A cracking YA psychological thriller debut! Suitable for adults too!
S.T.A.G.S is a cracking debut psychological thriller aimed at the YA market but in all honesty with M.A. Bennett’s neat plotting, the scathing humour of her central character and a storyline filled with situations which are accessible to an adult audience, this novel has the ability to entertain well beyond its target bracket. With its dark undertone and a heroine wise beyond her years yet achingly aware of the social conventions which dictates whether an adolescent fits in, S.T.A.G.S offers a perceptive take on everything from the entitlement culture which still seems well entrenched in certain circles to the advance of technology. One such environment is the imposing medieval manor house of elite seventeenth century founded bastion of education, St. Aidan the Great, an elite boarding school located in Northumberland. Replete with antiquated traditions, language lessons in Latin and Greek, games consisting of fives and real tennis and a uniform reminiscent of an monastic order, parents are paying for their offspring to be different.
When working class northern sixth-former, Greer MacDonald, is awarded a scholarship from Bewley Park comprehensive to St. Aidan’s she recognises herself for what she is: the girl who doesn’t fit in. As autumn (Michaelmas) terms opens, Greer discovers her lowly rank in the food chain along with a collective of fellow outsiders. Street-smart and just as well educated in the laws of the jungle after spending her formative years watching myriad films, it is no understatement to say that Greer can see the warning bells and smell the danger that comes from being in the vicinity of the ‘Medievals’, a wealthy, arrogant inner sanctum who effectively run the school. With their backgrounds embedded in the wealth of old money and their ancestors all former pupils they pride themselves on eschewing technology and social media, all termed ‘Savage’ and synonymous with the behaviour of coarse heathens. Top dog of this ruling order of prefects is blue-eyed invincible golden boy, Henry de Warlencourt. With his film star good looks and his country estate along with his posse of hangers-on he rules the roost. Although it is difficult to set one of the group of six apart as the instigator of ridicule and bullying, in a group they are merciless.
After a half-term of heartbreaking isolation and loneliness, Greer might not like how the ‘Medievals’ behave but it doesn’t stop her wanting to attract the capricious attentions of Henry de Warlencourt and his crowd or hoping to fit it. Greer’s narration is full of her obvious vulnerability and even as a gifted pupils who would probably be intelligent enough to advise others not too go near them, it is human nature to want to be liked. When a mysterious card is slipped under Greer’s door she is flabbergasted to be given a prestigious invitation to spend Justitium (half-term) weekend at Longcross Hall, the estate of the de Warlencourt family, for a weekend of huntin’ shootin’ fishin’. Could this prove an opportunity to audition to become a ‘Medieval’ and finally be accepted?! Needless to say, Greer is even more surprised to find herself and fellow outsiders Shafeen Jadeja (“Punjabi playboy”) and Chanel Ashford (“Carphone Chanel”) at the gathering. Devoid of adults and staffed by a motley crew of lackeys from the yokel village who take orders from Henry, the setting is suitably creepy. Amongst the dark corridors lined with stags heads and initially caught up in the bonhomie of a few adoring looks from Henry, it takes time to dawn on Greer that the three outsiders are the prey to be hunted... Along with Greer, Bennett takes time to carve out well-realised characters in the cases of Shafeen and Chanel she succeeds in getting the reader invested in their fate. Apart from Henry de Warlencourt, the ‘Medievals’ proved rather interchangeable, however this merely adds to their overall sense of menace.
Whilst this novel is not without its flaws and I certainly found a few plot holes, the greatest problem is that Greer’s narration is told in retrospect, so the reader knows from the get-go something of what to expect and that Greer shares some burden of responsibility for a fatality, which does nothing for the anticipation factor:
“I’m a murderer in the way that fox hunters are murderers - they are each responsible for the fox’s death, even though they hunt in a pack.”
Bennett does a wonderful job with Greer’s sarcastic and youthful commentary, which in contrast to so many of the recent YA novels that I have read actually manages to convince as the words of sixteen-year-old. Greer overlays the story with a darkly comical tone and her narration is littered with movie analogies, the vast majority of which prove amusing and even with my scant film knowledge, I understand the general gist of most of her intimations. I was disappointed by the final third of S.T.AG.S. which seemed rather drawn out and anticlimactic. As it is the epilogue is frustratingly saccharine sweet with a little too much emphasis on opening up the closed order with more public sector teachers, pupils of colour and scholarship students, making for an overly preachy tone into the finish. The final pages of this novel leave potential for a follow-up and whilst I have no appetite to read a rehash of this story, I will be looking out for the future YA novels of M.A. Bennett.
In short, this is an excellent YA psychological thriller which makes some interesting insights on a world increasingly becoming dependent on technology and pitting it alongside an aristocratic boarding school illuminates the pros and cons brilliantly. Narrated with atmosphere and with an excellent lead character, the spirit of Greer and her cohorts make this an exhilarating read for a YA audience and will entertain adults alike. S.T.A.G.S. also proves an education in itself on the area of blood sports (not that I shall be putting any of them into practice)!
Many thanks to Miriam Smith for giving me the opportunity to read this book.