My high school English teacher (and fellow bibliophile) once told me to never buy a book unless I was hooked by the first five pages, and I’ve never been so HOOKED so quickly in my life.
The story begins with our “lucky” first-person narrator, Margot, packing her bags to leave the girls’ home she’s been living in since her entire family was killed in a car accident. It turns out that her father’s old (and very wealthy) acquaintance, Mr. Sutton, has decided to foster her, summoning Margot to live with his family in their plush country estate. Of course, there is a catch. The Suttons’ have handpicked Margot to be the companion for their mysterious daughter, Agatha, a teenage girl of Margot’s who has recently ceased all communication. Agatha just sits in the nursery of her parent’s gothic-style estate, staring out the large window in silence. How can Margot possibly refuse?
First of all, the first-person narrator of Margot is refreshingly realistic. I often avoid the YA genre because I find the characters too unlike real teenagers (and for other reasons). Margot does not seem to have that problem. In fact, only 48 pages in, and I already find her to be wonderfully complex. I want to get to know her.
The story itself reminds me of the old-school gothic tales full of suspense, such as Jane Eyre, with the YA strengths of writers such as Lois Duncan.
I can’t wait to get my ARC copy of this novel in the mail!
*If you’re interested in receiving ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) of novels yourself or if you simply want to read the first look I’m raving about, check out bookishfirst.com. They give first looks to upcoming novels and raffle off ARCs to anyone that reviews, and no, they are not sponsoring me. I’m just being honest.
A Couple of B's 