S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ YA thriller

➮ Isolated

➮ Estate

➮ Cult

Synopsis

Greer MacDonald has just started as a scholarship student at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known as STAGS. STAGS is a place where the new is avoided. The school is run by a group of students known as the Medivals. Greer is given an invitation to spend an illustrious weekend retreat by the head of the Midevals. The weekend is known as the weekend of huntin' shootin' fishin'. As the weekend begins, it is apparent that beyond the luxurious trappings, predators are lurking, and they're out for blood.

 

Best Quote From the Book

“ 'The hunter…became the hunted,' she translated haltingly. 'The hounds…were struck with a wolf’s frenzy…and tore him to pieces as they would a stag.' "

My Thoughts

This book is absolutely a thriller, but in the end, it is not too scary. Any acts of violence or moments of stark fear are not described in too much detail. In addition, this book is a young-adult thriller which means it is not too gorey or addresses any overly adult topics.

If you are a fan of many different films, you will unexpectedly enjoy this book. There are a ton of film references all throughout that cover all different genres of film. I found it quite rewarding when there was a reference to a film I had seen. It was like an additional treat to add to my reading experience.

At times the narrator becomes a bit too self-aware and breaks the fourth wall frequently, to the point of addressing the readers directly. For some readers, I know this can be a non-starter. While that is not my preference for books, it did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. I think instead of coming off as overly annoying, it felt like it was the narrator bringing it back to focus that she is looking back on what happened and telling her story about it. 

I found the entire story incredibly thrilling and hard to put down. Lately, I have been missing the feeling of getting totally lost in a book and rarely checking the page count. I actually put off reading other books with a higher obligation for me to read them in exchange for finishing this book over the weekend. Each time I would check the page count, a good chunk of the book passed. This feeling is great evidence of how naturally engaging this book is. 

I did not know this while reading, but I discovered this book is actually the first in a 5 book series. I did notice that it was totally open for a squeal but I don't love that the plot takes 5 books to wrap up. I think I might keep it as an open-ended standalone because I am not necessarily interested in following another narrator tackling the same issues. 

This book is full of entirely morally grey characters. Even the allegedly good and bad guys are a mix of both. Bennett does an excellent job of portraying how what is right and just is often very complicated. Even decidedly evil people can have positive characteristics. Many times throughout the book right and wrong are questioned. Is the natural order better or a more modern revolution. This debate is part of what catapulted this book to a 5-star for me. I like how even with a reliable narrator, Greer was never entirely in the right or entirely innocent. 

The book plays with modern vs ancient ideals very well. The school is strongly on the side of minimizing modern influence. This is shown to have benefits for all of the staff and students living more in the moment and not losing hours a day to social media. The main trio at the center of this book are more connected to the modern world than the rest of the student body. They show how modern technology in moderation can alter the course of their lives for better and for worse. It gave me a lot to think about in terms of how I want technology to be a part of my current life. Obviously, I like social media for running this blog and my bookstagram, but I had actually been almost entirely off of social media for months prior to starting this project. I have a lot to contemplate in the coming weeks thanks to this book. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and highly enjoyed the unique perspective of a group of students who dress and act like priests. That said, I would not classify this book as having religious theming. I highly recommend this book to those who like a medium-paced thriller that isn't too dark.