This amazing debut exemplifies the notion that reading fiction fosters empathy. Johnson’s beautiful prose and well developed characters, in the end, enabled me to understand and care about each of these characters, even the most unlikable of the bunch. Employing the structure of following a different one of the half dozen characters in each chapter we are able to see each one’s motivations. On top of all this she manages to tell a compelling story that keeps you turning the pages until the very end. I can’t say enough about this book and I will definitely be following Lindsey Lee Johnson anxiously awaiting her next book. (I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.)

This story follows a bunch of privileged kids from middle school when a tragedy occurs into high school. There is little hope for the characters in this story as they all face some sort of atrocity. The story starts with the kids in middle school when one child professes his love for another. The bullies of this school taunt him into choosing a permanent solution for a temporary problem. I wept over this first chapter. It was raw and hurtful.

One year later, we meet a new high school teacher who starts her career with optimism we hope every new educator would. She cares so much for the kids, some of which are still reeling from what happened. The story skips around and introduces a lot of the surrounding students to the tragedy. The problem is that they all have real issues of their own that do not ever get resolved. Not only that, but we don’t really hear from those kids again. The bullying is never really resolved. These awful kids go on to make horrendous decisions that will impact them for the rest of their lives.

This book leaves the reader helpless as these kids go on with their mistakes. We are mere spectators to the way the story unfolds and we don’t get much into how the characters actually feel. It is written about bullies and gives so many cliches. We get worst case scenarios with these kids that I scratched my head and asked the one question we all need to ask, where are the parents?

I know this is fiction, but I am a little horrified at the thought that kids live like this. I think the idea that these kids are just governing themselves without any kind of moral compass, is part of the point of this story. I wanted to put this story down, and probably could have at so many points, but I really needed to see if the story would ever circle back to the first girl in the book and what became of her. It did. Although I could have done without many of the kids in this story, the way this was written, I could feel the angst in these kids. I got invested without even meaning to. It was good and bad. I am torn on how to rate this. The writing by itself was good, but I think some scenarios were just for shock and awe and I didn’t enjoy that. I would not recommend this story.

Lindsey Lee Johnson worked at a private learning center where she tutored teenagers in writing. Her experience there has given her insight into the behavior of teens.

In her new book, The Most Dangerous Place on Earth, Ms. Johnson follows a fictional group of teens from their last days in middle school through their senior year in high school. Johnson’s teens come from upper middle class homes in Marin County, California. Despite coming from privileged backgrounds, they face some of the same pressures as most teens do today— peer pressure to belong to the “right” group, to do drugs, to drink alcohol and party hard. They also face pressure from parents who want them to do well in school so they can attend prestigious universities. And then, of course, there is the inevitable bullying by classmates.

Ms. Johnson also weaves in the story of Molly Nicoll, a young first year teacher who strives to teach and mentor her students. As the school year progresses, Molly learns more than she expected about her relationships with colleagues and students.

Johnson’s coming of age novel is hard to put down as you get to know the students and their new teacher, and wonder how their story will end. This novel would appeal to older teens as well as adults.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for the opportunity to read the ARC of this novel.

Sorry, this one just wasn't for me. Thanks for letting me try it!

As I read the first chapter of this book, I didn't really know at first what to expect. The title didn't give any hints as to what went down in the story, and the characters seemed so realistic, it was like every day situations took on a new meaning as each one headed into unknown adventures while moving through their daily lives. Then the story developed and things became more complicated as hatred, cruelty, sadness, envy, along with jealousy began to take action. Will the warning signs be ignored? Will action be taken to avoid harm, or will it come too late? A well thought-out plot! A good way to arouse curiosity; especially when it comes to teenagers in these days and times. THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE ON EARTH by Lindsey Lee Johnson was fascinatingly different. Her skills as a writer will show through as this tale leads the reader, along with a group of students down a path of intrigue. A must read! Especially if you have teenagers.

How to even begin to gather my thoughts on this book...

I kept thinking, I wish this book with its adult themes and real problems (suicide, bullying, social media, cliques, drinking/driving, cheating, student/teacher relations, etc.) could be required reading. The problem is, what age is it appropriate to say that for? Freshman?

The title is so fitting, Johnson literally hit every point of why high school is so tough. Even the kids who seem to have it all still have real issues. Because if it's not grades, its parents. While the book is set in a town in CA near San Fran where the students are considered privileged, it hits home to many high school students. Heck, I went to high school in WI and many of these themes were a large part of our lives.

This book outlines the lives of several different students and center around a new teacher, Miss Nicholl. Miss Nicholl seems seduced by the students' lives, almost like she wants to be one of them. It's clear she didn't have the same high school experience they are having and wants to feel apart of it. She oversteps her boundaries many times, but I think back to my own teachers and often these were the teachers I liked best. The teachers I connected with and felt they actually cared about me. Double-edged sword I guess.

What makes this story so compelling is how realistic it could all be. Sure, it would be a bit intense where all these scenarios happen but in a larger high school, they could. Thinking about my own time, about 11 years ago, most of these things DID happen. Which is pretty nuts if you ask me. Social media and cell phones were kinda just beginning to be a thing, so I imagine how much worse it probably is now.

It was such a quick read due to the nature of the subjects, definitely worth a read! It will have me thinking about it for some time.

For fans of Megan Abbott. A dark look at today's HS students and their lives. I enjoyed this book, while also (occasionally) being shocked by what is (potentially) the life of today's teenager.

I felt like this was a waste of my time it was rambling and not cohesive.

Meh.. Just didn't do anything for me. I didn't like how it branched off into differant stories

Random House and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Most Dangerous Place on Earth. This is my honest opinion of the book.

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth was, unfortunately, a big disappointment for me. The story never came together in a meaningful way, with a premise that promised more than the author delivered. Following a group of kids from a pivotal moment in eighth grade to their later years in high school, the book shows how the lives of these teens were forever changed. The characters, as there were too many individual stories that jumbled together in a big heap, were mostly flat and uninspired. Had the book been written from one person's perspective, perhaps the plot would have flowed better. The problem was that there was too much going on, yet not enough at the same time.

The oversharing on different media outlets is realistic and points to a real-time social problem, but the rest of the book is a simplified look at life in high school. The Most Dangerous Place on Earth just did not grab my attention and, therefore, I would be reluctant to recommend it to other readers.

God damn can Lindsey Lee Johnson ever write beautifully raw, and fully fleshed out characters. The Most Dangerous Place On Earth is an incredibly unsettling look at the high school lives of a group of teenagers. The author does a phenomenal job of getting in their heads, showing the rudderless movement of their thoughts, emotions and actions, and all the attendant horrible consequences. These are privileged teenagers, caught up in parental and social pressures. It's heartbreaking to watch them, because they're so quick to hurt each other, to be careless with each other. It's painful to watch them because they don't have a clue about their place in the world or the effects of their actions. These characters are all vain, entitled, and technology-obsessed, but these qualities never became their entire identity. It's the instances where their intelligence, passion, emotions, and determination to succeed really make them shine.

This is not a book for readers who prefer likeable characters or stories of redemption, as the novel is full of pain and heartbreak all the way to the end. What makes this book worthwhile is Johnson's prose, which is incredibly strong, and at times stunning -- there's an almost unbearable written account of a teenage party. And the instances of bullying and humiliation are brutally relentless.

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth is certainly not one of my favourite books, but I couldn't help being drawn into the journey that it took me on.

This book is extremely dark and depressing. As a parent and an educator, it's very difficult to read. It's well-written, just not my cup of tea.

What a great read. Interesting characters, developed plot points ... not just a book about/for kids.

Another well crafted literary work but one that left me cold & disinterested

Wow... the first of these interconnect stories blew me away.

I've spent a bit of time in the "trenches" of public ed, and when I come across a book about the junior high/high school experience entitled "The Most Dangerous Place on Earth," my little antennas perk right up.

I suppose you could say that some of the narrators/character choices for these stories are stereotypical--the hot girl, the smart girl, the drug dealer, etc., but what I'd admired was the way that these stereotypes were revealed as facades. Johnson got to the heart of what the characters loved and feared and wanted, which for me made them universally appealing, rather than mere cliches. (less)

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

This book is about teenagers, but is definitely an “adult” book: it shows the gritty, seedy underbelly of a world where everyone looks ok on the surface, but underneath, is a complex personality filled with conflict.

The book loosely follows a first-year teacher at Mill Valley High School, an upper-class SAN Francisco suburban high school where her core group of students seem to have it all: from the material to good looks, bright futures, etc. But each of them harbors an intense secret – all strung together by one tragedy in eighth grade. As Miss Nicholls tries to understand her students, she is pulled into a world where nothing is what it seems.

The book is set up so that Molly Nicholls, the teacher, narrates every other chapter, while one student tells theirs in the alternating chapters. It’s an interesting approach, but the timeline gets really confusing. There’s a couple of events which center the narrative, but it’s really all over the place.

Also, if you’re looking for happy endings, this book is not it. It’s very short in good feelings. But it did keep my attention until the end. I really wanted to know what happened to these kids, good or bad. The story was good, if a little (ok, a lot) depressing.

Perhaps if there had been some overarching positive ending to take away, I might have rated the book higher. But in the end, while I did want to know what happened, when I found out, I was really bummed. Like, there’s not a lot to grasp onto here.

I mean, I get that it’s a cautionary tale, but Jay-sus.

I would definitely read this author again, she very clearly has great storytelling skills. I just wish this book had been slightly different.

I feel like I'm being stingy with my 3 star rating, but good is not a bad thing. This novel was engaging and I really enjoyed Johnson's writing. It just didn't go anywhere exciting and nothing pulled on my heartstrings or shocked or even disgusted me. Rich kids are brats, social media bad, being lonely in school is a thing and so on. It might just be me but I don't feel like it all came together as dramatically as I would have liked. That's probably because everything was laid out there from the beginning so there were no twists or conflicts or any juicy bits. Even the affair with the teacher was pretty boring.
I'd say good not great.

For some the title of this book may seem misleading at first. Can a school set in an affluent California neighborhood be considered the most dangerous place on earth? When I think back to my foray through middle school and high school in a small Texas town, and put myself back into my thirteen year old mindset, I can completely agree with the title. The smallest decision or mistake can make or break you when you're in an environment where every move you make is being watched by your peers, parents, and teachers. This is the environment we find Lindsey Lee Johnson's characters in, but multiplied with privilege, part-time parents, and the unapologetic honesty of social media. Written with mesmerizing details and strong but flawed characters, this novel had me hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Here’s another book that I’ve just been waiting and waiting for Pub Day for so that I can tell you about it! I got it on Net Galley months ago and read it in a day.

Now to be honest, I’m not sure I’d compare it to Celeste Ng’s novel (which I loved) and I guess it can be like PREP as it’s about wealthy kids in high school. I also wouldn’t say, as someone does, that it reads like Jane Austen. I, however, found it fascinating because you can watch the trajectory that this teacher is on in terms of her behavior and her actions and even her motivations and you just want to stop her because things are headed for a cataclysm.

If you’ve forgotten what high school was like (really? can anyone, ever?) or if you want to revisit it, especially through the eyes of a young and impressionable (though well-meaning but naive) teacher, pick up this book!