Tom Dolby - Secret Society - Guest Book Review

Book Review by Jenny over at cityofbooks.blogspot.com. Thanks for the great review. If you've enjoyed this review and would like to read more reviews by Jenny, then just click the link above.

From Amazon: An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York’s wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about. They didn’t ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything. Even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown, and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they’re forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they’re part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It’s all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

I've always been fascinated by secret societies and New York life, so a book combining the two was always going to be high on my radar. Tom Dolby has combined secrets, lies and high society life to form a book shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

Secret Society features a plethora of characters -- some that I liked, and some that I could easily leave. Phoebe, Patch (love this name) and Nick were my favourites, with their stories being the most interesting to follow. I'm not saying the other characters weren't good, they just didn't stick in my mind as much as these three did.

Another part of Secret Society that I really enjoyed was the society itself, complete with creepy founders and a compulsory ankh tattoo. The influence the society has on people's lives is shocking, not to mention scary. Imagine not being to go anywhere or do anything without somebody else knowing: it would be a nightmare. There's always a price to pay in situations like this, and in this case, freedom and privacy quickly bit the dust. Patch probably dealt with it the best way, as he defied warnings and faced the society head-on. Whether that will come back to haunt him is anyone's guess, but i'm betting his immediate future won't be plain sailing.

The book's slower pace occasionally frustrated me, though it was the perfect way to create suspense. It slowly but surely reaches a satisfying conclusion, and successfully sets the scene for a sequel. I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the dangerous world of the society, and just hope that any future installments will pick up the pace a bit.

Book Published by Katherine Tegen Books Oct 2009 - U.S and for more information on the book or the author here is the link.www.tomdolby.com


~pRoPhEcY gIrL~