Ines is a high school student who has never fit in. She leans toward being antisocial and doesn't do all that well in school. Yet she is accepted into the esteemed Catherine House. This institution is known for producing graduates who reach high levels of power in the world. Successes. Yet these former students never talk about their experiences at the school. The mystery is as much an attraction as the academic legacy.
Ines is thrown a bit by the rules. Students are required to commit to three years away from the "real world". No phones, no visits outside, rare chances for even a phone call home. The students are isolated, actually fenced in. The buildings and grounds are, however, beautiful, and the students accept the limitations for the greater rewards they expect later.
Ines actually makes a few friends, which is rare for her. She is not consistent in her studying, however, and is sent to "the tower" to recharge. The Tower is not punishment, they say, but students sent there are locked in for several days or even longer, until they feel ready to get back in the game.
Ines is not stupid but she knows she is not a top academic, so it confuses her when her mediocre work is praised. She also realizes that all of the students are in some way misfits. And that some of them choose to stay on, to work in the famed research lab or to teach.
As in most schools, Catherine House has its share of tragedies. Ines's roommate, "Baby", is one of them.
Over time Ines becomes increasingly curious about what is really going on. When she starts to have an idea, she is holed up in the tower again.
The story ultimately leans toward fantasy, sci-fi. I don't as a rule care for these genres, and this one left me shaking my head. I honestly don't know what to make of it.
Book 282 for the year. 2/5 stars for this Gothic read. I love the cover, and it's set in a school, so I thought it would be up my alley. I was very wrong. In my opinion it's way too long. There were aspects that were creepy or interesting, but they never felt flushed out. It was a whole lot of words for nothing much happening plot wise. Can't say I'd recommend this one, even if you like weird books.
I had no expectations going into this book, and I was so happily surprised. As other reviewers have noticed, it's a slow burner, and for most of the book the horror is so subtle that the reader is not sure if anything awry is happening or if it's just how the main character is struggling with the culture of the school.
There were some odd details in the book that had me (wrongly) convinced that the author isn't American. The tea trays! Actually, all the food was so odd. And the fact that the school provides wine like running water had me suspecting that the wine was part of the plot -- but no, I guess the school just rolls out 50 barrels every night. Why would students make moonshine when the school provides free wine every night? Ha ha ha. But the school is so idiosyncratic that the weird food just fit right in and even added to the mood.
My favorite part of the book was the ambiguity. The mystery isn't just what is *really* happening at the school, it's also whether Ines is going to get her act together, whether her imposter syndrome is real or just her personality, and whether the school's methods are going to work on her. Right up to the end (staying up late, racing through the final chapters), I did not know how this story was going to end. What a delight of a book this turned out to be. Highly recommended.
