Book Description 

A dead teacher at an elite boarding school. Four students who had every reason to want her gone. Who is the monster?

At an elite New England boarding school, eight students are selected for an exclusive storytelling workshop with the one and only Meredith Graffam—an enigmatic writer, director, and actress. For sixteen days, they will live in the isolated estate of the school’s founder, surrounded by snowy woods and a storm-tossed seas. Only one of the chosen will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams.

Everyone, including Graffam, has a compelling reason to be there—Effy, the orphan, Isaac, the legacy, Ness, the wallflower, Ramon, the outsider, and Arlo, whose unexpected arrival leaves Effy spiraling—but only the most ambitious will last the term. Graffam’s unorthodox methods push the students past the breaking point, revealing their darkest secrets, taking unthinkable risks, and slowly starting to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .

My Review 

There’s a phenomenon with Broadway musicals where they have Junior versions of popular shows, tailored for a younger cast. These shows are often abridged and any PG-13 material is removed. 

This book feels a lot like The Secret History Junior. I don’t mean that in a disparaging way; rather this book is dark academia for a younger audience than the flagship entry in the genre. 

It has a lot going for it: eclectic group of teens, a charismatic teacher, lots of brooding. The book is moody and atmospheric as the stakes get higher and higher. The pacing was taught with plot twists and surprises along the way. 

The narrative unfolds from the dual points of view of Effy and Arlo who have different goals for their Jan Term. They, along with their fellow students, begin the exclusive class competing against each other, but quickly realize that they are not engaged in a conventional competition. 

I would absolutely recommend When We Were Monsters. This taut thriller kept me engaged and interested. I’ve read several YA dark academia titles in the last year or so but this is the only one that has truly lived up to my expectations. 

I received a digital ARC of this book from Random House/NetGalley.