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isabelsophiex's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt
kojafar's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book touches on a lot of themes of abuse at boarding schools and the lifelong fall out of it. Having known of real life examples of this, I was interested to see how it would be tackled. It’s an interestingly ramshackle book detailing the relationship of the protagonist with his grandfather - this is richly drawn in the first section and informs the decisions of the character in later life, although is never really that simple. I enjoyed the fact that the subject matter was not sensationalised, and was dealt with sensitively by the narrator not having encountered it himself, just seeing the effects on the people around him. . The characters of the boys were well described but I didn’t always feel like I knew all of them that well. They were well rounded but weirdly empty at the same time. The dialogue was excellent and very natural and true to life, and the life of the school was well described but again, sketchy at times. It was a weirdly hazy book at times, and vivid at others.
There was no real climax or satisfying ending, but it did feel complete in a way that real life stories of this type never get fully resolved or satisfied. I thought the writing was excellent and concise.
There was no real climax or satisfying ending, but it did feel complete in a way that real life stories of this type never get fully resolved or satisfied. I thought the writing was excellent and concise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
caffee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I loved the relationship with his Granddad and the farm but what a harrowing story. I felt strongly for those boys and the way their lives played out. Monsters is the word.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Suicide
laurenleyendolibros's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’d been waiting for this book to come out since I read a very interesting review – I was expecting a kind of English, male My Dark Vanessa. And though that description is not wholly inaccurate, it’s not exactly the book I was expecting.
It’s January 1987 and ten-year-old Max is sent off to prep school near his grandparents’ house (his parents work abroad) and during his three years there we learn about the cruelty and eventual physical and sexual abuse the pupils face there.
At first, Max makes it sound like a big adventure – some punishments, yes, but especially given that this is fiction nothing too shocking. And the time actually spent at school is a relatively short part of the book – it’s more a story of how trauma can follow you through life. The more sensitive, difficult to read parts come later.
I can’t help but think 1987 is significant given that until 1986 corporal punishment was legal in ALL schools in the UK and helps the author with his ‘private schools are bad’ thesis. Just as a side note, CP was legal in fee-paying schools until 1998 (outrageous, I know!) but bear in mind, the fact that it was legal certainly does not mean that it was in practice everywhere. Even so, I think that’s all besides the point as the real issue in this book is the trauma of sexual abuse, which was never legal anywhere (obviously).
In the end, it’s not quite the book I expected – I really thought I would like it more. I did read it quickly though. I found myself liking the scenes with the Grandad, even if I thought he was a bit sinister at first, they reminded me a bit of Unsettled Ground.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
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