Entertaining fast-paced thriller set in an elite boarding school with archaic traditions aimed at keeping the elite well-removed from the riff-raff. Misfit Greer is surprised when she receives an invitation to spend the weekend at the country house of charismatic head boy Henry de Warlencourt. Ignoring her misgivings she joins more misfits for a weekend of blood sports hoping it will be her pathway to fitting in with the popular kids. The final third of the novel needs quite a big suspension of disbelief and some readers will struggle to follow the plot but all in all an enjoyable light read with some good characterisation.

Although aspects of this book were very good, with a likeable narrator, an irreverent sense of humour, deliberate flagging and self-awareness of the ridiculousness and slightly farcical nature of the book, there were a few things which dropped it down from very good to just good for me.

Greer is a likeable, believable, funny narrator. A scholarship girl at a posh school, she’s naive enough to trust the Medievals, but worldly enough to figure out, once she gets to Longcross, that something very strange is going on. I particularly liked that the story was told as if Greer was discussing it with the reader after the fact, so little addendums increased the humour of the situation as narrator Greer flagged up aspects of her own past character which were, well, dumb.

I also liked the setting, which was firstly an old school, St Aidan the Great, or STAGS, followed by Longcross country estate, in the Lake District. Big points for making the settings sound believable, but adding in that incredulity which comes when one views the archaic nature of the British aristrocracy through fresh eyes.

Thirdly, I liked the plot. Verging on the ridicculous, the idea of these misfits being taken to Longcross to be hunted and mocked was at once twisted, hilarious, and thoughtful at the same time.

However, I had several complaints and irritations about the book as well, so they dragged down the rating.

The book took too long to get going. Perhaps I’m just bloodthirsty, but when the blurb flags the fact that they end up going on a hunting trip where they’re the prey, I wanted it to happen almost immediately, but instead we had to go through pages and pages of Greer explaining how lonely she was, and how she deliberated over whether or not she’d go, and too much backstory about how Greer had gotten into this posh school. It was all tell tell tell, no showing, and I got bored quickly.

I also (and this is a personal difficulty) took issue with the word Savage being used as a negative. Firstly because it was capitalised every time (why…?), but secondly because savage, in Irish slang, is a really good thing. So the mental disconnect for me between savage as a compliment and Savage as a derogatory term was difficult to get around.

Greer’s is big into film. I mean really, really big into it. So her internal narration is absolutely packed with film references. Which, okay, is fine, but I am not into film, and I didn’t get half of the references. The only ones I did get were the disney ones, and even then, when Cinderella was referenced, it took me ages to figure out that perhaps it wasn’t either of the disney versions being referenced, but perhaps the Rogers and Hammerstein version, starring Brandy and Whitney Houston. But even still, I don’t remember the particular scene which was referenced, so almost all of those references flew right over my head. They also, I think, will date the book quite badly in years to come.

There’s little to no diversity in this book. I mean, as an upper-class British boarding school, it’s expected that the majority of the students will be snooty, but even still there was zero diversity here. The one PoC character was referred to as the Punjabi Prince. And okay, this is noted in the text as being extremely problematic, but that’s really the only nod to how homogenous this school and its students are. Greer’s supposed to be somewhat aware, so even an internal comment that it’s strange not to see any LGBT students wouldn’t have gone astray.

My last complaint was that the book was kind of predictable. I mean, the blurb gave away that the misfits were the prey, and the start of the book confirmed who survived, and one person who definitely didn’t, so there wasn’t actually a whole lot to figure out as you proceeded through the book. Even the final reveal was something of a let-down, and I had copped it several pages before Greer herself did.

There was a lot of potential in this book, some very funny parts, and a darkly funny twist behind the writer’s mood-setting. But there were a lot of weaknesses as well, which made this a relatively forgettable book in the end.

From the opening chapter I knew I would read this book in a heartbeat. 

We're immediately told and expecting a murder by the end of this book. We don't know how it happens or why, just simply that they were murderers. 

We meet Greer, a pupil at the well renowned boarding school known as S.T.A.G.S where technology and all modern etiquette is replaced with old traditional practices. Greer came to the school to avoid having to stay at her Aunt's while her Dad travels around the world filming for TV documentaries.  A school taught by Friars, students attending dinners and dances, and of course the high society students who keep the school running are the one's in charge. Little does Greer know that they're in charge of pretty much everything. The day she receives an invite saying "shootin', huntin', fishin'" from the wealthy and popular Henry de Warlencourt at his home in Longcross she can't quite believe it, but doesn't decline out of respect and curiosity. Greer soon realises that this is an exclusive event, and that only two other students who have recently started are invited too. Together they uncover something quite extraordinary about the school and these prosperous students.
I absolutely loved how this book had very much a mystery/thriller spark to it. At times it was quite disturbing and yet I really couldn't put it down. At first all seems normal (other than the old buildings and traditional outlook on things) until we reach Longcross and clues are uncovered as to why the three students are invited on a weekend to take part in old and dangerous sports. Greer is only confident and trusting in the two students by her side, despite her small love interest in Henry. 

For anyone who loves mystery and psychological thrillers this is the book for you. Its one of the best young adult books I've read in a long while!

A frightening concept - huntin', shootin' and fishin' anyone who is different.. I initially could not believe that it could really be happening. It seemed too surreal. The ending was even more unexpected - I assume the tale continues. I really enjoyed this time and feel it will appeal to pupils who have enjoyed The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. Well written and pacy. I loved the descriptions of the house and servants a real step back in time. Interesting comments on the use of technology and social media.

This was intensely gripping from start to finish. although the morbid person in me would have liked to 'huntin' shootin' fishin' to have started sooner.

The only con...

This would have earned a 4 star review if it hadn't been for the ridiculous amount of movie references. I'd maybe understand, in a book that related to movies somehow but it didn't.
Half of the references I didn't understand or referred to films I hadn't seen and so I had to Google them in order for the reference to even have the desired effect which dropped the pace as fast as the elevator in Speed.

(see my point)

Not only that but theyll also date the book IMMENSELY overtime.
I probably wouldn't have minded one or two references every few chapters but there seemed to be one on almost every other page. And not only that but if you have to rely on references to get your point across that much then...well.

Movie references aside, I thought the book toed the line on some issues but overall the book was darkly enjoyable.
Like a wolf prowling around your house, the Medievals were lethal but you couldn't help but let them in anyway.