Cover Image: The Chandler Legacies

The Chandler Legacies

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Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley and Balzer & Bray/Harperteen for an advanced copy to review! Let me preface this review by saying, yes, there were parts of this book that I did like, however, my feelings overall are complicated. Told from five, yup five, different points of view, this story gives us an inside look at what it can be like to attending a private boarding school in the states. Each character has their own story, issues, and what they're going through individually. But while individual, they do come together through a writing program called "The Circle." There are a lot happening in this book.; hazing, sexual assault, anxiety, living up to adults expectations, and more. What I found frustrating was that nothing was ever really "solved" in the end. For me, coming from multiple characters made it feel like nothing was overly important which was frustrating because these were all important issues. If the focus was on one main character, like Ramin for example (and I'm biased because he was the best character, imo), the story might have flowed better for me, personally.

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Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books and Balzer + Bray for the e-ARC of this book to read and review. I would set my rating at 3.5 stars, though that isn't an easy starring considering my reading.

Lately I have been reading several books that introduce their characters in a reality show competition type of way (especially in a school setting, where each student arrives at their residence for a new year ahead) where we meet the distinct players and learn a few of their backstory details all separately before they come together as a group. Admittedly, it's not my favorite introductory style and it takes me a bit to get into a book this way - mostly because I personally feel like I need to be memorizing specific details upfront that I think will surely be important later, instead of picking things up in a natural flow. In this book, it came together a bit like the Breakfast Club, as in we learn what brought each of the highlighted students to this school, and eventually to their writing group, the Circle.

As slow as I dipped into the book, the middle was very engaging and brought forward several incredibly important themes. I commend this book for taking on so many storylines of boarding school secrets, hazing, bullying, illness, racism, sexual harassment, and more -- while certainly difficult to read, they were handled extremely well throughout. I also loved the idea of the students coming together as a specially-selected writing group who all had their unique talents and stories to work through. But just as I was getting invested in the characters and learning more about what they wanted from their futures, the book wrapped up incredibly quickly. Without spoilers, lots of loose ends from the previous chapters were tied up extremely fast, and late-in-the-game new conflicts were attempted to be resolved (or forgotten about?) in a lightning fast finale. I don't necessarily think I wanted the story to linger on some more, but there was a lot of lead up so that by the time characters started having revelations of their own, or sharing more with their group, the pages were winding down and skipping ahead.

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3.5

Can’t get enough of boarding school books? The Chandler Legacies is one to pick up.

This book is set almost entirely in 1999 at Chandler Academy, an elite boarding school in Connecticut. Every year, students apply to be part of a literary society known as the Circle. Nobody quite knows the criteria for getting in, but this year, five students are admitted. Readers follow each of the five characters throughout the book.

Beth Kramer is a townie, which means she lives in the town Chandler is located in, but unlike other townies, she lives on campus. She is returning for her sophomore year after having a difficult year with her roommate, Sarah. Sarah Brunson, the aforementioned former roommate, has her own traumas from her freshman year (and before) that she went through, so she has a very different side to the story. Amanda Priya Spencer (Spence) is a legacy student with powerful parents and she wants to become an actress. Ramin Golafshar is a transfer student from Iran who left his home because he is gay and it is unsafe for him there. But once he’s at Chandler, he faces hazing and harassment from the older prefects in his dorm. Freddy Bello is a senior pole vaulter who doesn’t know that he is on the right path for him.

As these five characters get to know each other, they form a tight bond. In the Circle, they are told to write their truths, but they soon realize that they have all faced or witnessed different forms of abuse while on campus. Their truths can cause serious consequences for others.

It is difficult to write a book that is this length and also follow five POVs. I think it was done as well as it could have been, as the next character would pick up where the one before left off. They all felt like distinct characters, but there was also a lot that I didn’t know about them by the end of the book. I honestly think the book could have been longer and it would have been a benefit to the story.

This book covers sexual assault, pedophilia, racism, harassment, homophobia, the trauma of having a formerly sick parent, and self harm in the form of hair pulling/trichotillomania. I don’t think I’ve ever seen trichotillomania in a book. I think that overall, Nazemian handled these topics well for including so many hard-hitting issues. Readers will feel for the characters and experience frustration with the way systems fail people, which I think will in turn help them to break cycles of abuse.

My main criticism is that readers didn’t get the full impact of the fallout of their decision to fight back. My guess is that it wasn’t what the author was trying to do, but I wouldn’t have been upset at all if it had been included. The ending felt a little rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the book, and I liked the way the rest of the book was structured and paced. It also seems like it was an intentional move, so I think my criticism comes down to preference.

If you want to read a hard-hitting contemporary fiction book set at a boarding school, I highly recommend The Chandler Legacies. If you’re looking for dark academia, this is not that.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a cool concept. The breaking down of the misogony and assaults that can happen in the private school area. While the characters were fun to follow and you are rooting for them and seeing their friendship develop was great, a lot of this book seemed too surface level. Some scenes could have been explored deeper instead of just glossed over. I would have love the book to be slightly longer to allow some key scenes to be more impactful. But overall I did enjoy this read.

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A poignant tale that highlights the power of creative expression and friends who are like family.

Overall, this was a well-woven multi POV story of power dynamics, prejudice, and privilege. The cast is diverse and compelling, the boarding school setting atmospheric and intriguing,

My only real issue with this was pacing—quite slow at the beginning and rushed at the end. But all in all, a very strong novel.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5/5 stars.

I really liked the premise of this, and for once I liked the alternating POVs as it told the story of "the circle" an exclusive writing group at a boarding school. The characters felt *relatable* even though they all had vastly not super relatable backgrounds between being a celebrity, gay Iranian, olympic medalist in training, and then 'normal' additions as well. Even though their backgrounds aren't inherently relatable to the average reader, their personalities and issues they had were extremely common to high schoolers.

Although I liked the premise of it, I don't think there was that exciting of a plot to be had within the novel. I appreciated each of the characters finding their 'truths' and the focus on being LGBTQ+ during a time when society didn't accept it as much as they do now -- the book takes place in the late 90s -- but the plot just...wasn't there? There wasn't necessarily a climax, and the story's 'ending' feels like it should have been the climax. More should have happened versus just learning everything in the epilogue...that takes place years later.

I also like how it emphasizes writing and the power it gives, along with mental illness and acceptance of one's truths...but I also think this could have been SO much more than just a 'finding truth and found family' novel. There wasn't overarching climax that truly challenged the characters.

Overall, it wasn't terrible but I don't think it was as good as it was hyped up to be.

TWs: hair pulling (trichotillomania), anxiety, LGBTQ+ discrimination, slurs, and harassment, sexual assault and harassment

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The Chandler Legacies takes place in elite boarding school, Chandler Academy. In 1999, five teenagers and students of Chandler are selected to be part of The Circle, a highly coveted writing workshop led by enigmatic English teacher, Douglas. Brought together to hone their craft, the five teens navigate their own struggles as, through writing, dig within themselves, revealing a legacy of secrets, silence, and abuse within Chandler.

The character-driven storytelling in The Chandler Legacies is immediately engaging. Though very different from one another, the five protagonists have their own unique and intriguing personal stories: biracial Indian-White American Spence, a passionate actor who burdened by perfection; bisexual Cuban-Brazillian athlete Freddy who is unsure of his future in sports despite his parents’ sacrifices; gay Iranian Ramin, who left Iran after he and his boyfriend were outed; queer Sarah “Brunson” who fills her life with extra-curriculars to bury the trauma of her mother’s cancer; and queer Beth who has trichotillamania and grapples with her tumultuous first year of Chandler. At least one of these characters will resonate with readers.

All five are fully developed, each with their own internal world and struggles. Readers who enjoy the found family trope will enjoy how the characters find belonging and acceptance with one another, each other a safe space to share their truths about themselves. It is through their writing that the characters come together, where they unpack their traumas and insecurities, and how writing can reveal the truth about ourselves and others. The Chandler Legacies asks the question: do we find freedom in the truth and sharing the truth?

Nazemian portrays the complexities of boarding school dynamics and institutional power with razor sharp insight. The story explores and depicts how traditions of violence are perpetuated because “that’s how it has always been” – from racism to anti-gay sentiments to bullying to violent hazings. There is also an unexpected layer that delves how privilege can also shield people from harm. Through these questions, The Chandler Legacies reflects on the intersections of privilege and abuse, exploring who gets hurt and who doesn’t get hurt in the cycle of violence.

At its heart, The Chandler Legacies is about, as the name suggests, legacy; legacy students and their privileges, the legacy of our actions and mistakes, and how legacy can define and shape an institution and who we are. The story offers a hopeful ending, highlighting that legacy is not destiny, and new legacies – one where truth is told and abuse is stopped – can be created in their place.

Searing and ultimately hopeful, The Chandler Legacies is a complex portrait of boarding school life that lays bare the toxic cultures pervasive in such institutions, but does so moments of levity and the joys of friendship and connection balanced with the deliberate solemnity when exploring its darker subject matter.

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I have mixed feelings about this one. For the most part, the writing style really spoke to me, Parts of this book felt a bit rushed, but by and large it was easy to tell Nazemian put a lot of effort into making the character's voices come alive exactly as they were. The pacing was certainly an issue with this book, as it falls into the trap that so many do of a rapid time skip in the last 20% of the novel. Perhaps it was just me, but I do feel a bit bamboozled by the summary of this book- I definitely expected more of a mystery and suspense, whereas it read primarily like literary fiction. The most interesting character by far was Ramin, and if the entire book had focused on his experience exclusively, it would have been a higher rated read in my mind.

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TW: sexual assault, bullying, self-harm, homophobia, racism, pedophilia

All the characters in The Chandler Legacies are super interesting and I was immediately invested in each of them. I think each one of them could have had their own book and it would have been compelling.

That said, I feel like there were too many characters. I’d rather go in depth with two or three characters than just scratch the surface with five.

The pacing was also off throughout the book. It felt like a majority of the story was spent introducing the characters and the school, without any real plot happening. The sexual abuse storyline came in almost at the very end and didn’t feel properly fleshed out or very satisfactorily resolved. On the other hand, the bullying/hazing storyline dragged out for too long with no real conclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley and Balzer + Bray for this ARC!

Release date: February 15, 2022

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3.5 stars

It's been a while since I've picked up a YA contemporary novel as I feel like I've really outgrown them, but I was interested in this one because the premise sounds a lot like my own experiences with boarding school, and one of the main characters has trichotillomania, so I wanted to see how the rep was done. Honestly, I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, and how emotional of a read it was for me.

I know that the author has said that this story is heavily influenced by his own experiences, and I think that comes through in the emotions and lessons conveyed in this book. I also personally really related to a lot of what happened here, both in terms of the environment of the school, the characters' personal struggles, as well as the aftermath and having to come to terms with the part I'd played in perpetuating the toxic and harmful culture of these types of elite academic institutions.

One thing I really loved about this book is that while the themes of privilege, abuse, and complicity are all very heavy and the severity of these things is never downplayed, the overall tone of this book is still very hopeful and empowering. A lot of the lessons that this book teaches, especially in terms of how complicity makes us all part of the problem, are all things that I already know now as an adult, but I think would be absolutely invaluable to a teenager (which is, of course, the actual target demographic of this book). This book ultimately tells the story of a group of teenagers who had been failed by pretty much all the adults in their lives who were supposed to be taking care of them, thought they were completely powerless, but found strength and courage in each other.

My main criticism of this book is that I felt like it was too short and all of the various plotlines that were carefully set up came to a resolution way too quickly for my personal liking. I really wish this book was ~100 pages longer and took more time and care with these storylines, especially since they touch on such serious issues (especially the storylines that touched on sexual assault and institutional cover-ups). I also felt like while the trich rep was mostly well-done, it was sometimes presented in a way where it almost seemed like a symptom of Beth's anxiety, rather than a disorder in and of itself. I do think it's important to differentiate that trich is a compulsive disorder, and while people with trich (like myself) can also have anxiety issues that trigger/aggravate it, it is a separate thing entirely. That being said, I am definitely nitpicking here and I think the rep in general is so important - I can't explain enough how much I wish I had seen this represented in a book as a teenager, and think it's fantastic that Nazemian has included it here.

Overall, I think if you are a fan of YA contemporaries and/or books that take place in boarding schools, you will really enjoy this one. It also at times feels like a love letter to the art of writing, so if you're a writer, you might also really love those parts of the book as well.

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This is a heartfelt and thoughtful novel. Set at an elite boarding school, a disparate group of students is brought together by an English teacher as part of writing group known as the Circle. The group includes two popular seniors, a transfer student who fled the threat of persecution only to be bullied by his new classmates, and two former roommates who had a falling out during their freshmen year. Somewhat skeptical at first, the unlikely group grows close as they spend more time together and share more about their backgrounds, experiences, and hopes than they have ever done before with their other friends. Through their interactions and their writing, the group, individually and together, begins to question the culture of their school and actions of teachers that they have long held in the highest regard.

This was a well crafted and highly engaging story. Highly recommended!

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Honestly, I just don't think this book was for me. It has a lot of potential and I appreciate the story Abdi wanted to tell, but it's not for me. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of readers who need it.

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3.75 stars

In this novel, set in a swanky high school (which most but not all students experience as a boarding school) in New England, a group of five students develop unlikely connections to each other in The Circle. The Circle, which is headed by the only out queer teacher on campus, is a select group of students who participate in a writing community. These students learn a great deal about each other and themselves through this bond.

The novel moves quickly as a result of its structure. Each of the five members of The Circle gets their own chapters, and they alternate viewpoints for the duration of the novel. This helps readers stay engaged and get to know what each character is experiencing. But... this is no semi-lighthearted '80s movie.

The characters deal with horrifying scenes of bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault, grooming, and utter failure on the parts of the adults in their lives. Parts of this novel are tough to stomach because of the realistic depictions of hazing and assault. On a more personal level I struggled with the role that the one openly queer teacher in this entire institution plays in these events. I'll leave this vague to avoid spoilers, but that factor - along with the incredible failures to report, chaperone, and provide general care for minors in this environment - disturbed me. I don't think the treatment is irresponsible for the audience, but I do think it could be less problematic.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and will recommend it to students with caveats and trigger warnings attached.

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This was such a difficult story to read. The note at the beginning of the story discussing what is depicted is necessary. I found parts of it almost impossible to read. However, this book was wonderfully written. I wanted more from this story. The first half was detailed and did a great job of building up the characters and the plot and then the second half of the story felt like a lot was shoved into it. I was ready to read 200+ more pages about these characters. I felt like some parts felt incomplete. It was also a little upsetting that basically all of the adults in the story did some pretty terrible things. It was difficult, as a teacher, to read that the teachers at the school were horrible.

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Rating: 4.5 Stars

Being part of the Circle was a sought after honor at Chandler Academy. A place to hone their writing skills, it became a safe space where they found friendship, love, and their truth.

Two things drew me to this book: the author and the setting.

I know I am not alone in my penchant for boarding school books. I find the whole concept of living away from home before college so intriguing. But, alas, I am a middle class girl from Brooklyn, and it was public school for me. At least I could delight in that world via books, such as The Chandler Legacies. Nazemian made this school its own character, and he did a wonderful job pulling me into this world. He exposed the good, the bad, and the ugly side of it all while the main characters struggled with their place in it.

Each member of the Circle was unique, bringing something important to the story. I enjoyed watching these people, who came from very different circumstances, bonding and learning from each other. The friendship was probably the star of this story for me, but I also loved each character’s individual journey.

Nazemian tackled multiple “tough topics” in this book in a thoughtful and organic way. A focus on friendship and a touch of romance kept the story from becoming too heavy while still allowing those issues to have impact. I am still smiling just thinking about the ending. I was given a peek at the future of each Circle member, and I was quite happy for them. There was one thing I had wished for, but overall, Nazemian gave them fantastic lives.

Overall: A moving story of friendship, being your true self, and standing up for what’s right.

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To be honest, I love that the book has diverse characters (which is happening a lot more with fiction and I'm all about it) but the story just didn't hold me. Maybe it's my reading mood at the moment, but normally boarding school books of any kind hold my interest longer and I don't hope for it to end soon. Again, that's just me. Other will probably love this book

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"Nonfiction is about telling the truth. Fiction is about telling your truth. Fiction is a mystery only its author can solve. You."

In 1999, Chandler Academy, a group of 5 students find themselves selected to be part of a highly selective writing group on campus called The Circle. Together with the help of their professor, they'll learn how to speak their truth through writing. There's Beth, a local 'townie' that has anxiety of her own after what happened last year. Brunson, who has a desire to succeed and not be pitied by any of her classmates. Freddy, the jock who is more than his athleticism and is beginning to doubt if he wants to remain training as an athlete. Spence, the privileged daughter of elites but is looking to prove things on her own. Ramin, a boy who has moved away from Iran only to find things aren't all that much better in America. Will they be able to come together as a group and explore their truths through writing?

While the premise at first might seem similar to The Secret History, that's pretty much the only similarity you'll find. This is a story that really explores these characters and what drives them, their struggles, and their revelations as they get to know one another better. The themes explored can be dark and be a little triggering for readers, but there's never a point where anything gets too graphic. Nevertheless, at the heart of the book is a story of not only friendship, but of self-acceptance and expressing oneself through the power of writing.

As much as I loved this book, there were a few areas in which there could have been some improvement. With five characters points of view to read, this book could have definitely been longer. There was much more to their characters and their experiences that could have been explored, and I only wish I could have gotten to know who they were a little bit better. Some of the scenes, especially towards the end, felt rushed. Plot points would move from one thing to the next with exceptional speed, not even bothering to extend the drama as much as it could have. This story moves away from stirring up any unnecessary drama that would bloat the writing, but I felt it could have had just a little more tension. Just enough to make me worry for the characters a bit more.

Regardless, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would gladly recommend anyone to check this out.

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Thank you so much, Balzer + Bray, for allowing me to read The Chandler Legacies ​early!

I have been a fervent supporter of Abdi Nazemian since my first reading of Like A Love Story, and I’m specifying "first" because there have been several re-reads since then, so I appreciated very much the chance to read Abdi's upcoming book. The Chandler Legacies is a book that feels very real: the characters, the not-so-hidden workings of privilege in academia, the queer themes. I cherished everything, but especially reading the author's note in the beginning. I definitely think this book belongs in the hands of students everywhere.

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This book started off so strong, a full 5-star read, but towards the second half the pacing started to feel off and somewhat rushed and the ending was abrupt. I still give it 4-stars and really really loved it overall!

The characters were really interesting and I loved learning about their backstories and individual character arcs. This is something that Nazemian does really well. Sometimes I had trouble differentiating between them and I think it would have benefitted from a first person narrative to help distinguish voice and really get into the mind of the characters. Ramin was the strongest character and honestly I would have enjoyed this book just as much if it was entirely from his point of view (though I think the multi-POV was probably the right narrative choice for the structure of this particular story).

I definitely do not see the "cross-over appeal for readers of The Secret History". I would not classify this as dark academia and I think the comparison comes from the fact that this book is about a group of students working with a professor, and stops there. This is more of a hard hitting contemporary that just happens to take place at a prep school.

The ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, but I believe that was intentional and it actually worked for what the book was trying to do. Normally I don't like an epilogue but this one was perfection and brought me to tears.

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"I think writing is by definition an act of optimism."

This story had me completely obsessed. It has everything I love in a book: character driven stories, multiple povs, found family, academia (though it's more of a squint to see it type), LGBTQ and diverse characters, and it's about writing. This is the recipe for my new favorite book.

The story follows these five students and their experience at this prestigious boarding school while uncovering the horrors underneath. The horrors are so grounded in reality, taken almost straight from scary news headlines making them even more horrifying than mothers. Reading the Nazemian's author's note in the beginning really added layers to the story. This is personal to him and I can tell just from the detail in the writing.

From the start, the story is very gripping. You learn about each character individually but also through the eyes of others. Their stories are all interwoven but could stand alone. There's a great mix of heartbreak and bright moments that balance the story. As much as you are reading about bullying, you're also reading about five kids who just want to belong to someone.

My only critiques would be the book is entirely too short. I feel like there was a lot more to discuss with the characters, so much more I wanted to learn about them. The "romance" aspect was seriously lacking with a certain couple. I really didn't see the chemistry between them. The best part was the friendships which were still so new and not that development, so when a romantic relationship happened it came off rushed. If there was more time with the characters to develop and see their bonds grow stronger then I think the romances would have made a lot more sense. The most development friendship wise was Brunson and Beth, I really liked seeing them grow closer and learn about each other.

That's my only real complaint. A need for time with the characters and the story. But other than that, I really enjoyed reading it.

If you liked Looking for Alaska by John Green (or read it when you were fifteen and made it your personality), you'd like this one a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

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