Madam by Phoebe Wynne

Hello everyone. I hope you've had a nice day.

When we first started dating, my husband was surprised to learn that there was only one high school in my hometown.  The town he grew up in has ten or twelve.  It's a wee bit bigger of a place.  Still, he was shocked by the support for that one school.  Many years ago, while visiting, we decided to go to a football game.  My dad got hubby to go purchase tickets with him.  Purchase tickets?  In advance?  Hubby thought my dad was looney, which I maintain they both were/are.  Yep, the old spouse was amazed when he got to the school and the box office was mobbed.  He hadn't seen anything like it since seeing major college games.  What can I say? High school football was a major thing in my area and rivalries run deep.  Just ask my cousins, who lived in adjoining towns who were my school's mortal enemies!  It was fun, especially seeing Mr. "we have a dozen high schools" eyes light up when he saw the crowds. 

I recently read Madam by Phoebe Wynne.  This is the story of a girl's school covering the teen years of education. The school, Caldonbrae Hall, is a castle on the cliffs of Scotland. They are very proud of their traditions and insist on maintaining even the slightest detail...no mug, cup and saucer.  Rose, 26, is surprised when she is offered the job of teaching Classics.  The school hasn't hired a teacher in years and the one Rose is replacing left for a reason no one will disclose.  As you might expect of an elite school, the girls are down right snotty and less than welcoming. There is an undercurrent of things being unsaid.  Other teachers advise Rose to play by the rules and stick things out, all will be revealed after her employment probation is up.  As we readers guess immediately, all is not right in the education world.

I don't know exactly how to tell you about this book. It is being given bad reviews by some for a specific reason, but I can't discuss why without spoiling the whole book.  I actually liked the story.  I am a sucker for atmosphere, which this book has plenty...a castle on the cliffs filled with bratty teens, weird caretakers, an elusive headmaster, and a completely unreliable staff...what is not to love.  It made me keep reading, I had to know the secret.  What was being hidden and why?  This issue I have with this novel isn't about the story itself but the time it takes to reveal the secrets.  Now, before you all start booing me, I know the author wants to build suspense.  I get it.  I could have just used fifty less pages of me guessing what was going on a Caldonbrae, which I was correct, and a slightly shorter book.  If you are super critical, skip this.  If you like the whole story idea, like I did, it was an interesting, atmospheric read, give it a go.

By the way, that football game just wasn't as good as when I was a student there. I wonder why?