Review Detail

I think I missed the memo that Circle of Silence e is actually a member of a series; I’m a very strictly chronological reader—I don’t even re-read books outside of series order. However, I found out that Circle of Silence and its prequel, dancergirl , are actually standalones that take place in the same high school, so I figured my chronological self could let it slide.

So here’s the story: Val is in charge of WiHi’s student-run news broadcast, and she’s in search of a shiny award. When a bunch of weird pranks all signed “MP” crop up around school, Val sees it as the perfect opportunity. However, things escalate and things get dangerous, and pretty soon Val and her news crew find themselves way over their heads.

One of the coolest things about Circle of Silence is the premise/plot. I loved the high school journalism scene, as well as the really edgy fast-paced mystery Tanzman wrote. And the secret society was just awesome.

Are there other YA books that deal with subjects like this? If there are, I have to get my hands on them.

The main character, Val, I didn’t really relate to, and I don’t think that characterization is Tanzman’s strong point. However, though Val and Company were a bit unreachable, I still enjoyed their interactions and personalities.

Tanzman’s prose was a bit stiff, too, and since characters and prose are things I value most in any given book, I didn’t like Circle of Silence e as much as I could have.

Verdict: This book is edgy, fast-paced, and thrilling. Circle of Silence definitely brings something new to the table, and though I wasn’t blown away, I’m still really glad I took the time to read this.