Publishers Weekly
Shields, author of the Mermaid S.O.S. series, takes a gothic turn in this absorbing romance. Upon her beloved grandmother's hospitalization, 16-year-old Evie is sent to one of England's most prestigious boarding schools, the Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, located amid gloomy moors (“Towers and battlements jutted up crazily to the sky.... It was as though I had blundered back into a bygone age”). Despite a meandering beginning, the story accelerates with the interlaced historical narrative of Lady Agnes, whose family built the abbey that has become the school. Evie's scholarship and the required chores that accompany it isolate her from her rich, snotty classmates, but life seems to improve when she meets the alluring Sebastian. Odd visions and fainting spells begin to plague Evie, and further investigation uncovers the dark truth about Sebastian. As Evie explores Wyldcliffe's twisted history, she navigates questions about love, life and betrayal. Though the ending is tinged with a modern girl-power supernatural twist, the fresh take on classic ghostly romances will leave readers hungry for more. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)
Children's Literature
- Amanda MacGregor
When 16-year-old Evie Johnson enrolls at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, she finds herself training for more than just her place in society. The eerie, Gothic school, set on England's shadowy moors, is staffed by cold and mysterious teachers and populated with rich, cruel classmates. Almost immediately, strange things begin to happen to Evie. She catches fleeting glances of an apparition who looks shockingly like herself, and suffers from nightmares, fainting spells, and visions of unknown people and places. When Evie falls for the intriguing and enigmatic Sebastian, her life becomes increasingly bizarre. With the help of her friends Sarah and Helen, Evie untangles the truth behind who Sebastian really is, as well as discovers her connection to Agnes Templeton, the daughter of the school's founders. Suddenly, Evie is fulfilling a predestined role, dealing with the magical power of the elements and a coven and trying to save both her future and her past. This supernatural mystery suffers from an exceedingly slow plot. There is little action and much of the middle of the story is repetitive (Evie goes off to meet the cryptic Sebastian, has strange visions, then does it all over again). The suspense never feels strong enough, especially as the reader is privy to Agnes Templeton's diary and can make all of the connections long before Evie is able to piece them together. Fans of paranormal romances may pick this up, but the poor pacing, the heavy-handed writing, and stilted dialogue will disappoint even the most indiscriminate of readers. Reviewer: Amanda MacGregor
VOYA
- Alissa Lauzon
Sensible sixteen-year-old Evie Johnson did not believe in any of that paranormal "mumbo jumbo" until she arrived at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies. Everything about her new school is strange and uncomfortable to Evie until she meets Sebastian. Her secret late-night meetings with him give Evie something to look forward to each day and help her feel less alone. But the more time Evie spends with him, the more she realizes how little she knows about him. With the help of friends, Evie begins to uncoil the mystery surrounding not only Sebastian but also her mysterious connection to Agnes Templeton, the daughter of a previous owner of the house. The appealing cover and intriguing premise of this book is certain to capture the interest of teen readers—particularly fans of paranormal fiction. Unfortunately the plot is extremely predictable and is dragged down by awkward pacing. The beginning unfolds much too slowly and comes to a rushing and somewhat abrupt finish, leaving too many questions unanswered. The information provided through Agnes's journal entries provides too much foresight to readers who will know what is coming too far in advance of its revelation to Evie. Characters have little or no dimensional value and are difficult to care about in any meaningful fashion. Readers are expected to blindly accept many plot elements with scant to no explanation. Although there is a sequel planned, most readers will be left unsatisfied and will have not formed enough of a connection with Evie to really care what happens next. Reviewer: Alissa Lauzon
VOYA
- Mary Boutet
What could have been a great romantic mystery novel is overshadowed by unrealistic and stilted dialogue and a too rapid pace that left me confused and unsatisfied. Major events seem to come out of nowhere with little set-up and relationships become intense and important too quickly. Evie loves Sebastian, but I don't know why. She had friends like Sarah and Helen who suddenly were as important to her as sisters. It was as if the author had all of the details in her head, but she forgot to explain what was going on and why. Things happened so quickly and with so little detail and dialogue that I was left saying "huh?" making it almost impossible to relate to Evie and the other characters. I wanted to be drawn in but the writing prevented me from doing so. Reviewer: Mary Boutet, Teen Reviewer
School Library Journal
Gr 7-10–Sensible Evie Johnson arrives alone to face her new life at the Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies. Raised by her beloved grandmother, Evie never wanted to attend boarding school, especially one for spoiled rich girls. But Frankie has fallen gravely ill and Evie’s father is away in military service, so off to Wyldcliffe she goes. It is as horrible as Evie suspected it would be. The girls mistreat her, the headmistress is a nightmare, and she keeps seeing a girl who looks just like her. Evie’s only joy comes from her budding romance with elusive Sebastian, who tells her that he lives near the school. Why will he only meet her at night? What does he know about the mysteries surrounding the school? And who is that shadowy girl? Billed as the first in “a paranormal romance series,” this lightweight story is filled with romance, mystery, and suspense. The moors provide plenty of atmosphere and Wyldcliffe Abbey and its teachers are downright spooky.–Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI
Kirkus Reviews
Evie, a motherless and lonely scholarship student at the very posh Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies somewhere on unspecified moors of England, pursues a furtive and resolutely chaste late-night romance with Sebastian, whose good looks, dark moods, manipulative behavior and anachronistic speech will remind readers of Twilight's Edward Cullen. The narrative alternates between the present and the Victorian diary of Lady Agnes Templeton, who is linked to both Sebastian and Evie. The diary reveals their connections to Agnes (to whom Evie bears a striking resemblance and whom she sees in visions), but only hints at the worst of Sebastian's secret. Naturally, good must battle evil, while Evie must confront her demons and emerge damaged but victorious. Two-dimensional characters, overheated dialogue and a mishmash of predictable plotting cribbed from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Circle of Magic, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight yield a profoundly derivative reading experience. The door is left open for a sequel, but with so much worthwhile source material to read instead, readers will ask, why? (Fantasy. 12 & up)
