As spring break approaches, Fieldston students prepare for two weeks of free time by packing for trips, downloading movies, searching for TV shows and (hopefully) buying or borrowing books. I compiled a list of four novels to read this vacation to get you through plane rides, free hours at home and more. Instead of current hits and new releases, I focused on hidden gems and old favorites.
“Strange the Dreamer” by Laini Taylor
Whimsical, haunting and full of moral ambiguity, this fantasy book will leave you obsessed. Since childhood, orphan and junior librarian Lazlo Strange has been enamored with the mythical lost city Weep. When he has the chance to visit the city, accompanied by its legendary Godslayer and his warriors, Lazlo finds Weep haunted by the aftermath of its dark and complicated past. Tasked with removing the Citadel casting a shadow over Weep, Lazlo and his companions peel through layers of history and violence to find out how to help both the city and the mysterious blue-skinned “god spawn” living in the Citadel. With enough twists to create mystery and excitement, a romance filled with tenderness and beauty and a writing style filled with some of the best imagery fantasy, “Strange the Dreamer” is a must-read.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
Part mystery, part thriller, Tess Sharpe’s “The Girls I’ve Been” is a twisty, feminist page-turner. As the daughter of a con artist, Nora O’Malley grew up around danger, helping her mother with her scams and pretending to be different girls. She has been trying something new for five years: living with her sister and pretending to be ordinary. Her old life comes crashing back, however, when she enters a bank with her best friend/ex-boyfriend and new girlfriend, and two guys start robbing it. The robbers think they have a group of teenagers hostage, but they have no idea what Nora is capable of. Switching between flashbacks and the present dangerous situation, “The Girls I’ve Been” will keep you on your toes and begging for the sequel that comes out in May.
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
“Prep,” by Curtis Sittenfeld, is a wry and nostalgic coming-of-age story full of universal experiences and moments of familiarity. The novel follows the percipient and witty fourteen-year-old girl Lee Fiora through her high school years at the prestigious boarding school Ault, and it incorporates all aspects of the high school experience. Lee interacts with teachers, disobeys rules, faces cruelty and kindness from friends, obsesses over crushes and argues with her parents. Additionally, through Lee’s cynical, thoughtful observations of private school life, “Prep” offers humorous and insightful commentary on class and gender in elite institutions. Above all, however, “Prep” illustrates teenage life with aching accuracy, giving high school the gravitas it deserves.
Happy reading!
