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goodverbsonly's review
2.0
No BUT, I liked the main character whose name ALREADY escapes me (Jaime ?) and probably could have liked this if I had been able to procure an ebook instead of an audiobook :(
thenextgenlibrarian's review
3.0
Tradition by Brendan Kiely reminded me of a cross between Gossip Girl, Looking for Alaska and every Lifetime movie I've ever seen about sexual assault. I feel like it sat on the precipice of going even further in the story to push the boundaries, but played it a bit safe at each turn. The ending leaves it open to interpretation as well and I wished for a bit more closure so I knew what happened to Bax and Jules in the future. I feel like we didn't get to know the characters as well as I wanted to either, even though we had the same two character chapters back and forth between Bax and Jules throughout the entire novel. In some ways I feel like I got surface, stereotypical portrayals of the two of them, who didn't get as close as I thought they would throughout the book. I did really enjoy diving into the twisted world of prep schools and how sexist and masochistic they can be, especially in regards to assault and rape. I hope books like this continue to push the envelope so equality can be achieved at all academic institutions. Overall I struggled a bit to get through the dialogue and some storyline choices, but I did like Tradition. It's too mature for my middle school library, but would work well in a high school library.
3.5 stars.
*Thank you Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own
3.5 stars.
*Thank you Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own
kthornette's review
DNF @ 48%
Yeah, not gonna make myself suffer. I have final assignments due in four days to handle that for me.
This doesn’t have anything to do with the book but this is probably the third time I’ve tried to start it … at least I actually did it this time.Didn’t finish it though. I honestly didn’t have high expectations for this book nor was I really interested in reading it, but I wanted it out of the way by the end of the year. Such great attitude towards reading.. Look, I love boarding school books and going after the patriarchy, but the plot felt non-existent and the characters were so flat and boring.
Yeah, not gonna make myself suffer. I have final assignments due in four days to handle that for me.
This doesn’t have anything to do with the book but this is probably the third time I’ve tried to start it … at least I actually did it this time.
kmsaunders's review
4.0
This is a book teen girls and boys should read. Takes on the “boys will be boys” culture in a realistic and timely way.
franny_mae's review
2.0
I really tried to like this, I’m a sucker for boarding school stories, but it missed the mark for me.
neff__'s review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
thenextgenlib's review
3.0
Tradition by Brendan Kiely reminded me of a cross between Gossip Girl, Looking for Alaska and every Lifetime movie I've ever seen about sexual assault. I feel like it sat on the precipice of going even further in the story to push the boundaries, but played it a bit safe at each turn. The ending leaves it open to interpretation as well and I wished for a bit more closure so I knew what happened to Bax and Jules in the future. I feel like we didn't get to know the characters as well as I wanted to either, even though we had the same two character chapters back and forth between Bax and Jules throughout the entire novel. In some ways I feel like I got surface, stereotypical portrayals of the two of them, who didn't get as close as I thought they would throughout the book. I did really enjoy diving into the twisted world of prep schools and how sexist and masochistic they can be, especially in regards to assault and rape. I hope books like this continue to push the envelope so equality can be achieved at all academic institutions. Overall I struggled a bit to get through the dialogue and some storyline choices, but I did like Tradition. It's too mature for my middle school library, but would work well in a high school library.
3.5 stars.
*Thank you Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own
3.5 stars.
*Thank you Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own
readermeetsbook's review
2.0
This book has good intentions of tackling rape culture and toxic masculinity, but falls flat in its goal. Storytelling was boring and sort of heavy handed. Characters are flat - Jules is your stock feminist who seems to exist for her stances and not as a nuanced person. I would like to see more motivation behind her character - what makes her champion all these causes? Who is she beyond the activist? Bax - your typical woke male ally. The reader does get glimpse of the mis-step prior to Fullbrook, but for the majority of the book, he is your stock white ally. Very stereotypical characters. If you are interested in a book tackling rape culture, try All the Rage by Courtney Summers instead.
deservingporcupine's review
3.0
This is a very important book to have available to teenagers. It does a good job making issues of consent, rape culture, privilege and toxic masculinity visible. As a woman, former high school student, former college student, teacher, and someone who knows a bit about rape culture, nothing in this novel was groundbreaking. Which is pretty sad to think about. Solid YA with perhaps too many characters and not a ton of depth.