Benny Flax lives goes to a school where there are no good
mysteries, and he desperately wants to solve one. Virginia leads wants a new
reputation but has no way to get one. Her chronic gossiping follows her back
years. Until one day, there is a mystery involving the public suicide of
cheerleader Brittany Montague. And Benny and Virginia are the only ones who
know the truth about that tragic night, and the murder plot behind it all.
This book is an odd mix of complex
relationships, dark satire, and offensive content that is more suitable to a
mature audience mystery thriller. The most compelling part of this novel, to be
sure, is the not quite platonic, not quite in love push-pull relationship
between Benny and Virginia. Their scenes are extremely dynamic and sort of in
the vein of the beginning relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Watson. I
also liked that the author didn’t feel the need to sugar coat any of her cast.
Most of them, including at times the main leads, did vastly unlikable things
and thought uncharitable thoughts. But where this novel goes wrong is that I
assume it wants to be a satire on the hypocrisy of sexism and racism, but it is
supremely unclear about this and I feel that most young adults would either be
baffled or offended by the topics discussed and the way they are handled, as
the author never drives home her points. One could even assume she is actually
endorsing these terrible viewpoints instead of speaking against them, though I
don’t think that was her intention. It was just poorly handled all around. This
book is also very graphic, with numerous f- bombs and sexual content that’s
almost ridiculously crude, even for New Adult. Overall, a jumbled mix of good
and bad.
HS, NEW ADULT- OPTIONAL.
Student Reviewer: Jewels
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