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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Let it be said that there are very few main characters I dislike more than Greer.
I mean, the concept for S.T.A.G.S. had me. Three unpopular private school kids – disliked for their race or financial background – are invited to hang out with the social elite for the holidays to participate in a spot of huntin’, shootin’ and fishin’. They hadn’t bargained on the long weekend of blood sports turning deadly.
So basically, when it’s phrased like that, it’s looking a lot like Lord of the Flies meets the Hunger Games – WICKED.
If this story had been told from any other character’s perspective: Shafeen, the rich, gently spoken Indian royalty or Chanel, the girl who’s newly come into money following her father’s invention of a popular phone, I can’t help but feel I’d think much more favourably of S.T.A.G.S. But instead we’re stuck with the first-person perspective of fuckin’ Greer, who speaks solely in put downs, misunderstood feminism and references to movies. I don’t like pop cultural references in books on a good day, and that’s her ENTIRE personality. I mean, she talks about “vines of people dabbing” – this book came out after Vine closed, so it was dated before it even hit the stores!
Her chemistry with her romantic interests is pretty well non-existent because I found it downright unfeasible any person would fancy her. I just… really hate Greer, you guys.
It’s a shame because otherwise the book isn’t bad for a debut. The story is fairly engaging and though the ending was a bit poorly executed (how the protagonists figured out the conclusion took rather more suspension of disbelief than I would have liked), it was a good idea. The climax is intense and did, to be fair, hook me. Shafeen, Chanel and the aforementioned popular kids are all interesting characters so it’s not like M.A. Bennett can’t characterise.
It’s just that
I
Really
Hate
Greer.
I mean, the concept for S.T.A.G.S. had me. Three unpopular private school kids – disliked for their race or financial background – are invited to hang out with the social elite for the holidays to participate in a spot of huntin’, shootin’ and fishin’. They hadn’t bargained on the long weekend of blood sports turning deadly.
So basically, when it’s phrased like that, it’s looking a lot like Lord of the Flies meets the Hunger Games – WICKED.
If this story had been told from any other character’s perspective: Shafeen, the rich, gently spoken Indian royalty or Chanel, the girl who’s newly come into money following her father’s invention of a popular phone, I can’t help but feel I’d think much more favourably of S.T.A.G.S. But instead we’re stuck with the first-person perspective of fuckin’ Greer, who speaks solely in put downs, misunderstood feminism and references to movies. I don’t like pop cultural references in books on a good day, and that’s her ENTIRE personality. I mean, she talks about “vines of people dabbing” – this book came out after Vine closed, so it was dated before it even hit the stores!
Her chemistry with her romantic interests is pretty well non-existent because I found it downright unfeasible any person would fancy her. I just… really hate Greer, you guys.
It’s a shame because otherwise the book isn’t bad for a debut. The story is fairly engaging and though the ending was a bit poorly executed (how the protagonists figured out the conclusion took rather more suspension of disbelief than I would have liked), it was a good idea. The climax is intense and did, to be fair, hook me. Shafeen, Chanel and the aforementioned popular kids are all interesting characters so it’s not like M.A. Bennett can’t characterise.
It’s just that
I
Really
Hate
Greer.
I have received a free e-ARC copy of this book from NetGalley. Many thanks to them and Hot Key Books for giving me the opportunity to read it in advance.
St. Aidan the Great is a boarding school more commonly known as S.T.A.G.S to its pupils, each one coming from a more privileged family than the other with the exception of the narrator, Greer MacDonald. She enters the school on a scholarship and right from the star, the story provides a gripping start as Greer suggests she may be a murderer.
It's an impressive novel which I enjoyed reading. I admit that initially, it was a bit difficult for me to get drawn into the book to the extent I'd read it in one sitting but on the other hand, I'm glad that wasn't the case. In retrospect, it allowed me to enjoy it even more, particularly the setting M.A. Bennett has created - the incredibly traditional St. Aidan where teachers are referred to as "Friars" while the lack of technology provides an even more traditional air to the school. I enjoyed the exclusivity of it all and occasionally, I'd find myself forgetting the novel is written in modern times; absolutely nothing bad from my perspective, mostly because I've grown fond of elite academies - couple them with murder mysteries and it's a massive bonus point.
Aside from this, I enjoyed the air of mystery and secrets which kept unfolding following Greer's invitation to a secret, exclusive gathering in Lake District. The book gradually adapts an eerie tone, a great (but very well done) change from the beginning of the novel which seemed rather normal and just slightly cliched. Regardless, it is a great novel. From the thriller and mystery aspect to the traditional etiquette employed by the boarding school which did not seem out of order albeit it being set in the modern times, S.T.A.G.S is a great addition to the YA crime sub-genre which I hope will gradually grow and become more popular with authors.
I recommend this book to fans of Karen Mc Manus' "One of Us Is Lying" and perhaps, even to fans of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History".
St. Aidan the Great is a boarding school more commonly known as S.T.A.G.S to its pupils, each one coming from a more privileged family than the other with the exception of the narrator, Greer MacDonald. She enters the school on a scholarship and right from the star, the story provides a gripping start as Greer suggests she may be a murderer.
It's an impressive novel which I enjoyed reading. I admit that initially, it was a bit difficult for me to get drawn into the book to the extent I'd read it in one sitting but on the other hand, I'm glad that wasn't the case. In retrospect, it allowed me to enjoy it even more, particularly the setting M.A. Bennett has created - the incredibly traditional St. Aidan where teachers are referred to as "Friars" while the lack of technology provides an even more traditional air to the school. I enjoyed the exclusivity of it all and occasionally, I'd find myself forgetting the novel is written in modern times; absolutely nothing bad from my perspective, mostly because I've grown fond of elite academies - couple them with murder mysteries and it's a massive bonus point.
Aside from this, I enjoyed the air of mystery and secrets which kept unfolding following Greer's invitation to a secret, exclusive gathering in Lake District. The book gradually adapts an eerie tone, a great (but very well done) change from the beginning of the novel which seemed rather normal and just slightly cliched. Regardless, it is a great novel. From the thriller and mystery aspect to the traditional etiquette employed by the boarding school which did not seem out of order albeit it being set in the modern times, S.T.A.G.S is a great addition to the YA crime sub-genre which I hope will gradually grow and become more popular with authors.
I recommend this book to fans of Karen Mc Manus' "One of Us Is Lying" and perhaps, even to fans of Donna Tartt's "The Secret History".
Omgggg 😱
I found out about this book a few months ago and ever since its been one of my anticipated reads, this book is a YA, thriller, mystery, which is one my favorites!
The main character, Greer, attends S.T.A.G.S on a scholarship where she’s in sixth form, where she soon receives an invitation to go to Longcross Hall for a few days where the Medieval’s, (like prefects), are hosting, huntin’, shootin’, fishin’, and they invite three other people from the school to attend, they chose the three most ‘outcast’ and different from the other students that attend S.T.A.G.S
I read and finished this book in just a day only putting it down for food. It was absolutely gripping and interesting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I didn’t want to put it down whatsoever and I wasn’t let down by my anticipation for it which was good!
‘I think I might be a murderer.’
After the first line in this book, we already understand that there has been a murder, and by the second chapter we know who got killed, but however we are left questioning what happened and why did this happen, I wasn’t disappointed, by the end of the book I was left wanting more. From the way that this book ending I believe it could go two ways by it being a standalone or a sequel coming out. I kind of want there to be a sequel because like I said, I was left wanting more, I want to know a bit more about what happens and how Greer and her friends deal with it so if there is a sequel I will be picking it up in a heartbeat.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a good thriller/mystery and also if you’ve read and enjoying One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus which is also an incredible read if you haven’t read that either.
I found out about this book a few months ago and ever since its been one of my anticipated reads, this book is a YA, thriller, mystery, which is one my favorites!
The main character, Greer, attends S.T.A.G.S on a scholarship where she’s in sixth form, where she soon receives an invitation to go to Longcross Hall for a few days where the Medieval’s, (like prefects), are hosting, huntin’, shootin’, fishin’, and they invite three other people from the school to attend, they chose the three most ‘outcast’ and different from the other students that attend S.T.A.G.S
I read and finished this book in just a day only putting it down for food. It was absolutely gripping and interesting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I didn’t want to put it down whatsoever and I wasn’t let down by my anticipation for it which was good!
‘I think I might be a murderer.’
After the first line in this book, we already understand that there has been a murder, and by the second chapter we know who got killed, but however we are left questioning what happened and why did this happen, I wasn’t disappointed, by the end of the book I was left wanting more. From the way that this book ending I believe it could go two ways by it being a standalone or a sequel coming out. I kind of want there to be a sequel because like I said, I was left wanting more, I want to know a bit more about what happens and how Greer and her friends deal with it so if there is a sequel I will be picking it up in a heartbeat.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a good thriller/mystery and also if you’ve read and enjoying One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus which is also an incredible read if you haven’t read that either.
3.5
The narrators voice felt authentic and genuine, but she also got on my nerves a bit. Really picked up at the climax but dragged at other places.
Parts of it were great, I feel others might really enjoy this book, especially when the hunters become the hunted.
The narrators voice felt authentic and genuine, but she also got on my nerves a bit. Really picked up at the climax but dragged at other places.
Parts of it were great, I feel others might really enjoy this book, especially when the hunters become the hunted.
3.5 stars.
I love stories that involve high society and mystery and then when you add in YA, honestly it makes it even better. In a lot of ways it reminded me of They All Fall Down, Dead Girls Society, and The Secret History (can you tell I like these kinds of novels?) S.T.A.G.S. grips you right away with the opening line "I think I might be a murder." I mean really, how are you going to put the book down after that?
S.T.A.G.S. follows Greer Macdonald as she starts her first year at St. Aiden The Great School - also known as STAGS. She's been a bit of a social outcast, especially from the schools elite the Medievals. But all that changes when she's invited to spend a weekend holiday at the private estate of the Medievals unofficial leader, Henry de Warlencourt, for a weekend of Huntin' Shootin' Fishin', a tradition which is rumored to mean that whoever is invited for the weekend will be accepted into the Medievals. Greer is excited to be accepted into this group, especially by Henry, but when she arrives at Longcross, she realizes that not all is as it seems.
I found myself intrigued by the book and characters even before the main story line began. The whole idea and history behind STAG was fascinating and then there's this air of mystery around the Medievals. There's an eerie vibe from the beginning. Based on the first line, you know that something horrible is about to happen, Greer tells you so herself. She paints herself as the possible suspect and you have to wait until the third half of the book - Fishin' - to find out if she is or not. The story is filled with amazing imagery, mystery, debate of the old world vs. the new, as well as class and race division.
I really did enjoy this book, the reason I give it 3.5 stars is because there were times when Greer was so wishy-washy, especially when it came to Henry, that started to get on my nerves. While I understand why that was so, and she acknowledges it because she's telling it after the fact, it just made my eyes roll a few too many times. But the writing was fast paced and interesting and kept my attention from the second I picked up the book to when I turned the final page. And that ending! That ending alone was incredible. On one hand I hope there's another book, but on the other? I don't know. Maybe this is The End?
I love stories that involve high society and mystery and then when you add in YA, honestly it makes it even better. In a lot of ways it reminded me of They All Fall Down, Dead Girls Society, and The Secret History (can you tell I like these kinds of novels?) S.T.A.G.S. grips you right away with the opening line "I think I might be a murder." I mean really, how are you going to put the book down after that?
S.T.A.G.S. follows Greer Macdonald as she starts her first year at St. Aiden The Great School - also known as STAGS. She's been a bit of a social outcast, especially from the schools elite the Medievals. But all that changes when she's invited to spend a weekend holiday at the private estate of the Medievals unofficial leader, Henry de Warlencourt, for a weekend of Huntin' Shootin' Fishin', a tradition which is rumored to mean that whoever is invited for the weekend will be accepted into the Medievals. Greer is excited to be accepted into this group, especially by Henry, but when she arrives at Longcross, she realizes that not all is as it seems.
I found myself intrigued by the book and characters even before the main story line began. The whole idea and history behind STAG was fascinating and then there's this air of mystery around the Medievals. There's an eerie vibe from the beginning. Based on the first line, you know that something horrible is about to happen, Greer tells you so herself. She paints herself as the possible suspect and you have to wait until the third half of the book - Fishin' - to find out if she is or not. The story is filled with amazing imagery, mystery, debate of the old world vs. the new, as well as class and race division.
I really did enjoy this book, the reason I give it 3.5 stars is because there were times when Greer was so wishy-washy, especially when it came to Henry, that started to get on my nerves. While I understand why that was so, and she acknowledges it because she's telling it after the fact, it just made my eyes roll a few too many times. But the writing was fast paced and interesting and kept my attention from the second I picked up the book to when I turned the final page. And that ending! That ending alone was incredible. On one hand I hope there's another book, but on the other? I don't know. Maybe this is The End?
I am tempted to shelve this as a re-told tale, because it is so strongly and strangely reminiscent of the modern gothic romances I used to read in the Readers Digest Condensed Book collections of the 1970s. It's a fun read, but sheesh is it trite.
yeah i get it you love movies please stop name-dropping them every five pages
not only did i dislike this book, russian translation is also horrible
pondering the rating, might lower it down later
not only did i dislike this book, russian translation is also horrible
pondering the rating, might lower it down later
Caution: detailed scene of hunting & cleaning of the kill.
S.T.A.G.S. has a great set-up for a thriller/mystery book, or a film even. There were a lot of classic elements leaning the book toward it, such as the elite group of students, the lack of phone/Internet usage, and so on. The setting especially, from the remote St. Aidan the Great's School to the manor house belonging to Henry's family, was well crafted to make the story as a whole even creepier.
Written in first person, the story is told by Greer, a outcast of sorts looking in on the Medievals, a group of six super popular and rich boys and girls. The events of the book are told from a future the reader is working toward. The course of the story unfolds as Greer tells them to us, so while oddities abound and behaviors are analyzed, it's all from her singular view, lending a slant to it that the reader must decide to believe or question.
Greer is that person who, in horror movies, is set-up as the intelligent character here to talk sense into the other future victims, but ends up being just as dumb as they are (check out the dark hallways, go in the basement after a mysterious noise, etc.). She thought a lot about the differences between herself and the rich Medieval kids and rather than strengthening her character, her observations came across as almost snobby, as if she were proud of sussing these people out.
M.A. Bennett used Greer's personality and the first person perspective of the novel to make an interesting point regarding society. All manner of sin is covered up by a pretty face. Not just the face evident to have swayed Greer; even after she discovers what the Medievals are up to, the attention paid to her by Henry and the sumptuous glamour of his estate shake her off course, temporarily winning her over and endangering the plan she, Shafeen, and Nel came up with to lay bare the nasty history of this popular group. Their elitism, the thing that protected them for centuries, echoes the real world crimes that the rich and powerful are able to get away with.
As wicked as Henry and his predecessors were, he did espouse some ideas about the nature or technology and the loss of the past that resonated with me. Technology moves so quickly that traditions can be lost if they're not respected and cared for. Progress can be a good thing, but embracing it fully and ignoring what brought civilization to the future can be dangerous. Some comments were made about the reliance on tech that people have in this age, from young people aspiring to nothing more than a YouTube career to the current state of American politics where a reality-t.v. star with no government experience is now at the head of the establishment.
I liked the times when Greer made film references relevant to her current situation. Her and her dad bonded over films and it was clear their watched list was quite long. There were also some discussions that cropped up between Greer and the others, such as the one about tech and the Medievals abstention from most of it. The discourse on what tech has given and what it has poisoned had good points as well as fanciful, almost deluded ones. The conversation could easily turn from the characters in the book to real world discussions.
The ending was not quite obvious, but it didn't surprise me. The eerie feeling of having won in a horror movie, only to realize that time hasn't healed anything at all. There are still remnants of the old order and whatever the heroes thought they'd accomplished, whatever they thought they'd done to win, was worthless because at the end of the tunnel was no light, only more darkness and evil. Greer might escape St. Aidan's School, but at what cost? The future is grim and there's no certainty for anyone except for the Order of the Stag.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
S.T.A.G.S. has a great set-up for a thriller/mystery book, or a film even. There were a lot of classic elements leaning the book toward it, such as the elite group of students, the lack of phone/Internet usage, and so on. The setting especially, from the remote St. Aidan the Great's School to the manor house belonging to Henry's family, was well crafted to make the story as a whole even creepier.
Written in first person, the story is told by Greer, a outcast of sorts looking in on the Medievals, a group of six super popular and rich boys and girls. The events of the book are told from a future the reader is working toward. The course of the story unfolds as Greer tells them to us, so while oddities abound and behaviors are analyzed, it's all from her singular view, lending a slant to it that the reader must decide to believe or question.
Greer is that person who, in horror movies, is set-up as the intelligent character here to talk sense into the other future victims, but ends up being just as dumb as they are (check out the dark hallways, go in the basement after a mysterious noise, etc.). She thought a lot about the differences between herself and the rich Medieval kids and rather than strengthening her character, her observations came across as almost snobby, as if she were proud of sussing these people out.
M.A. Bennett used Greer's personality and the first person perspective of the novel to make an interesting point regarding society. All manner of sin is covered up by a pretty face. Not just the face evident to have swayed Greer; even after she discovers what the Medievals are up to, the attention paid to her by Henry and the sumptuous glamour of his estate shake her off course, temporarily winning her over and endangering the plan she, Shafeen, and Nel came up with to lay bare the nasty history of this popular group. Their elitism, the thing that protected them for centuries, echoes the real world crimes that the rich and powerful are able to get away with.
As wicked as Henry and his predecessors were, he did espouse some ideas about the nature or technology and the loss of the past that resonated with me. Technology moves so quickly that traditions can be lost if they're not respected and cared for. Progress can be a good thing, but embracing it fully and ignoring what brought civilization to the future can be dangerous. Some comments were made about the reliance on tech that people have in this age, from young people aspiring to nothing more than a YouTube career to the current state of American politics where a reality-t.v. star with no government experience is now at the head of the establishment.
I liked the times when Greer made film references relevant to her current situation. Her and her dad bonded over films and it was clear their watched list was quite long. There were also some discussions that cropped up between Greer and the others, such as the one about tech and the Medievals abstention from most of it. The discourse on what tech has given and what it has poisoned had good points as well as fanciful, almost deluded ones. The conversation could easily turn from the characters in the book to real world discussions.
The ending was not quite obvious, but it didn't surprise me. The eerie feeling of having won in a horror movie, only to realize that time hasn't healed anything at all. There are still remnants of the old order and whatever the heroes thought they'd accomplished, whatever they thought they'd done to win, was worthless because at the end of the tunnel was no light, only more darkness and evil. Greer might escape St. Aidan's School, but at what cost? The future is grim and there's no certainty for anyone except for the Order of the Stag.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I first started reading S. T. A. G. S., all I knew about it was that it was supposed to be creepy and it was set at a boarding school, which are both easy sells for me. However, I started having my doubts about this book early on, even from the very first paragraph. You know right away that someone dies, because Greer says on page one that she is a murderer. The way the story is told is kind of as though it is a confession, because the telling is clearly being done after the events of the book take place, but there is literally no reason for this and it switches to just being a regularly-told, first-person past-tense novel sometime during either the Huntin' or Fishin' sections; I can't recall which one. The structure is only the first messy thing about this book, unfortunately.
Though I hadn't read the summary, which gives away another major plot point of the book, I quickly figured out that the "loser" of the school, nicknamed STAGS, were not being invited to the Medievals' weekend outing for fun and games. I also had a hard time believing that they would all go to the house of people who had been so mean to them. The reader is told that nobody talks to Greer, the bland main character who has no personality outside of having a bob haircut and an interest in films, for her first semester, but since that part is told and not shown, it is hard to believe she would go to the house, especially when she is warned by another student not to go. The style in which the story is told (and I do mean told; it's like a weird, creepy storytime instead of watching a story unfold naturally) just made a lot of it hard to believe, including that Greer would go to the weekend outing in the first place, as well as the weird romantic subplots.
Goodness, don't even get me STARTED on the romances. I was shocked that Greer was so gullible that she would believe Henry was interested in her when he hadn't spoken to her until the invitation, and it made me dislike her even more, since now, in addition to being excruciatingly boring, she was naive and silly, too. The second romance was slightly more believable, since Greer had had the basest of interactions with this person prior to the weekend of Shootin', Huntin', and Fishin', but it wasn't at all resolved and there was little chemistry because only the love interest had a personality.
After reading some of this book, I went back on Goodreads to see what kind of reviews it was getting, and, lo and behold, its comp title was one of my top three worst books of all time, WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart. The books do have a similar vibe in storytelling, but honestly, this book was even worse than WE WERE LIARS, and that takes a lot for me to say because I really, truly DESPISED that book. As I read, I grew more and more shocked that this book was even being published. If I had seen this during my time as an editorial intern, I would have immediately said no and probably not even bothered finishing the manuscript because the writing was so poor and the story so obvious and predictable, plus it had a terrible message about being an outsider.
Basically, I really, REALLY did not like this book. The writing was juvenile and amateur, and needed a lot more editing work. The protagonist had no personality aside from being extremely gullible, and I didn't care much about any of the other characters either. The twist of the plot made me sick to my stomach and not in a good way. This book was just all around awful and I'm honestly super surprised it is being published at all because the writing is so poor. I have also added it to my list of top worst books of all time, because it was truly that dreadful.
Though I hadn't read the summary, which gives away another major plot point of the book, I quickly figured out that the "loser" of the school, nicknamed STAGS, were not being invited to the Medievals' weekend outing for fun and games. I also had a hard time believing that they would all go to the house of people who had been so mean to them. The reader is told that nobody talks to Greer, the bland main character who has no personality outside of having a bob haircut and an interest in films, for her first semester, but since that part is told and not shown, it is hard to believe she would go to the house, especially when she is warned by another student not to go. The style in which the story is told (and I do mean told; it's like a weird, creepy storytime instead of watching a story unfold naturally) just made a lot of it hard to believe, including that Greer would go to the weekend outing in the first place, as well as the weird romantic subplots.
Goodness, don't even get me STARTED on the romances. I was shocked that Greer was so gullible that she would believe Henry was interested in her when he hadn't spoken to her until the invitation, and it made me dislike her even more, since now, in addition to being excruciatingly boring, she was naive and silly, too. The second romance was slightly more believable, since Greer had had the basest of interactions with this person prior to the weekend of Shootin', Huntin', and Fishin', but it wasn't at all resolved and there was little chemistry because only the love interest had a personality.
After reading some of this book, I went back on Goodreads to see what kind of reviews it was getting, and, lo and behold, its comp title was one of my top three worst books of all time, WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart. The books do have a similar vibe in storytelling, but honestly, this book was even worse than WE WERE LIARS, and that takes a lot for me to say because I really, truly DESPISED that book. As I read, I grew more and more shocked that this book was even being published. If I had seen this during my time as an editorial intern, I would have immediately said no and probably not even bothered finishing the manuscript because the writing was so poor and the story so obvious and predictable, plus it had a terrible message about being an outsider.
Basically, I really, REALLY did not like this book. The writing was juvenile and amateur, and needed a lot more editing work. The protagonist had no personality aside from being extremely gullible, and I didn't care much about any of the other characters either. The twist of the plot made me sick to my stomach and not in a good way. This book was just all around awful and I'm honestly super surprised it is being published at all because the writing is so poor. I have also added it to my list of top worst books of all time, because it was truly that dreadful.