One of our Books of the Year 2016 | September 2016 Book of the Month
In a Nutshell: Deadly Ambition | Scheming with Spirits | Descent into Darkness
Thrilling, chilling, supernaturally-charged retelling of Macbeth set in a prestigious southern state high school.
While Lily can’t wait to try out her antique Ouija board, her girlfriend Maria is less keen. She has history when it comes to the spirit world. But it's been a while since she's tried to talk to them so “maybe they'd forgotten her,” she hopes. While Lily and Maria are engrossed in the proceedings, their friend Brandon translates the Ouija messages from Spanish and Latin, one of which mentions their prestigious college’s Cawdor Kingsley Prize, which everyone is certain will be awarded to gorgeous golden girl, Delilah, with Maria, as usual, coming second, always the princess to Delilah’s queen.
The Ouija’s messages are disturbingly ominous. “That which is second shall be first,” it spells.
It turns out that Lily had hoped the Ouija board would spur Maria into believing that it was her destiny to come first and win the prize. She's set on going to Stanford University and is desperate for Maria to go there too, but the only way she's guaranteed a place is if she wins the prize. While the message has got under Maria’s skin, when Lily concocts a plan to ensure she wins it, she doesn't want to go through with it.
“It isn't right,” she says, but Lily urges her on, like Lady Macbeth coaxing her husband. It’s not fair that Maria’s talents and efforts aren’t being recognised, and besides, Lily reasons, “this is what the spirits said would happen anyway, right?” So Maria agrees.
But soon there’s no going back and Maria descends down a deadly, dark path, dragging her friends and peers with her.
This really is an inspired idea - Macbeth converts so well to this exclusive high school setting - and I especially loved the La Llorona strands, the Weeping Woman ghost of Mexican myth whose eerie influence has spread throughout Hispanic culture. This super-smart Shakespearean adaptation is a read-in-one-sitting page-turner. ~ Joanne Owen
Robin Talley's new novel Our Own Private Universe will be published on 9th February 2017 - it has been selected by the Lovereading editorial team and a review and extract will be available to view from early February.
Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school's ultimate power couple-but one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey. Golden child Delilah is a legend at exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize. But Delilah doesn't know that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything-absolutely anything-to unseat Delilah for the scholarship.
| Reading age: | 13+ |
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Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school's ultimate power couple-but one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey. Golden child Delilah is a legend at exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed As I Descended and determined it is suitable for children aged 15-18 years old
As I Descended features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Romance / Relationship Stories, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for Young Adults
Paperback. £11.69, down from the £12.99 cover price. In Stock.
As I Descended was written by Robin Talley and published by Mira Ink an imprint of Harlequin (UK)
As I Descended has 370 pages
£11.69, reduced from £12.99. In Stock.
