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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
I'm a sucker for dark academia, and this book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the way they dragged out and teased the relationship between Oliver and his roommate/best friend/infatuation James.
He and his five other friends were theater students who often spoke in Shakespearean dialect IRL. Early on in November of their senior year, the defacto leader Richard starts becoming very abusive. At least it seemed like this was a new thing, it wasn't actually explained to that well. They didn't necessarily do him justice as a character, he just very quickly became established as the alpha and bully. The bullying got worse and after a party he wound up in a lake. They all got together at dawn and saw him there and saw that he was still alive, and chose to let him die instead of rescuing him. Very I know what you did last summer, except that he actually died. The rest of the story unfolds as they try to keep it together, but the guilt is eating them away. And it was obvious that someone bashed Richard's face in. The night he died, Oliver had hooked up with his up until then girlfriend Meredith. Oliver had also walked in on his roommate James in the bathroom with some throw up on his face, so I pieced it together pretty quickly that James was probably the one that killed Richard. James and Meredith had some really weird tension, for a while I thought maybe they were secretly hooking up and sort of hate fucking. But by the end it became clear that they were actually just both in love with Oliver, and hated that the other one had access.
Towards the end of the book Oliver finds out that James was the one who killed Richard, and somehow Meredith also finds out although I can't remember how right now. She tells the detective investigating and he comes for James. But this is right after Oliver and James finally admitted that they have some kind of feelings for each other and sort of went off script to kiss during King Lear. As everyone predicted, Oliver took the blame for James. He served 10 years in jail. The book has parts that take place as he gets out while most of it's told from the past.
When he gets out, he's still in touch with Pippa and he goes to see her and the detective all though the detective has moved on to another job. He basically tells the detective the truth and it's as satisfying for anybody as they want. Philippa informs him that James killed himself 4 years ago. Oliver's devastated. He seeks out Meredith and they quickly sort of establish a life together, even though Meredith said she always knew he was in love with James, and it's obvious to us as the reader that she is a sloppy second choice, it seems nice that they're able to be together and find a way towards a normal life. But then he gets James's suicide / goodbye note and it's an obscure Shakespearean reference to a character who fakes his own death. There's some other hidden note about a trip that they took so in the end it's a clue for Oliver to go find him. That part made me really like the book. Up until then I was worried that the whole thing had been super pointless and that Oliver should never have taken the blame for James. I do feel awful for Meredith though, cuz it's obvious Oliver is going to leave her once again and go find James.
Overall I Wonder if there are other references or meanings that I missed because I'm not that familiar with any of the Shakespeare plays that they did.
He and his five other friends were theater students who often spoke in Shakespearean dialect IRL. Early on in November of their senior year, the defacto leader Richard starts becoming very abusive. At least it seemed like this was a new thing, it wasn't actually explained to that well. They didn't necessarily do him justice as a character, he just very quickly became established as the alpha and bully. The bullying got worse and after a party he wound up in a lake. They all got together at dawn and saw him there and saw that he was still alive, and chose to let him die instead of rescuing him. Very I know what you did last summer, except that he actually died. The rest of the story unfolds as they try to keep it together, but the guilt is eating them away. And it was obvious that someone bashed Richard's face in. The night he died, Oliver had hooked up with his up until then girlfriend Meredith. Oliver had also walked in on his roommate James in the bathroom with some throw up on his face, so I pieced it together pretty quickly that James was probably the one that killed Richard. James and Meredith had some really weird tension, for a while I thought maybe they were secretly hooking up and sort of hate fucking. But by the end it became clear that they were actually just both in love with Oliver, and hated that the other one had access.
Towards the end of the book Oliver finds out that James was the one who killed Richard, and somehow Meredith also finds out although I can't remember how right now. She tells the detective investigating and he comes for James. But this is right after Oliver and James finally admitted that they have some kind of feelings for each other and sort of went off script to kiss during King Lear. As everyone predicted, Oliver took the blame for James. He served 10 years in jail. The book has parts that take place as he gets out while most of it's told from the past.
When he gets out, he's still in touch with Pippa and he goes to see her and the detective all though the detective has moved on to another job. He basically tells the detective the truth and it's as satisfying for anybody as they want. Philippa informs him that James killed himself 4 years ago. Oliver's devastated. He seeks out Meredith and they quickly sort of establish a life together, even though Meredith said she always knew he was in love with James, and it's obvious to us as the reader that she is a sloppy second choice, it seems nice that they're able to be together and find a way towards a normal life. But then he gets James's suicide / goodbye note and it's an obscure Shakespearean reference to a character who fakes his own death. There's some other hidden note about a trip that they took so in the end it's a clue for Oliver to go find him. That part made me really like the book. Up until then I was worried that the whole thing had been super pointless and that Oliver should never have taken the blame for James. I do feel awful for Meredith though, cuz it's obvious Oliver is going to leave her once again and go find James.
Overall I Wonder if there are other references or meanings that I missed because I'm not that familiar with any of the Shakespeare plays that they did.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wish I knew any Shakespeare I think it would have made this book a 5/5
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Realllllly wanted to love this as I love dark academia. It was promising at first as it introduces a group of friends that I was intrigued to learn more about, but then I didn't realise how inspired by Shakespeare the book is (Which I barely know anything about, and dont like as it was shoved down my throat in school LOL). I've seen a few reviews saying it just got a bit boring and I agree.
THIS. THIS IS THE REASON WHY I READ.
also what the fuck
also what the fuck
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My only wish is that I had read this in the fall. Otherwise entirely excellent.
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A mystery, but more importantly a character study against the backdrop of Shakespeare’s plays (a very accurate parallel).
The perfect academic setting for character archetypes to devolve, blurring the lines between stage and reality, and for the drama to go down at the cast party.
The perfect academic setting for character archetypes to devolve, blurring the lines between stage and reality, and for the drama to go down at the cast party.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, Murder, Alcohol