The Swallows is my first Lisa Lutz book. From the description it sounds like a feminist dark academia mystery. But I got to 42% before I gave up. At that point there’s really zero mystery happening. I didn’t like any of the teachers or students, and I realized I’m reading a book **spoiler alert** about teenage boys trying to get their female classmates to give them blowjobs (never used that word in a book review before) by any means necessary and said girls are then rated and shared on a boys only online group.. it’s the 21st century, why is this happening still and why am I reading about it? So I stopped. Reading is supposed to be fun and by 42% this book wasn’t.

The audiobook has multiple narrators, one for each character POV of the story, which I liked and they all were good. That’s why I’m giving it 2 stars instead of 1.

**thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.**

Stonebridge Academy is a boarding school with a harried past- alleged student/teacher relationships and a sex contest amongst students. Everyone knows, but none does anything about it… until Ms. Witt. Told through multiple perspectives, readers slowly learn of the twisted and sadistic goings on behind the scenes of the academy. Lutz gives readers insights of both students and teachers, and she includes students’ writings and drawings within the text to add to the story. This book has everything a dark academia novel needs and some extra surprisingly horrid details for good measure.

I think that Lutz is a good writer, but this one didn't really land for me. The central plot around teenage girls being victimized at a private school by the teenage boys became pretty tiring. I will continue to read the author, but I am not recommending this one,

Book touches on subjects that may not be relevant or are overly relevant, depending on the high school or school that you’ve gone to

It does talk about rape, if that is a touchy or sensitive subject that may disturb you

It seems true to real life that the administration of the school would turn a blind eye to this type of a subject, especially because they wouldn’t want it to look bad on them, or to bring them into the situation

I am a massive fan of Lutz’s The Spellman Files. I have had a harder time with her stand-alone novels. The Swallows was no different. It reads as a teeny bopper teledrama like PLL.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

I will be reading all of Lisa Lutz's novels! This one particularly intrigued me because I've taught high school and know how brutal some teenagers can be. She does a superb job of creating realistic, conflicted characters. I love a good plot, but I would accept a poor plot or even no plot if there are well-developed characters to read about. Lutz delivers on her characters and her plots. I cannot wait to read more from her!

This novel was amusing, sad, poignant and moving. While not always believable, the sentiment was strong and the story sound. I will be reading her other works in quick succession. Thank you for access to this book.

Prep schools are always a very interesting setting for a novel, and this one was no exception. With plenty of dark secrets abounding, a group of teenage girls set out to take revenge on the boys who have wronged them. I don't want to go into any more detail because I liked heading into this one a little blind.

I was afraid the subject matter of this book would make it difficult to read, but it wasn't. I have to give credit to Lutz for not writing salaciously or graphically. It felt like every element that was included was necessary to the plot. There were a few twists and turns I didn't see coming. Although it was a tad slow in the middle, the pacing towards the end was perfection (I kept reading as fast I could to find out about the events that had been foreshadowed since the very beginning). I also think Lutz did a great job capturing the perspectives of multiple POVs (including the oftentimes complicated voice of a teenage girl).

I probably wouldn't recommend this to everyone since it's pretty dark but I would be interested in checking out some of Lutz's future work.

This book felt like a YA novel - lots of angst and whining. If someone typically likes YA, they might enjoy this book.

LOVED IT!

The Swallows was interesting with well-crafted characters and a storyline that kept me interested until the very end.

Synopsis: When Alexandra Witt joins the faculty at Stonebridge Academy, she’s hoping to put a painful past behind her. Then one of her creative writing assignments generates some disturbing responses from students. Before long, Alex is immersed in an investigation of the students atop the school’s social hierarchy—and their connection to something called the Darkroom. She soon inspires the girls who’ve started to question the school’s “boys will be boys” attitude and incites resistance. But just as the movement is gaining momentum, Alex attracts the attention of an unknown enemy who knows a little too much about her—and what brought her to Stonebridge in the first place.

Meanwhile, Gemma, a defiant senior, has been plotting her attack for years, waiting for the right moment. Shy loner Norman hates his role in the Darkroom, but can’t find the courage to fight back until he makes an unlikely alliance. And then there’s Finn Ford, an English teacher with a shady reputation, who keeps one eye on his literary ambitions and one on Ms. Witt. As the school’s secrets begin to trickle out, a boys-versus-girls skirmish turns into an all-out war, with deeply personal—and potentially fatal—consequences for everyone involved.

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz started off well but it was hard to get into. This felt awfully like a YA novel full of teenage angst in a somber setting. Didn't knock my socks off. Just okay, but some might enjoy for the atmosphere and characters.

I’ve heard good things about the author so I was excited to read the Swallows. The book is honestly hard to categorize, feels like YA but it doesn’t totally work for that audience either. I liked the gender wars and cheered for the girls to fight back against the patriarchy. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the huge cast of characters and didn’t feel a real connection to them as much as I hoped. Overall 3.5 stars

Told from various third-person points of view, THE SWALLOWS is a deep-dive into the world of privileged boys meets aggrieved girls hellbent on revenge. When new teacher, Alex Witt, assigns a routine paper for students to anonymously tell her something about themselves, she discovers an ugly secret society of misogynistic boys who rate girls on their unique abilities. What she discovers will ignite a fire under the girls to fight back and get even, with tragic consequences. The mystery of what the Darkroom is and means to students at Stonebridge Academy unfolds slowly, leaving the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next. It all builds to an ugly climax that leaves everyone forever changed.

Plot
This is my first novel by Lutz and I’m hooked. She weaves a captivating tale, building suspense, gluing me to the pages, or in the case, my Kindle screen. More than a few hours of sacrificed sleep were involved. Her characters are so complex, damaged, real, and very well distinguished from one another, that I always knew whose point of view I was reading. Though she sets up the tragedy throughout the story, it doesn’t ruin the ending. All we know is something bad is going to happen, but so much builds throughout the preceding chapters, there’s no way to know exactly what it’ll be.

Characters
The cast is full of diverse, well-developed, well-differentiated characters. Because it’s told in so many first-person points of view, this was key, and the author knocked it out of the park. Lutz does an amazing job of crafting compelling characters to tell her story. Even the ones I didn’t like, I still felt like i really understood.

What I Loved About THE SWALLOWS
1. Pacing. The story is expertly paced to keep me turning the virtual pages.

2. Alex Witt. The primary protagonist and the most damaged of the bunch. She was the perfect blend of jaded teacher and inspirational mentor.

3. Getting Even. The girls fighting back with what they had available was one of my favorite parts of the story.

4. Characters. A thrilling cast brought this story to life in a way that other characters wouldn’t have been able to carry.

5. Ending. Without giving anything away, I love the way the author concludes her tale and the ramifications it has on her characters’ lives.

Bottom Line
A thrilling tale of lust, power trips, and revenge.

I'm a suckered for a good boarding school story and The Swallows delivered an entertaining read. It was a bit over the top in some places but well worth the ride.

Though I’m very late to reviewing this one, I really enjoyed it! It kept me interested, and I would recommend it to anyone who dabbles in this genre.

A bit weird but i love diving into this one. Took me to parts unknown to my mind. With a bit of a twist to keep you going and follow though with the story. I love how the author pulls each part of the story out so you can only want more of it.

this book is SO different from what i’ve been reading lately and i loved it. it was hilarious, realistic, and definitely suspenseful. i’m also a huge fan of boarding school books so this definitely was right up my alley. short chapters are a plus and the unreliable narrators are great.

a revenge story before the “me too” movement days. the ending left me amped up and shocked that high schoolers acted this way - even when i was in high school. just don’t let your mom read this book. hahahaha!

thank you netgalley & random house for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

A promising read by this great author, as usual.... I enjoyed the premise & the story clipped along at a great pace. Thanks for the ARC!

Stonebridge Academy is an elite prep boarding school in New England. When Alex Witt comes to the school as an English teacher after a scandal caused her to leave her last post, she is not prepared for what she will find at her new school.
Assigning her students to answer 5 questions anonymously, she discovers secrets that lead down a dark road. She discovers that when “boys will be boys”, girls will exact a dangerous revenge.
This book has a lot of disturbing sexual activity and references. It has hints of the #MeToo movement.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy! Opinions are my own.
#TheSwallows #LisaLutz #NetGalley