A thriller that is well worth reading in many, many ways.
While I don't feel that it's it's the "heartbreaking work of staggering genius" that the gushing blubs would suggest ... it's good. It's very, very good. Ms Lupton can write -- she has shot to the top of my "Authors To Watch Out For" list. (I actually have one ...) In my humble opinion, her heart is in the right place -- and that's right there, on her sleeve. I suspect she would not be upset if you described her as an SJW* -- and why should she? Myself, I like nothing better than a good SJW. The action is punctuated by scenes from the most stressful dress rehearsal of Macbeth since opening night at The Globe, and SPOILER, sort of -- yes, there is a lovely, tear-jerking pay-off to that. (I am partial to good, tear-jerking pay-offs, too ...) It's a love letter to good teachers, and there should be more love letters to teachers in this world.
There are flaws. I almost gave up on it, because in the first 50 or so pages, it all just seemed too perfect -- the school's facilities, philosophy, students and teachers, its enlightened attitudes, all seem like something out of a liberal's daydream of ideal education. An idyllic setting, on clifftops overlooking the sea? Check. State of the art theatre, pottery room, treetop obstacle course and rambling Victorian school buildings? Check. (All of which come with significant features/flaws when it comes to evading psychopathic school shooters, but hey.) It's a testimony to Lupton's fine writing that my resistance gradually faded, especially after she introduced the police profiler, Rosa Polstein, who has the unenviable task of figuring out how to identify -- and maybe even reason with -- two men who have decided it would be good fun to terrorise a school-ful of children and their teachers.
But if I have one more serious criticism it's that -- for a book about every parent and teacher's worst nightmare -- Lupton's narrative choices mean that it's surprisingly lacking in conflict. The kids get on, and work together, as minor teen jealousies and rivalries are put aside. Hugs are exchanged. The teachers (with one exception, who quickly sees the error of his ways) are, to a man and woman, devoted to the safety of their charges, and each other, and quick to see what needs to be done to achieve that. On the Police team, Lupton even manages to do without that time-honoured trope of this type of book, The One in Charge Who Refuses to Listen -- their briefings on the on-going crisis are models of sweet reason, cooperation and intelligent listening. All of which can feel a little ... forced.
However -- very glad I read it, makes some excellent points, and well worth giving it a go, to see for yourself what you think.
*Just in case you're wondering: Social Justice Warrior ...
While I don't feel that it's it's the "heartbreaking work of staggering genius" that the gushing blubs would suggest ... it's good. It's very, very good. Ms Lupton can write -- she has shot to the top of my "Authors To Watch Out For" list. (I actually have one ...) In my humble opinion, her heart is in the right place -- and that's right there, on her sleeve. I suspect she would not be upset if you described her as an SJW* -- and why should she? Myself, I like nothing better than a good SJW. The action is punctuated by scenes from the most stressful dress rehearsal of Macbeth since opening night at The Globe, and SPOILER, sort of -- yes, there is a lovely, tear-jerking pay-off to that. (I am partial to good, tear-jerking pay-offs, too ...) It's a love letter to good teachers, and there should be more love letters to teachers in this world.
There are flaws. I almost gave up on it, because in the first 50 or so pages, it all just seemed too perfect -- the school's facilities, philosophy, students and teachers, its enlightened attitudes, all seem like something out of a liberal's daydream of ideal education. An idyllic setting, on clifftops overlooking the sea? Check. State of the art theatre, pottery room, treetop obstacle course and rambling Victorian school buildings? Check. (All of which come with significant features/flaws when it comes to evading psychopathic school shooters, but hey.) It's a testimony to Lupton's fine writing that my resistance gradually faded, especially after she introduced the police profiler, Rosa Polstein, who has the unenviable task of figuring out how to identify -- and maybe even reason with -- two men who have decided it would be good fun to terrorise a school-ful of children and their teachers.
But if I have one more serious criticism it's that -- for a book about every parent and teacher's worst nightmare -- Lupton's narrative choices mean that it's surprisingly lacking in conflict. The kids get on, and work together, as minor teen jealousies and rivalries are put aside. Hugs are exchanged. The teachers (with one exception, who quickly sees the error of his ways) are, to a man and woman, devoted to the safety of their charges, and each other, and quick to see what needs to be done to achieve that. On the Police team, Lupton even manages to do without that time-honoured trope of this type of book, The One in Charge Who Refuses to Listen -- their briefings on the on-going crisis are models of sweet reason, cooperation and intelligent listening. All of which can feel a little ... forced.
However -- very glad I read it, makes some excellent points, and well worth giving it a go, to see for yourself what you think.
*Just in case you're wondering: Social Justice Warrior ...
