Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality their lives are changed profoundly and for ever.
CW: Racism, homophobia, toxic friendship, murder, alcoholism, drug use
Rating
DNF @18%
Review
Sadly, this book is a DNF as it contains one of my biggest pet peeves: long chapters and let me tell you I’m frustrated.
The story told in this book is engaging psychologically. It was fascinating how a newcomer to a tight-knit group happens to be accepted and considered a part of this group. This character is certainly not trustworthy, but he knows what he’s capable of and uses all his power to enter this prestigious Greek class. Like in most dark academia books, you have an eccentric teacher who only accepts a limited number of students, creating this tight-knit feel in the group. This seclusion creates a certain amount of toxicity within the group, making things awry. Each of the characters has a role in the group, and to add one more can be problematic as it completely imbalances the power of the group, especially when it’s like in this book where money and your place in the world also have importance. There is a contrast in the characters; like all the characters are morally grey and have secrets, there is something genuine in them, and to see them being at some moment vulnerable even when they don’t want to show their complexity.
Unfortunately, the book’s construction downsizes all this compelling content. It is divided into two parts, which shouldn’t be a problem, but those parts are divided into extensive chapters, some of which are as long as a hundred pages. Also, the writing is very boring in some parts and gripping in others. The narrator was in this group and wanted to tell his story, how he went from a simple student from nowhere in the US to someone who took part in a murder (it’s not a spoiler or anything; it’s told in the prologue). Sometimes, the story turns into a secret diary like you can have in your teenage years. He talks about mundane day-to-day elements which lengthen and burden the story, sometimes for nothing.
The sad thing is that I will never know why the character was killed by his friends and classmates, or at least I need to search for it on the internet.
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