The Academy

If I would have read this novel during high school, I would probably have loved it. As I am way past high school, I definitely don't love it, but I somehow can't say I don't like it at all either.

The characters are weirdly self aware, they have an explanation for everything, they know where every single behaviour (and otherwise) issue originates from and that is just not how things work. These are 19-21 year olds, and yet they are able to psychoanalyse everyone, including themselves, while acting like 15 year olds at the same time.

They do stuff like regular 19-21 year olds too and the combination was so odd. While on one side they were more than well grounded, there was this childish and immature air all around. It's a really weird combination, but one that somehow made me keep reading. If only because it made no sense.

The internal monologues were tedious at times. I usually don't have an issue with those, but here, it was just more self psychoanalysis and often they didn't add anything to the story, nor to the characters, and it was a lot of them. The most internal monologues I ever read in a book that's not written in 1st person. In terms of character characterisation, not looking spectacular.

Another thing I found to be odd was that when two characters were talking to each other, sometimes their lines and actions felt reversed. I mean one of the character saying or doing something, but making more sense for the other one in the interaction to do or say it.

The plot was so predictable. There was only one thing I couldn't figure out until it was revealed (that also had a big part in me continuing reading this, I was just so curious), but all the rest, everything regarding the bet, each of the individual characters, their actions and feelings, had no amount of mystery whatsoever.

As odd as this was, I still had fun reading it. I did laugh out loud a couple of times, and I must say it does tick some boxes I like. Can't say which ones because spoilers, but there were enough good points as to not make me throw the novel into the sun. It just feels off. That being said, not the worse, definitely not the greatest and if you're reading this in your teens, chances are you are going to love it.