The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant
Author(s)
Age Range
13+
Release Date
January 14, 2014
ISBN
978-1939529329
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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.

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.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
A thrilling, dramatic debut.
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3.0
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With loads of paranormal secrets and high school intrigue, "The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant' is a thrilling, dramatic debut.

Anne Merchant is sent to what she thinks is an elite boarding school for rich kids. She quickly discovers that Cania Christy is more of a reform school, or maybe even a mental institution, for troubled and troublesome teens. Every day at the school reveals more secrets, more mysteries, and even more danger for Anne. Anne must try to follows the strange rules to compete for being class valedictorian her senior year while trying to get to the bottom of Cania's many mysteries and flirting with a hot, fascinating senior named Ben Zin.

What I liked: The setting. Cania Christy Academy is set on a remote island off the coast of Maine, where there is an almost-perpetual fog and the isolation is palpable. It's a perfect setting for the tense, slightly unnatural atmosphere.

The classical, supernatural tie-ins. I can't say too much because I won't spoil anything for you! But there are some interesting classical literature references to supernatural entities. They are a big part of the twist at the end, so you have something pretty awesome to look forward to.

What I wanted LESS of: Anne being judgmental. There are innumerable instances of Anne making snap judgments about people based on their appearance. The most noteworthy is her tendency to label other students by nationality as soon as she sees them. It is very unrealistic that you know just by looking at someone that they are "Russian", "Mandarin", or "Thai." Anne also calls other girls "sleazy", "slutty", "sex-kittens", and other derogatory terms; I found this distasteful and kind of inappropriate.

The cat-fights, drama, and high school competition will appeal to fans of "Pretty Little Liars" and "Gossip Girl," while fans of "Beautiful Creatures" and "Vampire Academy" will enjoy the paranormal mysteries Anne must figure out.
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