Greetings, bookworms! Welcome to my review of The Castle School (For Troubled Girls) by Alyssa B. Sheinmel! Firstly, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. This book releases on March 2, 2021, so make sure to grab yourself a copy then! Now let's start talking about this book! SynopsisWhen 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. (from Goodreads) My ReviewOkay, so let me preface this review by saying: This book is not what I expected it to be. I looked at the cover, saw the blood-splotch-like design and crooked lettering and thought, Ooh, a mystery! Can't wait to dive into this one! Spoiler warning, people: This book isn't much of a mystery. It's maybe 11% mystery. I read through the entire book expecting some grand reveal, an evil plot thwarted, the mad scientists caught in the act of conducting crazy experiments, something. But we didn't get that. There wasn't really much of a mystery, and most of the "suspicious" things were just figments of Moira's imagination due to her grief. There were also some mysteries related to Moira's past experiences and choices, but none of them were particularly shocking. So I'll admit that I was a little disappointed that there wasn't much mystery in this book since that's what I was expecting. And okay, okay, I probably shouldn't have gone ahead and assumed it was a mystery just based on the cover (don't judge a book by its cover, I know), but I mean, look at the cover:
This book surprised me by how much it centered around mental health and mental illnesses. I hadn't realized that this was the main subject of this novel when I picked it up, but I found that I really enjoyed it. After losing her best friend to cancer, protagonist Moira struggles with grief, so much so that her parents decide to send her away to The Castle School, which is supposed to help girls who deal with mental health issues. One thing that I found very interesting in this book were Moira's sessions with Dr. Prince, the school's peculiar but kind headmaster. Their discussions were very engaging and made me think about and reconsider some of my own behaviors and thoughts. I also felt that these sessions were portrayed realistically and honestly.
While this book focused on Moira and her struggle with grief, it also touched on the experiences and mental illnesses of the other girls whom Moira meets and lives with at The Castle School. Between every few chapters from Moira's perspective, there would be a chapter from the third-person perspective of one of the other girls. These chapters were actually some of my favorites because they allowed a brief look into the other girls' lives and their experiences with their mental illnesses. The author discussed mental illnesses in an honest manner without turning any of the characters into stereotypes. I appreciated how each character had their own unique story for how her mental illness developed and what experiences she endured because of it. Also, I'd lastly like to note that I found the ending immensely satisfying. That heart-to-heart between Moira and her mom was so touching, it almost brought me to tears (and that's saying something because it takes a lot for a book to make me cry). It was inspiring to to see Moira's character grow and change throughout the book; she had a beautiful character arc. I also liked how there was just a little bit of romance in this book, but nothing distracting or overpowering, just enough to be sweet. I enjoyed reading about the friendships in this book, too; it was heartwarming to see Moira and the other girls grow close and form friendships. Even though this book wasn't what I expected it to be, I still enjoyed it a lot! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting contemporary that centers around mental health with a teeny tiny touch of mystery (like that little glob of wasabi on the edge of an hors d'oeuvre platter). I gave this book 4.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨. Thank you for reading my review of The Castle School (For Troubled Girls)!
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Hey there, bookworms!My name is Rose (she/her) and I'm the creator of Books of Magic and Mystery. I love reading YA books, especially fantasy and mystery. When I'm not reading, you can find me baking, studying, or cuddling with my super-furry pets. Visit me on Instagram @booksofmagicandmystery! Archives
November 2021
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