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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
STAGS a.k.a. St. Aiden the Great school is a boarding school for the wealthy. Most who go there fit in. Not Greer. She gets into STAGS on a scholarship. This leads her to not fitting in with the rich crowd. She is ignored for most of her time being there, even by her own roommate. One day she receives an invitation to the most popular boy’s house for a weekend of “huntin’, shootin’ and fishin'”. Of course, after being ignored all year, she is super excited and automatically wants to go. That is until she gets a warning from another student not to go. She brushes off the warning and of course goes. This is where the action starts.
While I did enjoy STAGS, I did have some issues with it. First off, the pacing was really, really slow. It took a really long time for much of anything to happen. I can’t say I was bored though. I don’t always mind a slow pace.
My second issue with this book was the lack of tension. STAGS was being marketed as a thriller and a mystery and I just don’t agree with that. We were let in on information in the very first chapter that I would have liked to figure out as a reader rather than have been told. I really think this made the book less exciting. I really like books that have mystery and the tension builds as we as the reader work to figure out what is going on. This book lacked both mysteriousness and tension.
What I did like about this book was the array of characters. We have the Medievals who are a group of elite students. Everyone wants to be them. They are the ones who throw this weekend getaway for the misfits of the school. I really liked each of these individual characters. They each had their own personalities. I also really enjoyed how the misfits came together at the end and retained a friendship for what they had been through at that fateful weekend getaway.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with pretty great characters. I enjoyed the medieval aspect of the book as well. I just can’t say I like this book for the mystery thriller it is being marketed as. Would I recommend this book? Yes, as long as you know going in that it is more on the entertaining side than the thriller/mystery side. I am giving this book a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and M.A. Bennett for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
While I did enjoy STAGS, I did have some issues with it. First off, the pacing was really, really slow. It took a really long time for much of anything to happen. I can’t say I was bored though. I don’t always mind a slow pace.
My second issue with this book was the lack of tension. STAGS was being marketed as a thriller and a mystery and I just don’t agree with that. We were let in on information in the very first chapter that I would have liked to figure out as a reader rather than have been told. I really think this made the book less exciting. I really like books that have mystery and the tension builds as we as the reader work to figure out what is going on. This book lacked both mysteriousness and tension.
What I did like about this book was the array of characters. We have the Medievals who are a group of elite students. Everyone wants to be them. They are the ones who throw this weekend getaway for the misfits of the school. I really liked each of these individual characters. They each had their own personalities. I also really enjoyed how the misfits came together at the end and retained a friendship for what they had been through at that fateful weekend getaway.
Overall, this was an entertaining read with pretty great characters. I enjoyed the medieval aspect of the book as well. I just can’t say I like this book for the mystery thriller it is being marketed as. Would I recommend this book? Yes, as long as you know going in that it is more on the entertaining side than the thriller/mystery side. I am giving this book a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and M.A. Bennett for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Warnings: racism, bullying, attempted murder
A thriller surrounding a secret society in a boarding school? I was so into the concept. Now, technically I had assumed it was a secret society before starting the book but it turns out it was not exactly secret, just exclusive. Three outcasts in a very old boarding school discover hazing in a whole new form when they agree to a weekend of "Huntin' Shootin' Fishin'" with the Medievals, the school's most popular sixsome who have a cult-like status. Greer has always flown under the radar when it comes to the school; she is a scholarship kid who has been friendless for a half-term, and when she gets an opportunity to be included she is ecstatic about it. It also helps that the invitation comes from Henry McWhatshisname (I am not going to bother), who is like the hottest white guy over there. Over the weekend, though, the Medieval's ambiguous bullying gets more and more shady. .
Now, firstly, and very rightly, you would question why would three kids even agree to such a thing, when, by all appearances it looks like a trap to haze them. Well, when you have a isolated school full of kids who would rather ignore you, any attention seems worthwhile. And Greer is also enchanted by the old money vibe and the aristrocratic trappings of these Medievals, who eschew nearly everything modern and call it 'Savage', (Personally, I feel very conflicted about the use of that word in the book considering the colonial undertones behind the word) and most of the school also gets drawn into the same attitude. She is accompanied by Chanel, aka Nel, a rich girl whose 'new money' status keeps her out, and Shafeen, an Indian student who is, well, bullied for simply being brown, despite being as elite as the rest of the Medievals.
The three of them are simultaneously charmed and bullied in a manner they can't exactly pinpoint, which leads to Greer being practically oblivious at first. She is much more charmed by Henry and since this is narrated in a retrospective first-person, you see her berating her own self and passing snarky comments throughout the book. As the weekend gets progressively darker, so does the tension mount. They are essentially trapped in a remote manor, with no one around for miles who is not under Henry's family pay, and have to be very careful to not let the Medievals know what they know. By the time I had arrived near the climax, my anxiety levels were high, and I was so afraid for these three! The ending gives a nice twist - that's all I am going to say without spoilers - and I can see this being an excellent thriller movie. Whether it was a cliffhanger or not, well, that is not clear at the moment, but even if it is, that was one awesome ending.
The one thing I was annoyed by was how stupid Greer was at times - yes, she is a teen but come on, Henry was being awful right in front of her rose-tinted eyes, and she still was making excuses for him. Even after seeing the light (and proof in the dead of the night), she is second-guessing things and thinking there is a more friendly way to deal with things. Additionally, she kind of gives away what happens at the end in the first chapter itself, so it takes the mystery out of the equation and only leaves you with mounting dread and tension. I would have much preferred the mystery to also be a part of the plot, but oh well, it was written in a retrospective manner. Overall, a short fast-paced thriller that you can devour in one sitting!
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
A thriller surrounding a secret society in a boarding school? I was so into the concept. Now, technically I had assumed it was a secret society before starting the book but it turns out it was not exactly secret, just exclusive. Three outcasts in a very old boarding school discover hazing in a whole new form when they agree to a weekend of "Huntin' Shootin' Fishin'" with the Medievals, the school's most popular sixsome who have a cult-like status. Greer has always flown under the radar when it comes to the school; she is a scholarship kid who has been friendless for a half-term, and when she gets an opportunity to be included she is ecstatic about it. It also helps that the invitation comes from Henry McWhatshisname (I am not going to bother), who is like the hottest white guy over there. Over the weekend, though, the Medieval's ambiguous bullying gets more and more shady. .
Now, firstly, and very rightly, you would question why would three kids even agree to such a thing, when, by all appearances it looks like a trap to haze them. Well, when you have a isolated school full of kids who would rather ignore you, any attention seems worthwhile. And Greer is also enchanted by the old money vibe and the aristrocratic trappings of these Medievals, who eschew nearly everything modern and call it 'Savage', (Personally, I feel very conflicted about the use of that word in the book considering the colonial undertones behind the word) and most of the school also gets drawn into the same attitude. She is accompanied by Chanel, aka Nel, a rich girl whose 'new money' status keeps her out, and Shafeen, an Indian student who is, well, bullied for simply being brown, despite being as elite as the rest of the Medievals.
The three of them are simultaneously charmed and bullied in a manner they can't exactly pinpoint, which leads to Greer being practically oblivious at first. She is much more charmed by Henry and since this is narrated in a retrospective first-person, you see her berating her own self and passing snarky comments throughout the book. As the weekend gets progressively darker, so does the tension mount. They are essentially trapped in a remote manor, with no one around for miles who is not under Henry's family pay, and have to be very careful to not let the Medievals know what they know. By the time I had arrived near the climax, my anxiety levels were high, and I was so afraid for these three! The ending gives a nice twist - that's all I am going to say without spoilers - and I can see this being an excellent thriller movie. Whether it was a cliffhanger or not, well, that is not clear at the moment, but even if it is, that was one awesome ending.
The one thing I was annoyed by was how stupid Greer was at times - yes, she is a teen but come on, Henry was being awful right in front of her rose-tinted eyes, and she still was making excuses for him. Even after seeing the light (and proof in the dead of the night), she is second-guessing things and thinking there is a more friendly way to deal with things. Additionally, she kind of gives away what happens at the end in the first chapter itself, so it takes the mystery out of the equation and only leaves you with mounting dread and tension. I would have much preferred the mystery to also be a part of the plot, but oh well, it was written in a retrospective manner. Overall, a short fast-paced thriller that you can devour in one sitting!
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
STAGS is a boarding school for the wealthy elite. Greer is admitted on a scholarship, whereas most other students at the school have had generations of attendees in their families. When Greer and two other new/outcast students are invited for a weekend of "Huntin'. Shootin'. Fishin'" with the Medievals (the elite clique of students at the school), she is warned against going by a former friend, but ultimately decides to go, seeing it as a chance to finally make friends and be accepted. What occurs instead is a weekend of veiled bullying and the thrill of the chase.
I honestly feel that this is one of the better YA thrillers I have read lately. That being said, though, the book certainly has its flaws. However, regarding the genre, I thought M.A. Bennett did a terrific job of setting up a bit of background for the Medievals by showing them flaunting their personal family lineage back to the crusades in class and even around the dinner table. Their shady words alluding to hatred of outsiders was a first clue as to their true motives. However, their talk is so flowery and conversation so natural that who would really think that there was a threat present? Nel just wants to make friends, Greer wants conversation, and Shafeen wants to stand up for himself.
The setting in a boarding school and then a large family estate on the moors of Northumberland was also perfect. Beautiful, yet ominous and eerie...much like the Medievals themselves. I could just imagine mists and fog and these elite teenagers showing off their knowledge of "huntin', shootin', and fishin'" to the outcasts who had never or who had hardly been exposed to that before. It truly was another world for the three outsiders, or "Savages" as they came to be called. The author's descriptions were just wonderful and added an extra dimension of creep factor.
Despite the good in the book, I will admit that I never felt fully invested or connected in the main characters. I cared for them, yes, but I was preoccupied with the bigger picture in the book. Greer is a teenage narrator who really reads like a teenager. She is constantly referencing movies--which I didn't mind much, and it sort of made sense since her father makes films--and jumping around in her telling of the story ("But that was not nearly as bad as what was to happen next," etc.). I could do without that. I felt that some of the descriptions were too drawn out and the action too underplayed. I wanted a bit more out of those.
And of course, the ending. I like the concept and how the book wrapped up. Certain aspects I saw coming, while others were a nice touch. If ever there was a book that should be a movie, its this one. I can absolutely see this as a screenplay and I would definitely go see it.
I honestly feel that this is one of the better YA thrillers I have read lately. That being said, though, the book certainly has its flaws. However, regarding the genre, I thought M.A. Bennett did a terrific job of setting up a bit of background for the Medievals by showing them flaunting their personal family lineage back to the crusades in class and even around the dinner table. Their shady words alluding to hatred of outsiders was a first clue as to their true motives. However, their talk is so flowery and conversation so natural that who would really think that there was a threat present? Nel just wants to make friends, Greer wants conversation, and Shafeen wants to stand up for himself.
The setting in a boarding school and then a large family estate on the moors of Northumberland was also perfect. Beautiful, yet ominous and eerie...much like the Medievals themselves. I could just imagine mists and fog and these elite teenagers showing off their knowledge of "huntin', shootin', and fishin'" to the outcasts who had never or who had hardly been exposed to that before. It truly was another world for the three outsiders, or "Savages" as they came to be called. The author's descriptions were just wonderful and added an extra dimension of creep factor.
Despite the good in the book, I will admit that I never felt fully invested or connected in the main characters. I cared for them, yes, but I was preoccupied with the bigger picture in the book. Greer is a teenage narrator who really reads like a teenager. She is constantly referencing movies--which I didn't mind much, and it sort of made sense since her father makes films--and jumping around in her telling of the story ("But that was not nearly as bad as what was to happen next," etc.). I could do without that. I felt that some of the descriptions were too drawn out and the action too underplayed. I wanted a bit more out of those.
And of course, the ending. I like the concept and how the book wrapped up. Certain aspects I saw coming, while others were a nice touch. If ever there was a book that should be a movie, its this one. I can absolutely see this as a screenplay and I would definitely go see it.
Holy fucking shit.
I expected to give this a two star rating at most, but, boy, was I pleasantly surprised. One of things I loved the most about this book was the narration-the tone was so conversational, intimate even, that it felt like Greer was sitting right next to me, telling me about this terrible misadventure on that horrible weekend in the haunting, sprawling expanse of Long Cross.
At so many points during the book, I’d wanted to grab Greer by the shoulders, shake her, shout at her for allowing herself to be enamoured with Henry and all his charm and privilege, but I can’t help but wonder, would I have fallen for it too? Aren’t we all just a little bit curious about people who cut such impeccable, put together figures with seemingly endless luxuries at their disposal? Wouldn’t we get just a little carried away when offered a glimpse of their world?
All I could think of while reading that scene when Greer was confronting Henry at the top of the waterfall was: ‘privilege corrupts’ However, I started thinking about whether privilege was obtained by corruption- along with a sense of superiority- and sustained by it or were corruption and entitlement spurred by a lifetime, a heritage, of privilege? It’s quite the ‘ the chicken or the egg’ situation.
Now, I knew the cult-ish group of rich white kids were up to some extremely shady shit. For who more could be crueler that they, who had almost every privilege possible in the world? But, I didn’t expect that they’d be members of AN ACTUAL FUCKING CULT. HOLY HELL I WAS FLOORED. ABSOLUTELY FLOORED.
“The game book had said: ‘The Grand Master, Rollo de Warlencourt’.
Friar Skelton had said Hannibal didn’t wage war with elephants.
He waged war, with elephants.
Friar Skelton had said the placement of commas was crucial; they gave the same sentence two different meanings.
Henry’s last words had been: ‘The Order will go on, even without me.’ “
The build up? The little clues? It was so well executed, and all these details were mentioned so casually that they went completely in over my head.
On to our ‘Savages’, while I did think Greer was an idiot at times, I still liked her a lot. She felt very real, in a sense. I loved her constant film references, and I related to how she felt the overwhelming urge to fit in with the medievals while still maintaining her own unique identity.
I, personally, thought Nel could’ve been fleshed out just a little bit more, but I still liked that she always made sure to contribute as much as Greer and Shafeen. I also loved seeing her embrace her glitzy, new money aesthetic.
Shafeen was my absolute favourite character-I can absolutely see my self befriending him, for real. He wasn’t willing to take anyone’s racist bullshit and seemed to be quite aware of his class privilege while proving to be incredibly intelligent and well articulated. I loved all the scenes involving him so much.
Also, I appreciated that the romance between him and Greer wasn’t a big deal and never overshadowed the plot. Like it was just a ‘thing’ that happened, but obviously wasn’t the focus of the story. I do think they’re cute together, though.
However, to be completely honest, my rating is fuelled strongly by enjoyment. There were so many cringy lines and moments scattered around that made me roll my eyes-hence the the star I’d knocked off the rating.
Another thing I should mention is, this would make a really great movie? I could almost see what it would look like at some points. For instance, the scene when Greer, Shafeen and Nel were in the library looking at the game books. Nel and Greer in their fancy gowns and Shafeen wrapped in a bathrobe, their faces illuminated by a phone’s flashlight as they conspiratorially whispered among themselves.
I expected to give this a two star rating at most, but, boy, was I pleasantly surprised. One of things I loved the most about this book was the narration-the tone was so conversational, intimate even, that it felt like Greer was sitting right next to me, telling me about this terrible misadventure on that horrible weekend in the haunting, sprawling expanse of Long Cross.
At so many points during the book, I’d wanted to grab Greer by the shoulders, shake her, shout at her for allowing herself to be enamoured with Henry and all his charm and privilege, but I can’t help but wonder, would I have fallen for it too? Aren’t we all just a little bit curious about people who cut such impeccable, put together figures with seemingly endless luxuries at their disposal? Wouldn’t we get just a little carried away when offered a glimpse of their world?
All I could think of while reading that scene when Greer was confronting Henry at the top of the waterfall was: ‘privilege corrupts’ However, I started thinking about whether privilege was obtained by corruption- along with a sense of superiority- and sustained by it or were corruption and entitlement spurred by a lifetime, a heritage, of privilege? It’s quite the ‘ the chicken or the egg’ situation.
Now, I knew the cult-ish group of rich white kids were up to some extremely shady shit. For who more could be crueler that they, who had almost every privilege possible in the world? But, I didn’t expect that they’d be members of AN ACTUAL FUCKING CULT. HOLY HELL I WAS FLOORED. ABSOLUTELY FLOORED.
“The game book had said: ‘The Grand Master, Rollo de Warlencourt’.
Friar Skelton had said Hannibal didn’t wage war with elephants.
He waged war, with elephants.
Friar Skelton had said the placement of commas was crucial; they gave the same sentence two different meanings.
Henry’s last words had been: ‘The Order will go on, even without me.’ “
The build up? The little clues? It was so well executed, and all these details were mentioned so casually that they went completely in over my head.
On to our ‘Savages’, while I did think Greer was an idiot at times, I still liked her a lot. She felt very real, in a sense. I loved her constant film references, and I related to how she felt the overwhelming urge to fit in with the medievals while still maintaining her own unique identity.
I, personally, thought Nel could’ve been fleshed out just a little bit more, but I still liked that she always made sure to contribute as much as Greer and Shafeen. I also loved seeing her embrace her glitzy, new money aesthetic.
Shafeen was my absolute favourite character-I can absolutely see my self befriending him, for real. He wasn’t willing to take anyone’s racist bullshit and seemed to be quite aware of his class privilege while proving to be incredibly intelligent and well articulated. I loved all the scenes involving him so much.
Also, I appreciated that the romance between him and Greer wasn’t a big deal and never overshadowed the plot. Like it was just a ‘thing’ that happened, but obviously wasn’t the focus of the story. I do think they’re cute together, though.
However, to be completely honest, my rating is fuelled strongly by enjoyment. There were so many cringy lines and moments scattered around that made me roll my eyes-hence the the star I’d knocked off the rating.
Another thing I should mention is, this would make a really great movie? I could almost see what it would look like at some points. For instance, the scene when Greer, Shafeen and Nel were in the library looking at the game books. Nel and Greer in their fancy gowns and Shafeen wrapped in a bathrobe, their faces illuminated by a phone’s flashlight as they conspiratorially whispered among themselves.
this was so good it might even be a 4.5
look!!! the average rating for this is 3.5 stars so i didn't expect to like this AT ALL but i was positively surprised!!
i loved almost everything about this. from the atmosphere to the characters to the plot, (almost) everything was SO well done. this low key gave me some dark academia vibes? rich white kids being manipulating assholes with a hint of murder and death? sign me the fuck up. when the entire plot took a drastic turn from weird but harmless to MURDER and BLOOD and CREEPY it just completely captivated me!! it was one of those magical reads where you're just so invested in the story that you can't stop reading.
what was also an interesting topic in this wasn't only privilege in general but also the author's take on technology?? this won't make any sense unless you read the book but it was actually really nice?
i know this review is a mess but if you're interested in YA thrillers and privileged private school kids somewhere in england then u should read this.
(the only thing that i really didn't like was the main character's definition of feminism — every time she showed interest in a guy she was like 'oh shit lmao my inner feminist doesn't aporove!' @ herself like ???? uh)
look!!! the average rating for this is 3.5 stars so i didn't expect to like this AT ALL but i was positively surprised!!
i loved almost everything about this. from the atmosphere to the characters to the plot, (almost) everything was SO well done. this low key gave me some dark academia vibes? rich white kids being manipulating assholes with a hint of murder and death? sign me the fuck up. when the entire plot took a drastic turn from weird but harmless to MURDER and BLOOD and CREEPY it just completely captivated me!! it was one of those magical reads where you're just so invested in the story that you can't stop reading.
what was also an interesting topic in this wasn't only privilege in general but also the author's take on technology?? this won't make any sense unless you read the book but it was actually really nice?
i know this review is a mess but if you're interested in YA thrillers and privileged private school kids somewhere in england then u should read this.
(the only thing that i really didn't like was the main character's definition of feminism — every time she showed interest in a guy she was like 'oh shit lmao my inner feminist doesn't aporove!' @ herself like ???? uh)
Great story, really enjoyed it, more so than most books I've read in the past few months.
I thought this book would be very much like The Hunger Games, but it was certainly less gory, and whole lot more subtle in its telling, and set entirely in this world.
Unravelling the mystery of what was going on was great fun, and the plot twist ending was great, but I did have a few niggles.
I wanted a bit more detail in the ending, maybe some sense of justice taken out on those who were behind the hunting trips, and maybe more detail on how the victims coped afterwards. I can see why it wasn't done, as this was written in the POV of a 16 year old, so I'm fine with it, though I do wish there'd been slightly more to it.
That being said, I did enjoy the story, and the characters, and especially the movie references throughout. Overall, a good book, with solid story telling and plot!
I thought this book would be very much like The Hunger Games, but it was certainly less gory, and whole lot more subtle in its telling, and set entirely in this world.
Unravelling the mystery of what was going on was great fun, and the plot twist ending was great, but I did have a few niggles.
I wanted a bit more detail in the ending, maybe some sense of justice taken out on those who were behind the hunting trips, and maybe more detail on how the victims coped afterwards. I can see why it wasn't done, as this was written in the POV of a 16 year old, so I'm fine with it, though I do wish there'd been slightly more to it.
That being said, I did enjoy the story, and the characters, and especially the movie references throughout. Overall, a good book, with solid story telling and plot!
This was unexpectedly good. It’s like a YA version of the Secret History in its setting and atmospheric quality, but the plot is incredibly original and fast-paced. The narrator’s voice is so engaging, and she often breaks the fourth wall to make a casual aside that’s always amusing and humorous. The side characters all had depth. It was exciting and thrilling, and that ending was
The first half was absolutely amazing, but by the end my attention was wavering. Full review coming soon.
EDIT 15/06/2018:
'I think I might be a murderer. Although, as I didn't mean to kill, I suppose it was manslaughter, so technically I would be a 'manslaughterer', although I don't think that's a word.'
I finished S.T.A.G.S way back towards the end of April, but it's almost impossible to find the time to review the books which I'm reading at the moment. (Blah blah blah, insert something about juggling a baby and a job.) That's why it's taken me so much time to start work on this review. Such a long amount of time, in fact, that I've actually dropped my rating from 4 stars down to 3 stars, because I can no longer remember exactly what it was that charmed me so much about S.T.A.G.S in the first place.
Split into three sections - huntin', shootin' and fishin' - S.T.A.G.S follows scholarship girl Greer into the exclusive world of the Medievals, a gang of prefects who rule her school. Greer gets invited to a weekend at head Medieval Henry's house, and she believes they're giving her a chance to finally fit in, but the truth of the matter is far darker than that. The other two invitees, Chanel and Shafeen, are openly ridiculed and hated by the Medievals, and the only reason that they're all invited is so that they can do huntin' shootin' fishin' on more than just animals...
The first half of S.T.A.G.S is absolutely brilliant. The pacing, the setting, the characters: it all falls into place, dragging you into the world of the Medievals and making you yearn along with Greer to be a part of their gang. Henry seems like the stereotypical posh player, but you want to believe that he has a soft heart underneath all of the swagger. You want them to be knocked down a peg or too, but you also begin to think that they really might be untouchable.
But then things begin to change. Somewhere between huntin' and shootin', my attention began to waver. It might have been because I read the majority of this book in one sitting, but suddenly Greer's constant film references began feeling tedious rather than quirky. The plot seemed predictable - of course it would, with the approaching murder foreshadowed in the first sentence and taking a painfully long time to arrive - and I couldn't muster the energy to care anymore.
When I eventually reached the end I think I was more excited about finishing the book than the events which occurred, which is why I rated the book so highly in the first place. Looking back I feel fondly towards the first half of the novel, but something about the shift in pacing and the slow reveal makes it impossible for me to keep such a high rating in place.
I'm going to read M.A. Bennett's second novel, The Island, because she has an intriguing writing style that lends itself well to thriller writing, but S.T.A.G.S just isn't the greatest way of exercising that skill. Hopefully Bennett's second novel will give her a chance to balance things more equally, and a bit less foreshadowing will keep the reader guessing rather than revealing her hand far too early.
Based off of the ending there's a good chance that S.T.A.G.S will get a sequel, something which I'm actually hoping for. It would be great to revisit these characters and see how Bennett develops the world.
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.
EDIT 15/06/2018:
'I think I might be a murderer. Although, as I didn't mean to kill, I suppose it was manslaughter, so technically I would be a 'manslaughterer', although I don't think that's a word.'
I finished S.T.A.G.S way back towards the end of April, but it's almost impossible to find the time to review the books which I'm reading at the moment. (Blah blah blah, insert something about juggling a baby and a job.) That's why it's taken me so much time to start work on this review. Such a long amount of time, in fact, that I've actually dropped my rating from 4 stars down to 3 stars, because I can no longer remember exactly what it was that charmed me so much about S.T.A.G.S in the first place.
Split into three sections - huntin', shootin' and fishin' - S.T.A.G.S follows scholarship girl Greer into the exclusive world of the Medievals, a gang of prefects who rule her school. Greer gets invited to a weekend at head Medieval Henry's house, and she believes they're giving her a chance to finally fit in, but the truth of the matter is far darker than that. The other two invitees, Chanel and Shafeen, are openly ridiculed and hated by the Medievals, and the only reason that they're all invited is so that they can do huntin' shootin' fishin' on more than just animals...
The first half of S.T.A.G.S is absolutely brilliant. The pacing, the setting, the characters: it all falls into place, dragging you into the world of the Medievals and making you yearn along with Greer to be a part of their gang. Henry seems like the stereotypical posh player, but you want to believe that he has a soft heart underneath all of the swagger. You want them to be knocked down a peg or too, but you also begin to think that they really might be untouchable.
But then things begin to change. Somewhere between huntin' and shootin', my attention began to waver. It might have been because I read the majority of this book in one sitting, but suddenly Greer's constant film references began feeling tedious rather than quirky. The plot seemed predictable - of course it would, with the approaching murder foreshadowed in the first sentence and taking a painfully long time to arrive - and I couldn't muster the energy to care anymore.
When I eventually reached the end I think I was more excited about finishing the book than the events which occurred, which is why I rated the book so highly in the first place. Looking back I feel fondly towards the first half of the novel, but something about the shift in pacing and the slow reveal makes it impossible for me to keep such a high rating in place.
I'm going to read M.A. Bennett's second novel, The Island, because she has an intriguing writing style that lends itself well to thriller writing, but S.T.A.G.S just isn't the greatest way of exercising that skill. Hopefully Bennett's second novel will give her a chance to balance things more equally, and a bit less foreshadowing will keep the reader guessing rather than revealing her hand far too early.
Based off of the ending there's a good chance that S.T.A.G.S will get a sequel, something which I'm actually hoping for. It would be great to revisit these characters and see how Bennett develops the world.
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.
This book is the definition of boredom. I can't believe I finished it even though i liked nothing about, not a thing.
I could've reread [b:13 Minutes|26842622|13 Minutes|Sarah Pinborough|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443998343s/26842622.jpg|46877233] or [b:Little Monsters|32320750|Little Monsters|Kara Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475850088s/32320750.jpg|52952419] or [b:We Were Liars|16143347|We Were Liars|E. Lockhart|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402749479s/16143347.jpg|21975829] and i would had a very good time but instead i chose this book and it ended up being one brutal exhausting and totally disappointing reading experience that bored the feelings out of me.
Full review now posted
Hate is a strong word. I don’t use very often in my life, I don’t think I’ve ever used at all when talking about books, except maybe once and I don’t like to use it at all. But [b:S.T.A.G.S|35154365|S.T.A.G.S|M.A. Bennett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494944813s/35154365.jpg|56480955] brought out that emotion in spades and I hated every single moment of this miserable nightmarish experience. If I could take away the memories of reading this book out of me, I would. I hated it that much.
So is this going to be a decent review? No chance in hell. this is going to be filled with me ranting and saying things that’s not going to make any sense because I’m so angry that I wasted my time with this thing that I can’t think straight. Another thing, I’m not going to be using the characters names in this review because I remember them not and I’m not interested in going back to the book and rediscover their names so I will be using the good guys and the bad guys so I won’t spoil anything for you.
So let’s start my ranting by saying that if you’re looking for your next young adult thriller then get out of here as fast of you can because nothing about this book is thrilling and if you think you’re getting into a survival story with guts and stakes then well there’s survival arc alright but it’s so underwhelming and badly executed that if leaves nothing to be desired. I assure you you’ll have a greater time with books like [b:We Were Liars|16143347|We Were Liars|E. Lockhart|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402749479s/16143347.jpg|21975829], [b:13 Minutes|26842622|13 Minutes|Sarah Pinborough|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443998343s/26842622.jpg|46877233] and [b:Little Monsters|32320750|Little Monsters|Kara Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475850088s/32320750.jpg|52952419]. These three boos are mysterious, atmospheric and disturbing in a way this book wasn’t.
So let’s now move on to the things that I’m salty about with this book. S.T.A.G.S was in the front of my mind since it was released and I decided that I’ll be reading it for sure. Famous yet ambiguous boarding school, people with hidden agendas and a survival story with a spooky nature, that’s what I thought the story has to offer. But now that I’ve read this book, I’d like to go back in time to my former self and shake her into submission so she won’t read the book and I won’t be writing this review right now. But ALAS, regret is no help for me. I’m telling you guys that writing these types of reviews is no fun at all. It’s draining all the positive energy and making me exhausted but we all gotta do what we gotta do.
The story has a promise and a potential, I’ll give it that but it was soon slaughtered with those long descriptive passages that did nothing but annoy and bore me to death. I mean the story is less than 300 pages and for most of the times I’m stuck inside that heroine head while she’s describing everything her eyes lay upon. I know that the bad guys live in luxury like royals but do we really need to hear about that every single chapter. I hate long descriptive passages especially when they offer nothing to the plot and with this book, not only they were repetitive and boring but it also took space that could’ve been given to more character and plot development.
Speaking of plot, it was so underdeveloped and so predictable that I felt like I was drowning in all the nonsense going on. I understand that the story strived to be creepy and disturbing and twisted but for me it was all ridiculous and unbelievable.
The lack of suspense and stakes also killed my intrigue and my interest faster than quicksilver. Right from the start, we know who the bad guys are and who the good ones are. We know a murder took place, we know who was the victim and the identity of the killers. We knew everything so it’s all about how we get there and I was actually looking forward to it but the it all become clear for me and to be honest, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where the story is headed every single chapter and how it’s going to turn out. It felt like the story lacked all the crazy elements that my favorite thrillers tend to exploit very well in crafting an engaging story that leaves no room for boredom or predictability.
And even the survival aspect of the story was written in a poor way. The good guys didn’t survive because they were bloody tough and know how to handle themselves in the midst of dangerous situation; the truth is that they were manipulated into thinking that they survived due to that. For me, it was a stroke of lack that one of the good ones happens to have a very valuable item in her possession that they used to their advantage. Without that item, they would’ve been toast.
And speaking of the characters, I didn’t like any single one of them. Let’s start with the villains. They are not written in a way that makes them fascinating or interesting. They do all of these things that are evil but for what reasons, where’s the motivation that can convince me that these should be really considered great villains. For me, it was so ridiculous and weird and didn’t feel that well thought out.
The good ones weren’t that better. Their characters were flat and one dimensional and didn’t peak my interest for a second. But let’s just say that the main female character is the worst of them all. She was dull, stupid and easily manipulated. Like what the hell was she thinking most of times, behaving that way even though it was abundantly clear that something is wrong with the students that invited them. No, she actually doesn’t care about that, not when the main villain is so handsome and his eyes are so deep and beautiful and he makes her feel so pretty. I mean what she is doing for heaven’s sake. She knew how bad he was and she has a very solid proof on all the horrible things he’s done but he’s actually look pretty good and concerned so to hell with all the dirt she has on him. He can’t be possible that bad and that handsome, can he now. I swear that girl has the intelligence of an empty chair. And to see her disregard her friends worries for him and putting their lives in danger because she’s just that infatuated with him. I can’t even with her. I just can’t
But you know, if I have to mention a one thing that didn’t suck that much, it’d probably be the ending. If the book had the same vibe and intrigue of that final chapter, you would be looking at my next favorite young adult thriller but instead here we are.
I could've reread [b:13 Minutes|26842622|13 Minutes|Sarah Pinborough|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443998343s/26842622.jpg|46877233] or [b:Little Monsters|32320750|Little Monsters|Kara Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475850088s/32320750.jpg|52952419] or [b:We Were Liars|16143347|We Were Liars|E. Lockhart|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402749479s/16143347.jpg|21975829] and i would had a very good time but instead i chose this book and it ended up being one brutal exhausting and totally disappointing reading experience that bored the feelings out of me.
Full review now posted
Hate is a strong word. I don’t use very often in my life, I don’t think I’ve ever used at all when talking about books, except maybe once and I don’t like to use it at all. But [b:S.T.A.G.S|35154365|S.T.A.G.S|M.A. Bennett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494944813s/35154365.jpg|56480955] brought out that emotion in spades and I hated every single moment of this miserable nightmarish experience. If I could take away the memories of reading this book out of me, I would. I hated it that much.
So is this going to be a decent review? No chance in hell. this is going to be filled with me ranting and saying things that’s not going to make any sense because I’m so angry that I wasted my time with this thing that I can’t think straight. Another thing, I’m not going to be using the characters names in this review because I remember them not and I’m not interested in going back to the book and rediscover their names so I will be using the good guys and the bad guys so I won’t spoil anything for you.
So let’s start my ranting by saying that if you’re looking for your next young adult thriller then get out of here as fast of you can because nothing about this book is thrilling and if you think you’re getting into a survival story with guts and stakes then well there’s survival arc alright but it’s so underwhelming and badly executed that if leaves nothing to be desired. I assure you you’ll have a greater time with books like [b:We Were Liars|16143347|We Were Liars|E. Lockhart|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402749479s/16143347.jpg|21975829], [b:13 Minutes|26842622|13 Minutes|Sarah Pinborough|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443998343s/26842622.jpg|46877233] and [b:Little Monsters|32320750|Little Monsters|Kara Thomas|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475850088s/32320750.jpg|52952419]. These three boos are mysterious, atmospheric and disturbing in a way this book wasn’t.
So let’s now move on to the things that I’m salty about with this book. S.T.A.G.S was in the front of my mind since it was released and I decided that I’ll be reading it for sure. Famous yet ambiguous boarding school, people with hidden agendas and a survival story with a spooky nature, that’s what I thought the story has to offer. But now that I’ve read this book, I’d like to go back in time to my former self and shake her into submission so she won’t read the book and I won’t be writing this review right now. But ALAS, regret is no help for me. I’m telling you guys that writing these types of reviews is no fun at all. It’s draining all the positive energy and making me exhausted but we all gotta do what we gotta do.
The story has a promise and a potential, I’ll give it that but it was soon slaughtered with those long descriptive passages that did nothing but annoy and bore me to death. I mean the story is less than 300 pages and for most of the times I’m stuck inside that heroine head while she’s describing everything her eyes lay upon. I know that the bad guys live in luxury like royals but do we really need to hear about that every single chapter. I hate long descriptive passages especially when they offer nothing to the plot and with this book, not only they were repetitive and boring but it also took space that could’ve been given to more character and plot development.
Speaking of plot, it was so underdeveloped and so predictable that I felt like I was drowning in all the nonsense going on. I understand that the story strived to be creepy and disturbing and twisted but for me it was all ridiculous and unbelievable.
The lack of suspense and stakes also killed my intrigue and my interest faster than quicksilver. Right from the start, we know who the bad guys are and who the good ones are. We know a murder took place, we know who was the victim and the identity of the killers. We knew everything so it’s all about how we get there and I was actually looking forward to it but the it all become clear for me and to be honest, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where the story is headed every single chapter and how it’s going to turn out. It felt like the story lacked all the crazy elements that my favorite thrillers tend to exploit very well in crafting an engaging story that leaves no room for boredom or predictability.
And even the survival aspect of the story was written in a poor way. The good guys didn’t survive because they were bloody tough and know how to handle themselves in the midst of dangerous situation; the truth is that they were manipulated into thinking that they survived due to that. For me, it was a stroke of lack that one of the good ones happens to have a very valuable item in her possession that they used to their advantage. Without that item, they would’ve been toast.
And speaking of the characters, I didn’t like any single one of them. Let’s start with the villains. They are not written in a way that makes them fascinating or interesting. They do all of these things that are evil but for what reasons, where’s the motivation that can convince me that these should be really considered great villains. For me, it was so ridiculous and weird and didn’t feel that well thought out.
The good ones weren’t that better. Their characters were flat and one dimensional and didn’t peak my interest for a second. But let’s just say that the main female character is the worst of them all. She was dull, stupid and easily manipulated. Like what the hell was she thinking most of times, behaving that way even though it was abundantly clear that something is wrong with the students that invited them. No, she actually doesn’t care about that, not when the main villain is so handsome and his eyes are so deep and beautiful and he makes her feel so pretty. I mean what she is doing for heaven’s sake. She knew how bad he was and she has a very solid proof on all the horrible things he’s done but he’s actually look pretty good and concerned so to hell with all the dirt she has on him. He can’t be possible that bad and that handsome, can he now. I swear that girl has the intelligence of an empty chair. And to see her disregard her friends worries for him and putting their lives in danger because she’s just that infatuated with him. I can’t even with her. I just can’t
But you know, if I have to mention a one thing that didn’t suck that much, it’d probably be the ending. If the book had the same vibe and intrigue of that final chapter, you would be looking at my next favorite young adult thriller but instead here we are.