* * * * 3/4
So many secrets for such a small island. From the moment
Anne Merchant arrives at Cania Christy, a boarding school for the world’s
wealthiest teens, the hushed truths of this strange, unfamiliar land begin
calling to her—sometimes as lulling drumbeats in the night, sometimes as
piercing shrieks.
One by one, unanswered questions rise. No one will tell her
why a line is painted across the island or why she is forbidden to cross it.
Her every move—even her performance at the school dance—is graded as part of a
competition to become valedictorian, a title that brings rewards no one will
talk about. And Anne discovers that the parents of her peers surrender million-dollar
possessions to enroll their kids in Cania Christy, leaving her to wonder what
her lowly funeral director father could have paid to get her in and why.
As a beautiful senior struggles to help Anne make sense of
this cloak-and-dagger world without breaking the rules that bind him, she must
summon the courage to face the impossible truth—and change it—before she and
everyone she loves is destroyed by it.
I came across this title through Stacking The Shelves and
saw that many fellow bloggers had picked this book. The title and the cover
were far too enticing to pass this over. I have to say that this is one of
the creepier reads I’ve had in a while. There were certain things that reminded
me of The Deepest Night series (believe
me, that’s a good thing and also one of my favorites) but Joanna Wiebe has created her own fantastic world
here.
Anne’s initial start at her new school is anything but
smooth. Everyone is bizarre including the students, the administrative staff,
the teachers but most of all, the headmaster who takes the creep factor to
soaring new heights. So here she is all alone, cut off from any communication
with the outside world (no internet or cellphones people!) and utterly confused
by her strange surroundings. I was perplexed
as to why her dad would knowingly send her off to what seems like the edge of
nowhere. But don’t worry folks, Anne befriends Pilot who likes to go against
what’s expected at the school and he becomes her sole support system while she’s
there. And of course, there’s the unattainable hot guy who is hot and cold
towards her. But his secrets and that of the school are far too intriguing to
ignore and she finds herself wrapped up in a life-altering situation.
This a well-written, compelling mystery that only gets
creepier the deeper she digs. Anne herself is brave and unapologetic for her
inquisitive mind which makes her an awesome heroine. The twist ending is reminiscent
of a movie I won’t name right now but I’m pretty sure you’ll know what I’m
referring to once you read it. But once I got there, even I have to admit that
I was thrown for a loop and the clues were nicely dispersed.
Congrats Joana Wiebe! All the buzz about this book is definitely
warranted and I highly recommend it!
~ Bel
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