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A review by book_concierge
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani
3.0
Book on CD read by Adina Verson
In 1930, fifteen-year-old Thea Atwell is sent from her Florida home by her parents to a boarding school in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to remove her from a scandal that has rocked her family’s foundations. It’s the early part of the Great Depression, but the residents at Yonahlassee Riding Camp for Girls are from the kinds of wealthy families that will generally survive and even prosper during this time. Isolated from home, they form their own societal norms, and Thea struggles to find her place.
The story is told in alternating time frames: the events leading up to the scandal, and the events at the school during Thea’s year at Yonahlossee. The reader watches Thea grow from a tomboy to a curious pre-teen, to a sexually charged young woman. As she related what is happening and how she feels about everything, I found myself worried for this emotionally distant girl, who seemed unable to control her impulses or to recognize the potential consequences of her actions.
One thing that bothers me:
Adina Verson does a fine job of voicing the audio book. Her detached, almost monotone, delivery really gives me a sense of Thea’s loneliness and struggle.
In 1930, fifteen-year-old Thea Atwell is sent from her Florida home by her parents to a boarding school in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to remove her from a scandal that has rocked her family’s foundations. It’s the early part of the Great Depression, but the residents at Yonahlassee Riding Camp for Girls are from the kinds of wealthy families that will generally survive and even prosper during this time. Isolated from home, they form their own societal norms, and Thea struggles to find her place.
The story is told in alternating time frames: the events leading up to the scandal, and the events at the school during Thea’s year at Yonahlossee. The reader watches Thea grow from a tomboy to a curious pre-teen, to a sexually charged young woman. As she related what is happening and how she feels about everything, I found myself worried for this emotionally distant girl, who seemed unable to control her impulses or to recognize the potential consequences of her actions.
One thing that bothers me:
Spoiler
Does no one recognize the predatory nature of the men/boys involved? Both Georgie and Henry take advantage of Thea. Even though she is an apparently willing partner, she is vulnerable due to her age, isolation and lack of experience.Adina Verson does a fine job of voicing the audio book. Her detached, almost monotone, delivery really gives me a sense of Thea’s loneliness and struggle.