I'm grappling with how to feel about this book. Part of me knows that my high school self would have devoured it, but my today self spent a lot of time rolling her eyes at it.

It has lots of my hot plots for books: Boarding school! Angsty high schoolers! Using classic literature as a catalyst for self-discovery! High emotions and tension! These are enough to get me to forego sleep in order to read.

But some moments were a little spotty. The story moved along wonderfully at parts, but then slowed down or skipped ahead a little jarringly.

Jam's delusions make a mockery of real pain and destruction in peoples' lives. To compare this nonsensical story she told herself to the real trauma of her classmates' is a bit sickening. I wish she'd felt a little more remorse after hearing the stories of her peers, and for being placed in the same group as them.

And yet, I wanted to keep reading after it ended. And I want to find out what it was like for students in years past. And I want more backstory from the teacher's life. Sigh.