Greer MacDonald is living with her father in Manchester when he receives the call that he will be working away for 2 years filming a wildlife documentary for the BBC. Luckily, Greer MacDonald is a very smart young woman, with a great memory, and is able to apply for a scholarship to St Aidan the Great School (boarding school). She aces the entry exam and is granted a scholarship! Upon arrival at STAGS, Greer realises that newcomers don’t get an easy ride - with no one talking to her, feeling isolated, and witnessing bullying from the schools prefects, also known as the Medievals, Greer decides that a quiet life is the way to get through the year. One night, Greer receives “The Invitation” which appears to be a tradition at the school whereby the Medievals host a ‘hunting, shooting and fishing’ weekend at their leaders house, Longcross Hall. Greer already knows who the leader is, Henry de Warlencourt, who is simply ‘the hottest boy at school’. Wanting to create a school life which includes friends Greer accepts and prepares for a weekend that she will never forget…
I got through this book fairly quickly - it was really easy to read and track despite the number of names you are presented with in the first quarter of the book. Greer MacDonald is a character I can safely imagine as she reminds me a bit like myself - blunt and loves animals! So when it came to the hunting, shooting and fishing, it’s safe to say I was cringing… I can’t think of any book or movie that reminds me of this book so for me it felt like an original kind of story and if it were made into a movie, it’s fair to say I’d watch it! (Has there already been a movie and I’ve missed it?) For some reason, I was imagining my old high school as STAGS and for Longcross Hall, I kept imagining a building like the school featured in the Netflix series of Sabrina the Teenage Witch - I’m really not sure why…
Overall, I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 - I did enjoy it, it was easy to follow and felt original. The only reason I’m dropping half a star is because I didn’t find it overly thrilling, even though I got through the book quickly, it didn’t feel like a book that gripped me. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books from M.A. Bennett!
I got through this book fairly quickly - it was really easy to read and track despite the number of names you are presented with in the first quarter of the book. Greer MacDonald is a character I can safely imagine as she reminds me a bit like myself - blunt and loves animals! So when it came to the hunting, shooting and fishing, it’s safe to say I was cringing… I can’t think of any book or movie that reminds me of this book so for me it felt like an original kind of story and if it were made into a movie, it’s fair to say I’d watch it! (Has there already been a movie and I’ve missed it?) For some reason, I was imagining my old high school as STAGS and for Longcross Hall, I kept imagining a building like the school featured in the Netflix series of Sabrina the Teenage Witch - I’m really not sure why…
Overall, I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 - I did enjoy it, it was easy to follow and felt original. The only reason I’m dropping half a star is because I didn’t find it overly thrilling, even though I got through the book quickly, it didn’t feel like a book that gripped me. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books from M.A. Bennett!