Reviewer: Andrea
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Summary:
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.
The review:
High School is hell. Never has this statement been truer than in this novel. The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant has all the stereotypes found in most YA novels, but with a tremendous twist. This isn’t, however, a “clueless” twist, which leaves you feeling cheated and frustrated. Clever readers will discover Cania Christy’s secret through the abundant but shrewd foreshadowing, making me glad I was an English major and able to recognize all those hints. In fact, I wondered if the average young adult would pick up on them all. However, most assuredly I wouldn’t do anything to “dumb down” this novel. It was smart, creepy, and, at times, just snarky enough to justify a good smirk. The figurative language was wonderful, and the imagery had me shaking right along with Anne. The suspense surrounding Cania kept me completely enthralled.
There were some cringe-worthy parts, though. The whole dance off scene was a little too corny. I just don’t buy that Anne’s character would cut a rug, boxing-ring style, and Ben’s character agitated me greatly. I realize he couldn’t really open up to Anne due the secret Anne eventually discovers, but I kind of wanted to fling his vial into the sea myself. I had a difficult, mostly impossible, time liking him. He seemed incomplete somehow. I wanted so much more from the leading man. However, since this is only the first in the trilogy, I have a feeling Ben’s character will fill out in later novels. Some suggestive scenes and language kept the novel steamy, but it also earns a cautionary note for younger readers.
This one is definitely worth checking out!
