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annegoodreads 's review for:

The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton
5.0
adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

In The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton, teenager Laura is obsessed with an author named Sebastian Webster.  Laura decides to go to St. Dunstan’s prep school because that’s where Webster went.  It is a religious school and not all the students are happy to be there.  Laura’s roommate, Bonnie cracked me up with her Instagram posts and prep school clothing influencer status.  During one of the opening ceremonies with beautiful choral music renegade Isobel Zhao pipes in the song Black Sabbath.  It’s hilarious.  Laura is a meek and mild girl who gets sucked in by power-hungry Virginia.  It’s an interesting how others are trying to gain their own power which has disastrous consequences for all really.  Tara Isabella Burton has written an insightful character study of a teen mind/soul progressing through self-doubt to self-awareness to self-assurance.  As a Mom of teens, it really had me take a step back and remember how difficult the teen years can be. 

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