and it had some elements that I really enjoyed, like the incorporation of film elements into the story. Despite my complaints, S.T.A.G.S. kept me entertained. If it had been pitched as a mystery rather than a thriller, I think I would've liked it a lot more as it doesn't have the fast pacing I expect from thrillers. (Also, no book should ever be compared to The Secret History but that's a matter for another day.)
I liked it better on the reread, but it’s still either too long or too short
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced