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A review by laurel00
Briarcliff Prep by Brianna Peppins
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This was, truly, an absolutely great book all around. Peppins, of course, wrote this story for Black readers, specifically young Black women. Even though I am not a part of the main target audience for this novel, I loved reading every single page of it, and would I 100% recommend it to anyone looking for an emotionally packed story about family, friendship, and sisterhood.
I would separate this book into two sections. The first part of it is so fun and such an enjoyable read. It really focuses on setting the story, describing the characters, and presenting Briarcliff Prep—the Historically Black Boarding School that the main character attends. I found that the relationships in the story were all so wonderful and realistic; it made me so happy and giddy to see them interacting with one another. The friendships, the budding romances, the camaraderie, the family dynamics: it made me want to be on campus with them. I didn’t think a book could make me want to go back to high school (of course, my high school wasn’t anywhere near as amazing as Briarcliff Prep, but a girl can dream right).
This part of the novel felt a bit slow, but not in a bad way. I think the Goodreads synopsis is just a little inaccurate. “[…] Avi discovers a devastating secret about her big sister’s boyfriend.” This part doesn’t really take place until the second half of the story, so I was a little confused at first. Peppins really takes her time to describe her main character’s experience at Briarcliff Prep, which was super fun and I loved reading through it. I just wasn’t sure where the story was heading. I absolutely do not consider this an issue with the book itself though, but more so with the book summary.
The second part of this book is a lot more raw and emotionally heavy. It does really take a turn at this point, and I loved the way that Peppins sets it up. It really gives you a full view of her main character’s life. You get both the highs and the lows, and you really feel like you get to know her throughout the story. It was a true emotional rollercoaster since I spent the first part of the book smiling, giggling, and blushing, whereas I was a sobbing mess throughout the second half. It really is a testament to Peppins’ writing skills.
Of course, the story is much more character-focused, than plot-heavy. And I absolutely adored the character relationships in this book. My favourite is the dynamic between the main character and her sister. So complex, so raw, so full of love, loyalty, and all the intricacies of sisterhood. It was beautiful to watch them go through the good and the bad together, and to see the way their relationship molds throughout the story.
I also loved the main character’s relationship with her love interest. Their romance feels so fresh, so young; it was adorable. Sure, they got into arguments at times and occasionally acted out of pettiness or an unwillingness to communicate. But they’re high school kids, so it would’ve been almost unrealistic for their relationship to develop flawlessly. It was so fun to see their love for one another flourish. They’re just a CUTE couple!
I also appreciate the author including a bunch of lgbtq side characters. The representation is peppered here and there into the story, and while it’s made explicitly clear that these characters are queer, it’s something that’s addressed so casually. It’s never considered as some deviation from the norm that causes some big uproar. There are just a bunch of people in the main character’s life who happen to be queer, and they are accepted and loved without a moment of hesitation.
Most of all I loved Avi, the main character. She stood up not only for herself, but also for her friends and family so fearlessly. I wish I could’ve been that level-headed and brave at that age. She knew when an argument wasn’t worth her time or energy, but she also knew where to draw the line when someone took a situation too far. She just felt like such an authentically written character. She had doubts, she navigated friendships and other relationships, she dealt with expectations and failure, she sought out help all while helping those around her. I really loved everything about her.
Overall, an amazing book that I believe is without a doubt worth the read! It is quite heartbreaking though and, as is mentioned at the beginning of the book, it does discuss dating violence and abusive dating relationships, so I would consider this before picking it up.
Source: NetGalley
I would separate this book into two sections. The first part of it is so fun and such an enjoyable read. It really focuses on setting the story, describing the characters, and presenting Briarcliff Prep—the Historically Black Boarding School that the main character attends. I found that the relationships in the story were all so wonderful and realistic; it made me so happy and giddy to see them interacting with one another. The friendships, the budding romances, the camaraderie, the family dynamics: it made me want to be on campus with them. I didn’t think a book could make me want to go back to high school (of course, my high school wasn’t anywhere near as amazing as Briarcliff Prep, but a girl can dream right).
This part of the novel felt a bit slow, but not in a bad way. I think the Goodreads synopsis is just a little inaccurate. “[…] Avi discovers a devastating secret about her big sister’s boyfriend.” This part doesn’t really take place until the second half of the story, so I was a little confused at first. Peppins really takes her time to describe her main character’s experience at Briarcliff Prep, which was super fun and I loved reading through it. I just wasn’t sure where the story was heading. I absolutely do not consider this an issue with the book itself though, but more so with the book summary.
The second part of this book is a lot more raw and emotionally heavy. It does really take a turn at this point, and I loved the way that Peppins sets it up. It really gives you a full view of her main character’s life. You get both the highs and the lows, and you really feel like you get to know her throughout the story. It was a true emotional rollercoaster since I spent the first part of the book smiling, giggling, and blushing, whereas I was a sobbing mess throughout the second half. It really is a testament to Peppins’ writing skills.
Of course, the story is much more character-focused, than plot-heavy. And I absolutely adored the character relationships in this book. My favourite is the dynamic between the main character and her sister. So complex, so raw, so full of love, loyalty, and all the intricacies of sisterhood. It was beautiful to watch them go through the good and the bad together, and to see the way their relationship molds throughout the story.
I also loved the main character’s relationship with her love interest. Their romance feels so fresh, so young; it was adorable. Sure, they got into arguments at times and occasionally acted out of pettiness or an unwillingness to communicate. But they’re high school kids, so it would’ve been almost unrealistic for their relationship to develop flawlessly. It was so fun to see their love for one another flourish. They’re just a CUTE couple!
I also appreciate the author including a bunch of lgbtq side characters. The representation is peppered here and there into the story, and while it’s made explicitly clear that these characters are queer, it’s something that’s addressed so casually. It’s never considered as some deviation from the norm that causes some big uproar. There are just a bunch of people in the main character’s life who happen to be queer, and they are accepted and loved without a moment of hesitation.
Most of all I loved Avi, the main character. She stood up not only for herself, but also for her friends and family so fearlessly. I wish I could’ve been that level-headed and brave at that age. She knew when an argument wasn’t worth her time or energy, but she also knew where to draw the line when someone took a situation too far. She just felt like such an authentically written character. She had doubts, she navigated friendships and other relationships, she dealt with expectations and failure, she sought out help all while helping those around her. I really loved everything about her.
Overall, an amazing book that I believe is without a doubt worth the read! It is quite heartbreaking though and, as is mentioned at the beginning of the book, it does discuss dating violence and abusive dating relationships, so I would consider this before picking it up.
Source: NetGalley
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse