Book Review: The Hawthorne School by Sylvie Perry

 SUMMARY:

Claudia Morgan is overwhelmed. She's a single parent trying the best that she can, but her four-year-old son, Henry, is a handful--for her and for his preschool. When Claudia hears about a school with an atypical teaching style near her Chicagoland home, she has to visit. The Hawthorne School is beautiful and has everything she dreams of for Henry: time to play outside, music, and art. The head of the school, Zelma, will even let Claudia volunteer to cover the cost of tuition.

The school is good for Henry: his "behavioral problems" disappear, and he comes home subdued instead of rageful. But there's something a bit off about the school, its cold halls, and its enigmatic headmistress. When Henry brings home stories of ceremonies in the woods and odd rules, Claudia's instincts tell her that something isn't quite right, and she begins to realize she's caught in a web of manipulations and power. 

The author's work as a psychotherapist, with a focus on narcissistic manipulation and addictive power dynamics, guides this exploration of a young mother wanting to do the best for her child.

TEE'S THOUGHTS

I think we all want the best for our children, especially when it comes to education, and I also find that most people think that the best education you can give to your child comes from one that is paid for. Not every one agrees with this, but Claudia Morgan, the Protagonist in the upcoming book The Hawthorne School did.

Claudia is a struggling single parent, she has a young son named Henry who struggles in his current pre-school and the school seems to have a hard time dealing with him . She finds out about the Hawthorne School, a progressive private school that has a unique way of teaching, it is fashioned after Norwegian forest schools, who use the outdoors and more free play to educate. Claudia knows there is no way she can afford Hawthorne but goes to meet with the head mistress just to find out what her son would be missing. While there the head mistress offers her a volunteer program to work at for exchange for Henry’s tuition.  Claudia can not believe her luck and everything seems perfect at the school, but as time goes by, Claudia begins to notice small things that just don’t add up.

Claudia spends much of the book being naive. She overlooks a lot that the reader is quick to pick up on and see while reading. These are things most people might draw a red flag at, but Claudia in her impression and happiness to have her son in this prestigious school is willing to overlook for Henry’s well being.

The author Sylvie Petty does a great job making the school a character in its own right, it is creepy, and gives the story a great gothic atmosphere. It is perfect when you look at it on the outside, but once you begin to chip away at the outside there is something sinister there. I, being a lover of gothic, loved this part of the book.

Besides Claudia one of the best characters in the book is Zelma, the head mistress at Hawthorne. This lady is the master of manipulation, making Claudia trust her and like her. She gives her the feeling of belonging and importance, but she has a creepiness about her that gives you the same feeling as the school will give you, something about her just isn’t right.

I did find the story predictable, and for the most part I had the ending figured out ( not all of it ) but it did not prevent me from enjoying this book or keep me from finding it intriguing.

I think any one who likes psychological thrillers, dark academia settings or mystery will find this book worth reading.

** THANK YOU NET GALLEY  AND DREAMSCAPE MEDIA FOR THE ADVANCE RECORDING OF THIS BOOK.

THE HAWTHORNE SCHOOL WILL RELEASE ON DECEMBER 7TH, 2021