Thank you to TBR and Beyond for including me on this tour! Find the rest of the tour schedule here, and check back during the week to see everyone's amazing posts. The Book and its AuthorWhen Moira Dreyfuss’s parents announce that they’re sending her to an all-girls boarding school deep in the Maine woods, Moira isn’t fooled. She knows her parents are punishing her; she’s been too much trouble since her best friend, Nathan, died―and for a while before that. At the Castle School, isolated from the rest of the world, Moira will be expected to pour her heart out to the odd headmaster, Dr. Prince. But she isn’t interested in getting over Nathan’s death or befriending her fellow students. On her first night there, Moira hears distant music. On her second, she discovers the lock on her window is broken. On her third, she and her roommate venture outside…and learn that they’re not so isolated after all. There’s another, very different, Castle School nearby―this one filled with boys whose parents sent them away, too. Moira is convinced that the Castle Schools and the doctors who run them are hiding something. But exploring the schools will force Moira to confront her overwhelming grief―and the real reasons her parents sent her away. Alyssa was born in Stanford, California, and even though she moved across the country to New York when she was six years old, she still thinks of herself as a California girl. She still remembers the very first chapter book she ever read--The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo, by Judy Blume. Before long, reading was her favorite thing in the world. She loved it so much that when there was nothing to read, she wrote my own stories just to give herself something to read. And when there was no pen and paper to be had, she just made up stories in her head. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads ReviewSo. First things first. This read isn't dark academia like I thought it was, but ended up being a personal contemporary story about mental illness, grief, and the meaning of friendship. Moira is sent to The Castle School after the death of her best friend Nathan. She's not sure why she's there, but hypothesizes that she's a disappointment to her parents and this is a punishment. Of course, she's in for more than just the basic boarding school experience, being only one of twelve girls at the school and discovering that the campus has a twin. I enjoyed Moira as a protagonist. She can be headstrong but cautious, and tries to do right by the other girls in the castle even though she perceives herself as different from them. Her "issues" aren't so visible as theirs, after all. Her grief over missing Nathan is so easy to empathize with even though I'm sure few people have experienced a bond as strong as theirs. It was an honor to see her grow and change during the story, especially as she learns she can care for other friends and they won't replace Nathan in her heart. The side characters are all very well-developed, most of all Moira's roommate Eleanor. The girls spend almost every moment together, so there were many opportunities to show their personalities beside the interstitial backstory chapters. I think my favorite character was Eleanor aside from Moira, simply because she had the most depth. There's also a small romance element that I found cute, if a little odd! Moira and her eventual love interest definitely fit together well, though, and I totally understood by the end of the novel. This story is about how perception isn't always accurate, and I found that true to my reading experience. Once I stopped judging the book against what I thought it should be, I enjoyed myself so much more. That's why I'd recommend this as an escapist weekend novel, or something to take with you on vacation. One issue I wish had been handled better is the parents. The book kind of sends the message that all parents are well-intentioned and they've sent their kids because they want the best for them. I believe the fact that kids with mental health challenges deserve to receive help can coexist with the fact that some of their parents may not want the best for them and may end up harming the kids by sending them away. We should honor that story as well, because there are all types of parents out there just as there are all types of kids. The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) does so much to show the girls' wellbeing on a scale, so I just wanted the book to back that up by understanding that not everyone has the same parental experience. I'm giving The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) 4/5 stars. Thank you again to Sourcebooks and TBR and Beyond Tours for sharing a copy with me. Book Look
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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